The very first step in writing an annotated bibliography is to check the topic on which one has to write. Then, it is crucial to select the relevant material that can help to enhance the topic or understand the essence of the topic. After selecting the source, it is crucial to develop an understanding of the credentials of the author and the qualifications of the author because taking resources from a reputed or well-educated researcher can always help to come up with a better paper rather than blind research. In addition to checking about the author, it is also equally important to know about the publication agency and the place where the article or the journal is published. The most important part is the analysis which improves the research skills of the student and helps him come up with better content and knowledge.
The next and most important part of writing an annotated bibliography is to reference the article. The citation can be done in the form of different styles, it can be APA, MLA, or Harvard. The choice of citation style depends on the institution or the instructor and his preference. A writer can use both, a manual or an automatic approach to cite the reference, both can work effectively because there is little to no difference between the different citation styles.
This step is all about creating an annotation. This step is also equally important and it requires a writer to create a description in almost 100-150 words. There are four types of annotation, each based on the requirement of the institution or the instructor.
This annotation is all about describing the source, it can also be called a detailed summary of the article. A writer has to describe the central elements of the research
Here, a writer is required to come up with a short summary, it is not related to the content of the research paper that is being evaluated or discussed.
This type of annotation is a critical insight into the resource. The critical annotations deal with the reflection, a personal overview, or the identification of the strengths and the weaknesses of the article.
A combined annotation is both a summary and then a brief critical analysis of the source. It is one of the most commonly discussed categories of annotation that is usually preferred.