A bibliography is a formatted list of citations that support your paper/project

An annotated bibliography is a formatted list of citations that also includes a summary explaining why the book or journal article is valuable for the project/paper.

Creating an annotated bibliography promotes understanding of the research process and helps students identify the value of a particular book or article to their final project/paper.  (E.g. what is this book/article about; or what point of view/opinion is conveyed by the author and how does that contribute (or not contribute) to my thesis?)  ________________________________________________________________________

BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION: (example of a standard citation)

Scotti, R.A.  Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's.  New York, New York: Viking, 2006

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY: (standard citation + a summary + assessment of how good is this source i.e. relevance, accuracy, quality; + comments about why the resource supports/or does not support the thesis)

Scotti, R.A.  Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's.  New York, New York: Viking, 2006

This book is about the construction of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome.  Scotti highlights over 100 years of architectural construction which involved 30 different Popes, and numerous artists and architects including Raphael, Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini.  Various setbacks during construction are reflected through: artistic differences, corrupt and self-serving popes, political strife including the sack of Rome, and the Protestant Reformation.  [summary]  

R. A. Scotti  is a journalist and author of books covering various subjects.  She is not an art or architectural historian.  "Basilica" is an easy to read account of the building of St. Peters that is written for the lay person, not a researcher.  Due to the lack of citations and bibliography, it is difficult to ascertain the accuracy of the information she presents.   However, the book conveys a well rounded look at a very complicated and long history of one of the most famous and controversial structures. [how good is it?]