Webliography

Credibility for Web-Based Research

Webliography Defined

Bibliography- lists books and other printed works referenced in a research paper

Webliography- a product born out of web research, represents a list of websites used

Annotate- to write a few sentences that both describe and critique the website

When instructors assign an annotated webliography, they want students to defend the inclusion of the websites as references in the research paper. In the annotation, students must justify the website’s authority, credibility, and relevance to the research subject.

Use a search engine to find websites relevant to the research topic. You need to know who authored the website, whether the author is an authority in the subject matter, whether the website has corroborated factual information rather than unsupported opinion and the date of the last update. We live in a time of information overload, so don’t fear a lack of credible sources, nor should you settle for the first website you encounter. Research takes time.
Copy and paste the essential data into a document once you find a relevant website. Copy and paste the author’s name, the title of the web page, the name of the website, the latest update date and the full URL address, copied directly from the address bar.
Describe the website in a sentence. Then, explain why you believe the website has accurate information to use in a larger research project. In other words, give a brief critique of the good and bad aspects of the website.
Repeat this process for each website. The assignment sheet should state how many annotations the webliography needs.

Adapted from How to Write an Annotated Webliography by Patricia Hunt, Demand Media

Webliography Examples

Webliographies for Images

Webliographies for Images - a note

The above example may be appropriate for secondary education, but the image webliography can be built in many different ways. For younger students, or the first project of the year, you may just have the Location column, or the Attribution column. Adjust requirements for your needs and the age of your students.