A bibliography is a list of works (books, articles, films, etc.) on a particular topic.
An annotation can help the reader determine the value of each work on the topic and the contribution it might make to his own research.
An annotated bibliography includes a paragraph following each citation that summarizes the work.
A descriptive annotation may summarize:
- The main purpose or idea of the work
- The contents of the work
- The author’s conclusions
- The intended audience
- The author’s research methods
- Special features of the work such as illustrations, maps, tables, etc.
For more explanation of what an annotated bib is, see The Annotated Bibliography by Michael Engle at Cornell University