Ben Ding

Barton
World Lit
3/31/17
Annotated Bibliography

"US Drought Monitor" US Drought Monitor, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Summary
This article highlights the drought situation in the US, supplying readers with statistical data
and interpretations. Furthermore, it contains a color coded graphic depicting the specific areas the
drought affects. In the sidebar, it has a recent list of weather patterns that pertain to a certain area of
drought, predicting how long it will last and how much impact it will bring

Strengths
The advantage of using this source is that its one of the few sources that reliably states the
drought situation in the US. This allows for research to be focused on the US. Furthermore, it states
how the weather affects the drought and how it might affect the drought in the future as well. Finally,
the source is managed by the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and various other government
institutes.

Weaknesses
However, the source does not show any economical impacts, considering america is one of
the more economically stable countries. As such, researchers can only view the state of the drought,
not the social, political or economical impact.

Relevancy
This article highlights the drought situation in the US, which allows for focused analysis in an
area that is more economically developed. Furthermore, it provides scientific support for weather
patterns, making allowing for research beyond social and economical impacts possible. However,
the source is focused solely on the drought level and weather, and does not provide any economical
or social impact.