Building a Strong Research Foundation: An Annotated Bibliography

Posted on | by Linus

AFAS 302: AFRICANA STUDIES RESEARCH APPROACHES
Annotated Bibliography Assignment Guidelines
Assignment objectives
The primary objective of this assignment is to give you further understanding and appreciation of the scholarship on your research topic.
A companion objective is to provide you an understanding of the aspects of your research topic that have not been covered by the existing scholarship. This knowledge will help you to refine your research objective.
An annotated bibliography has two parts: bibliography and annotation.
A bibliography is a list works that have been consulted, used, or quoted in the course of researching a topic, investigating a problem or an issue, and in the overall process of producing another academic work. These reference materials could be books, book chapters, journal articles, internet materials, primary sources, secondary sources, etc. Each entry or work on the list must include a full bibliographic information on the material. For a book, this will include: author, title, publisher, place of publication, and date of publication. For a journal article, the full bibliographic information must include: author, title, volume, number, year, and page numbers (first and last) for the article. The documentation style must follow the MLA format.
An annotation is a synopsis of each entry on the bibliography list. This synopsis will begin with a general summary of the entry that centers on the thesis or the major argument of the work. Following this is the contribution of that work to the scholarship on and our general understanding of that topic. Each annotation should be between three and five sentences long and placed below its entry.
Your annotated bibliography should have no less than FIFTEEN academic sources. Consult with a Reference Librarian if you are unsure of what an academic source is.
Formatting:
Your name and Course Number must appear on the top left corner of the first page.
Assignment must be Times New Roman font, 12-point font size, one inch margins all around, and double-spaced.
Assignment file must be submitted as a Word Document.

📌 Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your Annotated Bibliography easily!

Step 1: Understand the Assignment Requirements

Your annotated bibliography must include:
✅ 15 academic sources (books, journal articles, primary/secondary sources).
✅ MLA format for citations.
✅ Each source should have an annotation (3-5 sentences long).
✅ Annotations must include:

  • Summary of the source (thesis or main argument).
  • Contribution to the research topic.
  • How it enhances understanding of the topic.

Step 2: Find and Select Your Sources

  • Use Google Scholar, JSTOR, PubMed, or your university library to find peer-reviewed sources.
  • Focus on books, journal articles, and reliable academic sources.
  • Keep track of each source’s author, title, publisher, publication date, and page numbers for proper MLA citation.

Step 3: Structure Your Annotated Bibliography

Each entry should follow this format:

📌 MLA Citation (Hanging Indent Format)
Author(s). Title of the Book/Article. Publisher/Journal Name, Year, Page Numbers.

🔍 Annotation (3-5 sentences)
1️⃣ Summarize the source’s main argument or thesis.
2️⃣ Explain its contribution to the field.
3️⃣ Describe how it enhances your research.

Example Entry:

Smith, John. The Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture. Oxford University Press, 2020.

This book explores how climate change affects food production worldwide. The author argues that rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns threaten food security. Smith provides extensive data from global case studies, making this an essential source for understanding environmental challenges in agriculture.

Step 4: Format Your Bibliography in MLA Style

✅ Use hanging indents (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
✅ Alphabetize sources by the author’s last name.
✅ Double-space the entire document.

Step 5: Edit and Finalize

✅ Check MLA formatting for citations.
✅ Ensure annotations are concise, clear, and insightful.
✅ Proofread for grammar and clarity.

Final Step: Submit Your Work

  • Review your bibliography to ensure all 15 sources are included.
  • Submit before the deadline according to course instructions.

🚀 Now you’re ready to create a well-structured annotated bibliography with confidence!

Place this order or similar order and get an amazing discount. USE Discount code “GET20” for 20% discount