An annotated bibliography is both an organized list of consulted sources, but also a summary of those sources. The citation will include author (if available), title and the publishing information. The annotation of the work is usually brief, normally about 150 words (4-6 sentences). The annnotation can be descriptive, but it differs from its cousin, the abstract, in as much as it can also be evaluative. The elements of an annotation can vary but they may include:

• Purpose
• Intended Audience
• Relevance to your topic (or why it was not on target)
• Any shortcomings? bias? or did the work have some special features you would like to highlight?
• Author's background or authority on the topic
• Author's conclusions
• Your  impressions or conclusions