For this project, you will write an annotated bibliography
(annotated bib or AB). You are doing this for at least three reasons: to
organize and track the sources you find on your topic, to demonstrate knowledge
of the existing research about it, and to better understand the relationships
among different perspectives on the topic.
Topic.
The topic of your annotated bibliography will be the issue you have chosen to
write about for your research paper. More specifically, you will choose sources
to include in your annotated bibliography that will help you answer your
research question, which should be stated clearly and explained in an
introduction to your AB.
Requirements.
In your AB, you should include:
- An introduction that includes your
research question and explains why your topic is relevant or even
controversial (that is, why it is an issue in the field). The introduction
should further give a very brief overview of the different viewpoints
included in your AB. - Must be 150-300 words.
- 5 sources organized alphabetically.
- At least 3 of these must be scholarly,
peer-reviewed sources. - As you select your sources,
make sure you have a variety. For example, you should not have more than
two sources by the same author.
- An annotation for each source that
includes:
1.
The Works
Cited/References entry.
2.
A properly documented
summary of each source that includes just the main points that are relevant to
your research question.
3.
Information about the author that
proves it is a credible source.
4.
An
explanation/evaluation of why you chose to include this source in your
annotated bib (what makes it unique and/or relevant?). Note that “this source
relates to my topic” is not enough and does not count.
5.
A discussion
of how this source connects to the other sources. Note that “this source
connects to the other sources because it’s on the same topic” is not
sufficient. Find specific overlaps
or discrepancies.
6.
Each
annotation should between 150-250 words.
#4 and #5 should make up a good deal of
each AB entry. One sentence for each will not be sufficient.
- A
consistent documentation style –APA or MLA, depending on field of study