How to Write an Annotated Bibliography in 3 Easy Steps

In order to write a proper annotated bibliography, please have your source(s) in hand so that you can follow this easily.
The first step would be to cite your source, please format your source in APA, MLA, or Chicago style first.
In my example, I will cite in APA style so you can see what it should look like:

Step 1: Cite your reference
Center For Immigration Studies. (2002, August 6). CIS Panel on Mexican Immigration After 9/11. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from Center For Immigration Studies: http://www.cis.org/articles/2002/mexcoverage.html

Some versions of Microsoft Office 2007 will format resource citations.

Step 2: Summarize the source:

Write 2-4 sentences that will summarize your source in a concise manner, include essential concepts that are relevant to the research topic.
Here is an example of a summary that I wrote very concisely.

This article discusses immigration issues between Mexico and the United States. Prior to September 11, 2001, President Bush and President Vicente Fox were negotiating a deal that would benefit migrant workers. President Vincente Fox was also in the process of getting President Bush to raise the immigration quota significantly; after the events of 9/11 unfolded President Bush decided that it would be inappropriate to consider any agreements.

Please notice that this is meant to be very basic, outlining the basic concepts of how this source will benefit your research topic.

In the final step we will talk about how this source will be used in the research paper. 1-2 sentences should be sufficient, this should outline the content within the source that you will use. This should not be a critique of the source, when writing keep your tone very positive.

Step 3: Identify How this source will benefit your research paper

This article would be a helpful resource for my research paper because it demonstrates the impact that 9/11 had on issues related to homeland security and foreign relations.
It is perfectly fine to write something that is more detailed about how you will utilize the resource, the rule is to never make this section longer than the summary. This is designed to give your audience an idea of how you obtained your information, and made the decision to use this material.

Here are some tips that will be helpful along the way, please remember to write everything concisely (avoid wordiness or lengthy paragraphs.) Please stay on topic, only mentioning the key elements of the source. I've noticed a common mistake in many annotated bibliographies, many students only write a summary, and they omit the last step. Please pay close attention to the last step, it is just as important as the summary. Every piece of the puzzle is extremely important.

When you are writing your annotated bibliography, please format the paper properly. The formatting will of course be at your instructor's discretion, I will show my example in APA format. This will give you the opportunity to see how all steps come together.

Annotated Bibliography

September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks

Center For Immigration Studies. (2002, August 6). CIS Panel on Mexican Immigration After 9/11. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from Center For Immigration Studies: http://www.cis.org/articles/2002/mexcoverage.html

This article discusses immigration issues between Mexico and the United States. Prior to September 11, 2001, President Bush and President Vicente Fox were negotiating a deal that would benefit migrant workers. President Vincente Fox was also in the process of getting President Bush to raise the immigration quota significantly; after the events of 9/11 unfolded President Bush decided that it would be inappropriate to consider any agreements. This article would be a helpful resource for my research paper because it demonstrates the impact that 9/11 had on issues related to homeland security and foreign relations.