Annotated Bibliographies Definitions A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, websites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "references" or "works cited" depending on the style format you are using. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.). An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following: Summarize: Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is. Assess: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source? Reflect: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic? Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor. Why should I write an annotated bibliography? To learn about your topic: Writing an annotated bibliography is excellent preparation for a research project. Just collecting sources for a bibliography is useful, but when you have to write annotations for each source, you're forced to read each source more carefully. You begin to read more critically instead of just collecting information. At the professional level, annotated bibliographies allow you to see what has been done in the literature and where your own research or scholarship can fit. To help you formulate a thesis: Every good research paper is an argument. The purpose of research is to state and support a thesis. So a very important part of research is developing a thesis that is debatable, interesting, and current. Writing an annotated bibliography can help you gain a good perspective on what is being said about your topic. By reading and responding to a variety of sources on a topic, you'll start to see what the issues are, what people are arguing about, and you'll then be able to develop your own point of view. To help other researchers: Extensive and scholarly annotated bibliographies are sometimes published. They provide a comprehensive overview of everything important that has been and is being said about that topic. You may not ever get your annotated bibliography published, but as a researcher, you might want to look for one that has been published about your topic. Format The format of an annotated bibliography can vary, so if you're doing one for a class, it's important to ask for specific guidelines. The bibliographic information: Generally, though, the bibliographic information of the source (the title, author, publisher, date, etc.) is written in either MLA or APA format.
The annotations: The annotations for each source are written in paragraph form. The lengths of the annotations can vary significantly from a couple of sentences to a couple of pages. The length will depend on the purpose. If you're just writing summaries of your sources, the annotations may not be very long. However, if you are writing an extensive analysis of each source, you'll need more space. You can focus your annotations for your own needs. A few sentences of general summary followed by several sentences of how you can fit the work into your larger paper or project can serve you well when you go to draft. Sample MLA Annotation Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1995. Print. Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic. In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach. Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable. In the sample annotation above, the writer includes three paragraphs: a summary, an evaluation of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to his/her own research, respectively. For more examples, a quick search at a library or even on the Internet should produce several examples of annotated bibliographies in your area.
Sample MLA Annotations in Series Stu Dent, Pu Pil, Hu Man, Lea R. Ner Mr. Welch Sustainable Society, Sustainable Future / Period X April 1st, 2014 Stem Cell Research: An Annotated Bibliography Holland, Suzanne. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate : Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Boston: MIT Press, 2001. Print. This is the annotation of the above source. In this example, I am following MLA 2009 (3rd ed.) guidelines for the bibliographic information listed above. If I were really writing an annotation for this source, I would offer a brief summary of what this book says about stem cell research. After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of it. Does it seem like a reliable and current source? Why? Is the research biased or objective? Are the facts well documented? Who is the author? Is she qualified in this subject? Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both? The length of your annotation will depend on the assignment or on the purpose of your annotated bibliography. After summarizing and assessing, you can now reflect on this source. How does it fit into your research? Is this a helpful resource? Too scholarly? Not scholarly enough? Too general/specific? Since "stem cell research" is a very broad topic, has this source helped you to narrow your topic? Senior, K. "Extending the Ethical Boundaries of Stem Cell Research." Trends in Molecular Medicine 7 (2001): 5-6. Print. Not all annotations have to be the same length. For example, this source is a very short scholarly article. It may only take a sentence or two to summarize. Even if you are using a book, you should only focus on the sections that relate to your topic. Not all annotated bibliographies assess and reflect; some merely summarize. That may not be the most helpful for you, but, if this is an assignment, you should always ask your instructor for specific guidelines. Wallace, Kelly. "Bush Stands Pat on Stem Cell Policy." CNN. 13 August 2001. 17 August 2001. Television. Notice that in this example, I chose a variety of sources: a book, a scholarly journal, and a web page. Using a variety of sources can help give you a broader picture of what is being said about your topic. You may want to investigate how scholarly sources are treating this topic differently than more popular sources. But again, if your assignment is to only use scholarly sources, then you will probably want to avoid magazines and popular web sites. Notice that the bibliographic information above is proper MLA format (use whatever style is appropriate in your field) and the annotations are in paragraph form. Note also that the entries are alphabetized by the first word in the bibliographic entry. If you are writing an annotated bibliography with many sources, it may be helpful to divide the sources into categories. For example, if I were putting together an extensive annotated bibliography for stem cell research, I might divide the sources into categories such as ethical concerns, scholarly analyses, and political ramifications.
The TRAP Test for Sources Not all sources of information are equal. It s up to you to evaluate the quality of your sources. Looking for TRAPs will help you avoid pitfalls in your research! Timeliness Reliability Authority Purpose/Point of view These questions should be considered about the source you plan to use before you get too invested. Consider each when choosing which sources to use. Timeliness: How recent is the information? Does it matter that recent information is used when considering your research topic? On what date was the resource written/created/last updated? Based on the topic, is this information current enough to be used today? Why might the date matter for your topic? (Think Historical Context ) Reliability: What kind of information is included in the resource? Is the content primarily opinion? Is the information balanced or biased? How can you tell? Does the author provide citations and references for further research? Does the author provide citations and references for quotations and/or data provided in the source? Authority: Who is the author/creator? What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc.)? Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site? Is the publisher/sponsor reputable/trustworthy? Purpose/Point of View: What s the intent of the article (to persuade you, to sell something, etc)? What is the domain (.edu,.org,.com, etc.)? What does that mean (Look it up if you don t know)? How might that influence the purpose/point of view? Are there ads on the website? How do they relate to the topic being covered (ex: an ad for ammunition next to an article about firearm legislation)? Is the author presenting FACT or OPINION (or worse, opinion as fact)?
Know When to Quote, Paraphrase, and Summarize It takes too long to transcribe the exact words of every source you read, but it s a nuisance when you need to quite a passage you only summarized. So when taking notes, you must know when to quote, paraphrase, and summarize. But every choice depends on how you plan to use a passage: Summarize when you need only the point of a passage, section, or even whole article or book. Summary is useful for context or views that are related but not specifically relevant. A summary of a source never serves as good evidence. Paraphrase when you can represent what a source says more clearly or pointedly than it does. Paraphrase doesn t mean changing just a word or two. You must replace most of the words and phrasing of the original with your own. A paraphrase is never as good evidence as a direct quotation. Record exact quotations for these purposes: - The quoted words are evidence that backs up your reasons. If, for example, you claimed that different regions responded to the Battle of the Alamo differently, you would quote exact words from different newspapers. You would paraphrase them if you needed only their general sentiments. - The words are from an authority who backs up your view. - The words are strikingly original or express your ideas so compellingly that the quotation can frame the rest of your discussion. - They state a view that you disagree with, and to be fair you want to state that view exactly. If you don t record important words now, you can t quote them later. So copy or, better, photocopy passages more often than you think you must. Never abbreviate a quotation thinking you can accurately reconstruct it later. You can t. And if you misquote, you ll undermine your credibility. Get the Context Right As your use material from your resources, record not just what they say but how they use the information. 1. When you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, be careful about context. You cannot entirely avoid quoting out of context, because you cannot quote all of an original. So when you draft a paraphrase or summary or copy a quotation, do so within the context that matters most that of your own grasp of the original. When you record a part of an argument, note the line of reasoning that the author was pursuing: NOT: Bartolli (p. 123): The war as caused by Z. NOT: Bartolli (p. 123): The war was caused by X, Y, and Z. BUT: Bartolli: The war was caused by X, Y, and Z (p. 123). But the most important cause was Z (p. 123), for three reasons: reason 1 (pp. 124-26); reason 2 (p. 126); reason 3 (pp. 127-28). Sometimes you will care only about the conclusion, but readers usually want to see how a conclusion emerges from the argument supporting it. So when you take notes, record not only conclusions but also the arguments that support them. 2. When you record a claim, note its rhetorical importance in the original. Is it a main point? A minor point? A qualification or concession? By noting these distinctions you can avoid this kind of mistake: ORIGINAL BY JONES: We cannot conclude that one event causes another just because the second follows the first. Nor can statistical correlation prove causation. But no one who has studied the data doubts that smoking is a causal factor in lung cancer. MISLEADING REPORT ABOUT JONES: Jones claims that we cannot conclude that one event causes another just because the second follows the first. Nor can statistical correlation prove causation. No wonder responsible researchers distrust statistical evidence of health risks.
Jones did not make that point at all. He conceded a point that was relatively trivial compared to the point he wanted to make. Anyone who deliberately misreports in this way violates basic standards of truth. But a researcher can make such a mistake inadvertently if he notes only words and not their role in an argument. Distinguish statements that are central to an argument from qualifications or concessions the author acknowledges but downplays. Unless you are reading against the grain of the writers intention to expose hidden tendencies, for example do not report minor aspects of a research report as though they were major or, worse, as if they were the whole of the report. 3. Record the scope and confidence of a claim. These are not the same: Chemicals in French fries cause cancer. Chemicals in French fries may be a factor in cancer. Some chemicals in French fries correlate with a higher incidence of some cancers. 4. Don t mistake a summary of another writer s views for those of an author summarizing them. Some writers do not clearly indicate when they summarize another s argument, so it is easy to quote them as saying what they set out to disprove rather than what they in fact believe. 5. Note why sources agree and disagree. Two social scientists might claim that a social problem is caused by personal factors, not by environmental forces, but one might cite evidence from genetic inheritance while the other points to religious beliefs. How and why sources agree is as important as the fact that they do. In the same way sources might disagree because they interpret the same evidence differently or take different approaches to the problem. It is risky to attach yourself to what anyone one research says about an issue. It is not research when you uncritically summarize another s work. Even if your source is universally trusted, be careful. If you rely on at least two sources, you ll almost always find that they do not agree entirely, and that s where your own research can begin. Which has the better argument? Which better respects the evidence? In fact, you have a research problem right there - whom should we believe? Remember that your report will be accurate only if you double-check your notes against your sources, and after your first draft, check your quotations against your notes. If you use one source extensively, skim its relevant parts to be sure you in fact understand it. At this point you may believe in your claim so strongly that you read everything in its favor. Despite our best intentions, that temptation afflicts us all. There is no cute, save for checking and rechecking. And rechecking again. Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Columb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. University of Chicago Press, May, 2008. Print.
Research tips Write perfect citations immediately. Cheat sheets are provided at the library MLA citation guide in your planner owl.english.purdue.edu has MLA formatting tips (or search purdue owl ) Make copies. bring quarters and/or take phone pictures (but you have to be able to read them). Being able to write on it is worth it, usually If you re not going to write anything on it, why do you need it? Use the best sources you can. Books (online, Atwater Village Library, ESAT library, Ms. D s) Peer-Reviewed Journals, Documentaries Encyclopedias Magazine/Newspaper Articles Youtube videos, web sites scholar.google.com Pictures, Diagrams, Maps, Charts and Graphs, etc Databases: SIRS, EBSCO CQ Researcher Searching Web search works better when you phrase an expected answer instead of a question. Reading Tools Start with the basics. Understand the wikipedia stuff first, but don t cite WP Use the summaries, ToC, and conclusion to determine if this is new information Know what you want to know, don t just read Skim to find the info you want Sometimes you have to meld multiple pieces of info to determine the information you want (K)now, (W)ant to know, (L)earned charts help groups organize info Group Work Tools Communicate often (at least daily) Set up a place online to work together (wiki, google doc, etc) Break the work into manageable chunks with deadlines Know how your part works into the whole Know what others are doing, send them things that might be useful to them