Annotated Bibliography
The Annotated Bibliography is an excellent opportunity to explore various ideas and positions on the issue in preparation for research. Selecting sources is a good first step in research, but annotating the sources forces researchers to read critically instead of just collecting information from a source. Writing an annotated bibliography will help you learn more about your topic. To write about the heart of the argument in a given source, you have to fully understand the argument presented. Writing an annotated bibliography will also help you identify your thesis or claim for your later argument papers. Evaluating multiple sources helps you gain perspective about the issue and understand fully what the argument is and who argues for or against the issue. Annotated bibliographies are useful to other researchers.
Select articles and references carefully and be cautious when deciding what articles and websites are appropriate for the issue. In an argument, you must show both sides of the issue and therefore, you will need sources to show how each side views the issue.
Topic:
Locate a minimum of 10 sources for your annotated bibliography about the issue selected. Issues ideas can be found in the Reader section at the back of the book, in the news, in the community, on the job, in the classroom, and so forth. Be sure to select an issue that can be used for all assignments for the remainder of the semester. Keep in mind that these sources may or may not be the sources you ultimately use for your papers. Make sure the sources have been selected from a variety of source types (printed articles not available online, articles from the Web [be cautious about using these as ANYONE can put ANYTHING online and call it fact], websites, books, magazines, academic journals [excellent source check the PEER REVIEWED search criteria for Virtual Library databases to limit the search to Professional and Academic journals]), and so forth. At least three different source types should be used (i.e. newspaper, journal, magazine, organization, book, and so forth).
After deciding on the 10 sources read and analyze them and take extensive notes. For long articles or books, use skimming techniques to extract the important sections. Use the table of contents, chapter headings, and the index or bibliography in the book (or article) to help narrow the focus. Read carefully the parts that are relevant to the position and that clearly show the problem or a solution to the issue.
The CARS criteria developed by Robert Harris and introduced in session 2 will assist you in evaluating sources.
Arrange the sources alphabetically, using MLA or APA style as specified by your instructor, and then write a five-to-ten sentence blurb (short description) summarizing each source. Using 3×5 or 4×6 note cards will speed the process of placing the sources in alphabetical order. Identify the author’s claim in the short summary. Indicate in a sentence how the source might be used in the up-coming problem solution essay. The following are examples using MLA and APA (but MLA and APA use double-spaces everything):\
MLA sample:
Pitts, Leonard. “Parents’ Influence is Limited.” The Dallas Morning News 2 Feb. 2002: 27A. Print.
In this editorial, Pitts first claims that people are too quick to blame a child’s parents if the child does something wrong. In fact, he says, parents might even enjoy pointing the finger at other parents who have a child in trouble. However, Pitts tells us, once he had his own children, he became more humble and realized that no matter how “good” parents are children still do things that are “bad” and against the “rules” that guided how they were raised. This leads him to an example: a song by Margin Gaye, suggesting that parents should stop trying to mold children “like their own piece of clay.” Finally, Pitts argues that parents should keep offering wisdom, guidance, and love, but stop thinking that they are the ultimate influence on their children’s lives.
Use Pitts’ Article to support my position that when a child does something bad, the blame is too easily placed on the parents.
APA sample:
Pitts, L. (2002, February 2). Parents’ influence is limited. The Dallas Morning News, p. 27A.
In this editorial, Pitts (2002) first claims that people are too quick to blame a child’s parents if the child does something wrong. In fact, he says, parents might even enjoy pointing the finger at other parents who have a child in trouble. However, Pitts tells us, once he had his own children, he became more humble and realized that no matter how “good” parents are children still do things that are “bad” and against the “rules” that guided how they were raised. This leads him to an example: a song by Margin Gaye, suggesting that parents should stop trying to mold children “like their own piece of clay.” Finally, Pitts argues that parents should keep offering wisdom, guidance, and love, but stop thinking that they are the ultimate influence on their children’s lives.
Note how the researcher named the author, Pitts, throughout the summary. Be specific and name the author. If the entry begins with an article title, name the article title in the summary.
See a sample Annotated Bibliography beginning on page 402-404. Although it is not clearly shown in the text (due to room), all lines of the Annotated Bibliography are to be double-spaced using MLA or APA style.
Development:
The Annotated Bibliography should contain the following items. See the model bibliography on pages 402-404 in the text.
1. Organize your sources alphabetically and provide complete bibliographical data following MLA or APA style of documentation rules as specified by your instructor.
2. Write, in your own words, a summary of your source. What is the author’s position and how is it supported? You may include a few short quotes, but for the most part, this should be a summary. Name the author in your summary.
3. Write an evaluation of the validity and appropriateness of the text to your project. Does the text support/contradict/complicate your attitude toward your subject? Relate it to other texts, raise questions, and so on.
Format: Format and document the Annotated Bibliography using MLA or APA style as specified by your instructor. Organize the data for each source following MLA or APA rules for documentation. See pages 446+ for a visual sample of MLA formatting. See pages 469+ for a visual sample of APA formatting.
Grading: I will grade this assignment on correct use of MLA or APA documentation for each source, use of summary techniques (specific naming of author and title of work), and clear statement how the source may be used to argue the issue.
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