An annotated bibliography is a list of sources for your research project (see p. 40). Its preparation will help you to write the literature review or background section of your report.
Annotated bibliographies typically include the following:
1. A bibliographic entry for the work. This should appear in the standard bibliographic format for your discipline; for English 402, please use MLA, CBE, or APA format.
2. A few sentences summarizing the work. This should be your own summary, not a summary or abstract copied from ProQuest or another source. The summary should address the following:
a. Scope and purpose. What is the purpose and scope of this work? What does it propose to investigate? Does it do so?
b. Content. In a sentence or so, describe the work's content. What is the author's theoretical aproach?
c. Originality. What previously published research does the article intend to extend, support, or refute? What is new about its argument?
3. A few sentences or a paragraph assessing its strengths and weaknesses. Your assessment should pay particular attention to its usefulness for your project.
a. Context. Is this approach consistent with current, well-regarded research in the field? Are major and relevant articles in the field cited? Where does this research fit into contemporary discussions about the subject? What is the significance of this work for the field as a whole?
b. Strengths. What are the strengths of the article? Does the article have strengths that might not be immediately apparent--a good bibliography or excellent charts, for example?
c. Weaknesses: ideas. Does the article answer possible objections? Is the author's approach in the mainstream? Is it original? Does it derive from sound research? Is this author, to put it bluntly, someone determined to pursue a political or ideological agenda despite the evidence, such as proposing that the earth is flat or the moon is made from green cheese?
d. Weaknesses: evidence. Does the author introduce irrelevant or misleading evidence? Are all the points supported effectively with sound research? Is the discussion too limited? Has the author ignored or dismissed important evidence that does not support his or her point?
e. Relevance. What relevance might this essay have for your own work on the subject? What part of your research question does it address? Noting this information when you've just read the article can save a great deal of time later on, when it may be difficult to remember everything you have read.
f. (Audience. This is not an essential point to note, but it could be helpful. For what audience was this work intended? For example, although you will want to use scholarly sources, occasionally a general-interest magazine may supply insights that will help you with your project.)
The lecture on evaluating sources will also help you to think about what issues the annotated bibliography might address.The annotated bibliography assignment is based on your topic for the research report due at the end of the class. (See Week 3 for the Research Report Assignment).
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