IT

You are interested in a topic or issue and it has been approved by your instructor. You havefound a reference source to get a broad overview but haven’t narrowedto a specific research question. You realize you need to increase your understanding of the topic.

What to do?

Prepare an Annotated Bibliography (AB)

What is an annotated bibliography? An annotated bibliography is a list of references plus a summaryfor each cited source. It can be part of a larger research project, or it can be a stand-alone report. You are doing a stand-alone report.

An annotated bibliography serves different purposes, for this assessmentyour research aims are to

• Establish facts
• Discover current knowledge
• Investigate findings revealed by experts in the field
• Gather sources from multiple perspectives
• Help formulate a thesis and research question
• Show that you comprehend each source cited

The Process to Accomplish the Assessment

1. Develop keywords to search the library and online resources for information about your topic.

2. Locate a total of FIVEcitations for quality sources (See Types of Sources(below)to see what to include in your annotation).
3. Briefly examine & review the actual items, choose works that provide a variety of perspectives.
4. Read the sources.

1. Cite the sources using the APA style.
2. Write a concise annotation (See Formatting (below) to see what to include in your annotation).
3. Write anintroductionto your annotated bibliography: Define the topic, and the scope of your bibliography: Is it meant to cover the whole range of opinion or just one viewpoint or aspect? Does it cover what you judge to be the best, or the most recent, or a broad sample of the available material on your topic?
4. Review your AB and introduction be sure that your introduction is based on your citations

Formatting the Annotated Bibliography

After your introduction, for each of your FIVE sources,start with the citation, double spacethen write your annotation in paragraph form (at least 3 paragraphs, 200 words). Your annotation is divided intosummary, assessment and reflection & critique.Consider the following prompts as you write.

Summarize:

• The main purpose or idea of the work.HINT: If a journal article, the abstract may offer this information.
• The main arguments or point(s) made
• The kinds of questions or issues addressed by the work
• The contents of the work
• The intended audience
• The author’s research method
• Special features of the work such as illustrations, maps, tables, etc.
• The author’s conclusions

What is not included in Summary?

Don’t judge. Leave that to the critique portion.

Use your own words.Put effort in explaining what the work is about with as few words as possible (be concise).

Assessment:

Is this source credible?

• Provide information on the author or principal author, if multiple authors.
• Make clear that you understand the author’s purpose and their expertise on the subject matter.
• What are the author’s credentials?
• The author’s conclusions
• Discern whether the work is from a scholarly or non-scholarly periodical.
• Is the material primary or secondary in nature? What is the importance of either type of sources?
• Who is the publisher?
• Did you find evidence for bias or subjectivity by the author?
• Has the work been revised, or is it a first publication? What difference does it make? Multiple editions may indicate that the work has become a standard source and is reliable, if the work is a first publication does it mean it’s unreliable?

Reflection &Critique:

• Reflect, what do you think about the work overall?
• Does this research extended findings previously published?
• Does the work update other sources, validate other materials you have read, or add new information?
• How do different source types (scholarly, non-scholarly) address your topic?
• How does the work compare with other sources in your AB?
• Were the work’s limitations described?
• Did the author(s) meet the research goals?Do the authors suggest further research?

Types of Sources

FIVE sources: Three Scholarly and Two Non-Scholarly

Scholarly

• Scholarly Articles in the library databases (MONARCH OneSearch)
• Scholarly Articles in Scholarly Journals
• Scholarly books
• Textbooks

Non-Scholarly

• Magazine articles
• Current News from: television, newspaper, online, any format
• Blogs
• Encyclopedia: everything from the Britannica to Wikipedia

QUALITY WEB source suggestions:

• Websites (.edu, .gov) (.org, .com – if you can justify)
• Other online publication
  • blog post (written by an expert)
  • online trade journal or professional association (written by authority or professional in your topic)
• news source provided it is a reputable publication and journalist (avoid freelance – unless you can justify)
• New York Times,Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, BBC, The Economist, Wire Services: The Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg News, Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, Politico

EXAMPLE

Sample APA Annotation

Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York, NY: 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.

MORE EXAMPLE SAMPLES

Review the Annotated Bibliography Example & Annotated Bibliography Samples pages in Purdue OWL. The Samples page is especially helpful – scroll down to find the APA sample

Link to Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). Note that examples use information about styles other than APA. For your assignment, you are using APA. You must use APA citations.