Library Research Guide |
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Annotated bibliographies allow the teacher to make sure your research is on the right track. Writing an annotated bibliography is a great way for the student to review all of their research. An annotated bibliography is a list of sources in full bibliographic form, followed by a brief 150-word paragraph about the source. It is more than a summary. Begin by writing out the full bibliographic citation using the proper format. See Bibliographic format. Next skip a line and begin your paragraph. The paragraph should include where you found the source, author’s credentials to validate the information’s credibility, a summary of the specific information that this source provides that supports your topic, and compare/contrast this source with others listed.
Examples:
Anderson, Jon Lee. Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life. New York: Grove/Atlantic, 1998.
Jon Lee Anderson is a journalist. He regularly writes for the New Yorker and is a respected foreign correspondent. He has written another book titled Guerrillas and co-authored several works of fiction. This book was found in the Pentucket Regional High School Library. Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life is a detailed biography of Che Guevara’s life. Anderson relies on heavily on primary sources for this work in addition to consulting the large body of secondary works on the subject. I will be using “Part 1: Unquiet Youth and Part 3: Making the New Man” to show his experiences that propelled him into a revolutionary life and then how he applied his philosophy while in power in Cuba. There is a huge bibliography at the end of the book. Anderson is not a historian, so the book lacks detailed footnotes on each page although there is a notes section that addresses his sources. This book is a necessary resource because it is such a comprehensive source on Che.
Guevara, Ernesto. The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey. New
York: Ocean
Press, 2003.
This is the translated journal of Che travels through Latin America. This book was found at Merrimac Public Library. There is no better insight into the topic than the person’s own. I will be focusing on the experiences that shaped his beliefs. Primary sources are invaluable. This is an important resource because it is Che’s own thoughts, feelings, and experiences without a middle person’s perspective of a secondary source like Anderson’s book.