Annotated Bibliography Topics for Students

An annotated bibliography is usually assigned to students who are conducting a particular type of research, or are searching for a better understanding of a particular topic. In fact, an annotated bibliography provides a student the chance to dig deeper into the matter of the topic and find an informational basis for the research project. An annotated bibliography contains references and brief descriptions (evaluations) of the sources in the context of the issue.

While tutors usually assign a particular topic to the student, some tutors give freedom of choice for the topic. If you were allowed to choose the topic on your own, it is no surprise that you have become puzzled by the assignment. Perhaps you have already spent time on digging for the best topic, and have become exhausted by the effort. No matter your situation, we have decided to provide some sample topics in various fields to ease your burden.

annotated bibliography topics

Good Annotated Bibliography Topics for Psychology

  • Discuss the benefits of canine companions in child (adolescent) development.

Any pet, regardless of type, size, and gender, plays a very important role in the formation of the child’s personality and mental development. A pet in the house can help develop such qualities as responsibility, accuracy, compassion, the ability to count their strengths, and respect. In your annotated bibliography you can seek existing materials on how dogs influence children’s psychological development. Also, you can touch the assistance of pets in treatment of a particular psychological disorder (depression, anxiety, children with ADHD, autism, etc.).

  • Choose two disorders from the DSM-5 list of mental disorder categories and do an annotated bibliography.

Have you ever seen an alien? Have you ever bitten your nails? Signs of mental disorder can be detected even in a healthy person. But in fact, detection of real mental disorder is difficult. Mental disorders are pathological conditions, accompanied by a violation of perception of reality, behavioral disorders, and deviations in the emotional and mental sphere. For this annotated bibliography we propose you to choose one or two mental disorders (choose more extraordinary diseases) and analyze the existing researches related to its diagnosis and treatment. As an additional factor, you can identify age or social group depending on the available sources.

  • The aspects of Neo-Freudianism.

Neo-Freudianism is a branch of psychoanalysis that was created by the followers of Freud’s psychoanalysis techniques. For this annotated bibliography you need to find sources connected with neo-Freudianism theory. It may touch such issues like self-awareness, self-reflection, social-psychological theories, dilemmas in psychotherapy, psycho-dynamic approach, etc. In your annotated bibliography you will need to explain why the study was done, define the uniqueness of the particular source, and demonstrate the importance for the particular issue. What are the most recent issues connected with neo-Freudianism theory? Find the most recent publication related to this theory and make a brief overview of the information.

good annotated bibliography topics

Good Annotated Bibliography Topics for Nursing

  • Analyze publications about developing healthy eating habits for children.

Healthy habits should be instilled from childhood. Many diseases are formed because of unhealthy eating and bad habits. Child nutrition differs from those for adults. A child’s body spends more energy and needs more vitamins and microelements for comprehensive development. In this annotated bibliography you can discuss sources related to child nutrition, products, menus, and psychological approaches that help parents in this task. Also you can consider the problem of stunting, obesity, and child development in the context of nutrition quality. What products should be in the child’s daily ration? What is the role of meal planning? What are the possible consequences of poor nutrition?

  • The role of nursing care for students with special health care needs.

In this annotated bibliography you can find recent researches connected with the principles of care for children with special needs. Define who can be considered a child with special needs. How can the needed process for a particular child be identified? What medical or developmental screening is needed? What are the most appropriate practices for inclusive classrooms and educational programs? What are the challenges and benefits of childhood inclusion? What is the role of the nurse in the educational process? How do schools provide intensive nursing care for the students with special needs? Find the most recent publications on this topic and evaluate each source in the context of one particular issue.

  • Nursing care for patients with intellectual disabilities.

Patients that suffer from intellectual disabilities frequently face low quality nursing care in medical institutions compared to patients without such disabilities. They can be faced with the following: missed screenings, poorly managed chronic diseases, problems with mental health, skipping the detection of poor vision, etc. Search for publications that highlight the possibilities of hospital improvements and management of such patients. Consider the standards of nursing care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. What are the peculiarities of effective communication with such patients?

annotated bibliography topic ideas

Easy History Annotated Bibliography Topic Ideas

  • Choose one of the ancient cities in the Near East (or any other part of the world).

Many ancient cities have all but disappeared, save for their appearance in historical documents, but some of the settlements had remained unshakable for several thousand years. Such cities bring about a great interest for archaeologists and society, as it gives a scent of mystery. For example, Eridu was founded in Sumeria around 5400 BC. Today it is an archaeological zone in the south of Iraq – the inhabitants left Eridu about the 6th century BC. For your annotated bibliography you can choose Mesopotamia, cities in the Nile Valley, or Mesoamerica (Aztec, Maya, or Inca). Find the documents and articles related to the chosen city and make a brief annotated bibliography.

  • Analyze the sources related to Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and political activity.

In this annotated bibliography you can concentrate on either the life of Martin Luther King Jr. in general or concentrate on his political activity. Martin Luther King Jr. is famous for his activities aimed at the fight against racism, discrimination, and segregation. Identify whether the source is topical and relevant to your project. Is there any bias in the article? Is the author credible enough? Is the bias based on the author’s political, cultural, or philosophical point of view? What are your conclusions about the source? Does it give an additional value to your project?

  • The development of traditional Chinese painting.

Chinese painting thrived in ancient times, and the date of its appearance goes back into the centuries. Chinese painting and calligraphy are important parts of traditional Chinese culture and an invaluable treasure of the Chinese nation. It has a long history and glorious traditions in the field of world art. Chinese painting differs from European painting. Traditional Chinese painting is a combination of several arts in one painting – poetry, calligraphy, painting, engraving, and printing. What are the main characteristics of Chinese painting? How should Chinese art be evaluated? How were women depicted in traditional Chinese paintings?

annotated bibliography topics for education

Annotated Bibliography Ideas: Topics for Education

  • Development of the philosophy of education.

Education each year reaches new heights. This annotated bibliography can touch issues of self-study, the historical perspective of teacher education, the congruence of teacher beliefs and practices, the psychology of learning, home education, education and morality, vocational education, and more. Consider recent sources only. Try to identify the views of modern researchers on the education of future generations. How has the role of teachers changed throughout the centuries? What are the qualities of a good teacher? How can a student’s personal experience be enriched? What approaches should be used in modern schools? How can student engagement be improved? How can classrooms become more interactive?

  • The issues of distance learning and its implementation in schools and higher institutions.

Distance learning increases in popularity from year to year. But in fact, distance learning is not a new practice, as it was already practiced at the end of the 19th century. In this annotated bibliography we suggest you to discuss the state and perspectives of online learning. What are the peculiarities of distance learning nowadays? What are the most efficient ways to organize online teaching and learning? What are the most recent technologies used for distance learning? What are the ways of observing and modeling a student’s personal profile? How can student learning experiences be adopted? What are the best ways to evaluate a student’s knowledge?

  • The role of cultural differences in the educational process.

Culture and education have a strong relationship. Cultural difference influences student-teacher relationships and may raise problems in the educational process. What role does cultural identity play in students’ educational results? What are the peculiarities of the educational process if the teacher and student are from different cultures? What problems does this issue raise? How can parents help improve the educational process? Do uniforms help decrease the cultural difference? Do cultural differences influence the quality of education? Concentrate on one of these questions and find appropriate sources.

We hope that this topic list for an annotated bibliography will help you create a remarkable paper. Choose one of the topics above and start searching for the available sources. Then you will need to craft a paper in accordance with your tutor’s requirements. Pay attention so that the paper follows the required academic style. For detailed information on how to write an annotated bibliography step by step, you can read on our website. Also, we recommend you to look through available annotated bibliography example in MLA for better writing and understanding. We wish you all the best!