Annotated Bibliography
Assignment Description
Annotated bibliographies are a product of research. Scholars and students in all fields conduct research, and take careful notes on the sources they find in order to collect information. Annotated bibliographies are most often used as a research tool before writing a large paper (the kind you’ll be expected to write in upper division courses after you transfer). Annotated bibliographies provide readers with a citation (so readers can locate the source if they want), a summary (so readers have a general idea of what the source is about), and an evaluation (so readers know if a source is credible, how it is useful, and how it compares to other sources). While time consuming, annotated bibliographies are incredibly helpful tools for scholars, students and professionals.
Expectations
Annotated Bibliography
Which texts do the scholars in your field read, talk about, and use as the foundation for their arguments and scholarship?
1. Compile a list of FIVE of the most important texts in your intended major/field. Some of these will be books, some articles in scholarly journals in print or online, and some professional statements. The purpose of this experience is to continue your research in the areas of the library, the internet, the department, and the profession to find out what works have become the backbone of the discipline, essential reading that you will likely become familiar with in the course of your upper division studies. One way to identify significant texts is to ask scholars in your field (like the teachers in your major here at BCC). Another way to identify significant texts is to look for patterns. Which texts/writers are most frequently and/or repeatedly cited by writers in your field? Look for patterns. If you’ve read through textbooks and journals and nearly all of those texts refer to a particular study, report, or article, it’s probably an important one to know in your major.
2. Read them to get a basic understanding of what they are about and their individual value to your major.
3. Write an annotated bibliography entry for each, then compile the six entries in alphabetical order. Each annotated entry should contain:
a. MLA formatted citation for the text
b. One paragraph summary of the text (5-7 sentences)
c. One paragraph evaluation of its importance/value to your discipline, its validity and credibility, when/how you might use it in your upper division classes after you transfer, and how it compares to other important texts in the field (5-7 sentences)
Grading (for each assignment)
Each complete entry is worth twenty points – five entries times twenty points each = 100 points for the assignment. I will deduct two points if you fail to give your annotated bibliography an appropriate title. Each citation is worth five points. Each summary is worth ten points, and each evaluation is worth five points.
Other Resources
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University offers extensive help with writing tasks, and is home to easy-to-navigate formatting and citation information for MLA. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
Below is a strategy to “reading” the five texts you choose:
For books:
· Skim through the Table of Contents to get the overall scope of the work.
· Read the preface, if available and especially the introduction, which is usually
set up as an abstract itself. Do NOT merely copy this abstract for your bibliography – this is plagiarism! Write this in your own words.
· Read the first paragraph of each chapter.
· Read the last chapter, which usually identifies the thesis and a summary of the main points of the work.
· Write down any controversies or contradictions you may discover.
· Look over the footnotes for key concepts and other important references.
· Check the references page at the end of the work or at the end of each chapter (if the book is an anthology) for other important texts you may not have found out about yet.
· Skim through the Index to note the key words and names.
· If necessary, Google the author(s) to find credentials if they are not included in the text itself.
· Write down any quotations from each text that go to the heart of the author’s thesis or main supporting points. The first and last chapters of a book are the most likely locations.
For journal articles either in print or online:
· Read the abstract, if there is one, or the initial paragraphs.
· Skim the entire piece, noting the subheadings.
· Read the final paragraph, which is usually the conclusion.
· Check out any controversies and contradictions you may find.
· Look over the footnotes carefully for key references to other works.
· Make note of the references for other works mentioned.
· Write out a couple of well-stated quotations for each text that capture the essence of the author’s points. The last paragraph is the likely place for a journal article.
