Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. Henry Holt and Company.
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.
An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America. Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well-researched.
The annotation above both summarizes and assesses the book in the citation. The first paragraph provides a brief summary of the author's project in the book, covering the main points of the work. The second paragraph points out the project’s strengths and evaluates its methods and presentation. This particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance or usefulness for this person’s own research.
Annotated bibliography samples. Annotated Bibliography Samples - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University. (n.d.).
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/annotated_bibliography_samples.html
In this example, the citation is in APA format. This one isn’t very long, so the citation is only 1 line long. If any citation information carried over to a second or subsequent line, those lines would be indented.
There’s a space between the citation and the annotation. Note that the annotation here is all indented. It’s not just the first line like in a normal paragraph in the body of your paper. The entire annotation is indented ½ inch. In this particular example, the writer summarizes the source in 2 sentences. Then, the writer discusses the author’s background and expertise, and assesses the article for relevance, limitations, and how well researched it is. It does not discuss the source’s usefulness to the field or to the writer’s paper. See your assignment guidelines to determine which elements you need to include in your annotation.