annotated bibliography guidelines find sources find sources scan sources scan sources evaluate...

Annotated Bibliography Guidelines

• Find Sources• Scan Sources• Evaluate Sources

A Bibliography is . . .• A list of books

• A list of sources on a particular subject

• A list of the sources you used to write a paper

An Annotation is . . .• Summary• Explanation • Commentary• Evaluation• Criticism• What is it about? Why is it

important to your topic? Who is the author?

Annotated Bibliography =A list of sources (books, articles, web pages, etc.) on your topic, with commentary on each source written by you. This commentary might summarize what the source is about, how it relates to your topic, which parts are particularly relevant, why the author is believable, and whether or not you agree with the information presented.

Annotated BibliographyYour entries will look like this:

Author name. Title of Source. Publication information. (MLA Citation of Source)

All sources will be formatted MLA style. Underneath each source you will be including a paragraph summarizing the source. The more detailed this paragraph, the better and a critique paragraph evaluating the source. The slides that follow in these lecture notes describe the guidelines for finding the sources and writing the notes. It is especially important to use appropriate sources when doing academic research.

Purpose• The purpose of an annotated

bibliography is to help you keep a running log of the research you have done and be able to quickly look back at its contents and

their usefulness.

Purpose• An annotated bibliography also

provides a starting point when researching a topic you want to discover more about.

Starting the process

• Your Annotated Bibliography is the starting point for your research. As you look for information, make a list of the sources you find and evaluate each one.

• You may want to print out any internet sources and highlight information that you find interesting.

Starting the process

Annotated Bibliography

• You should begin exploring in search of sources for your Annotated Bibliography / paper.

• You should begin collecting sources and taking notes.

• You will need to find the number of sources your teacher identifies for your Annotated Bibliography.


• To illustrate what to do for the Annotated Bibliography, the next few slides will present an example of a source for an Annotated Bibliography about “38 Who Saw Murder.”

Jot it down!The following guidelines are good to follow for any research process:

• As you explore sources, make certain to write down the following information about any sources you are considering…

Author’s name, title, and credentials Title of the article Publication information, including:

• name of database• newspaper/ magazine/ journal/ encyclopedia/

anthology name…• Volume numbers• city of publication, publisher• organization connected to the source• date of publication, date viewed by student, page

numbers, website address

Jot it down!

Jot it down!Example source on

“38 Who saw Murder”

• Author’s name, title, and credentials– Jim Rasenberger– author & journalist for The New York Times

• Title of the article: – “Nightmare on Austin Street.”

• Publication information – American Heritage– 57.5 (2006): 65-66– TCC database: Academic Search Complete.

EBSCO

Plug information in to MLA format

Format the jotted-down information MLA style by following the guidelines in your Handbook or any other credible MLA guide.

See the next slide for the source formatted MLA style

• Here is the source in MLA format:

Rasenberger, Jim. “Nightmare on Austin Street.”

American Heritage. 57.5 (2006): 65-66.

Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. TCC Library,

Portsmouth, VA. 12 Nov. 2008.

<http://search.ebscohost.com>.

Plug information in to MLA format

The Summary

Write 4–6 complete sentences that accomplish all/most of the following:

The Summary

• Provide the background and credibility of the author

• State the main focus or purpose of the work.

• Briefly describe the contents.

• Indicate the possible audience for the work.

The Evaluation

Write 4–6 complete sentences that accomplish all/most of the following:

The Evaluation• Describe any special features of the work that

were unique or helpful ( Aims & Research Methods).

• Point to any defect, weakness, or suspected bias. (fallacies or limitations)

• Mention important conclusions or observations reached by the author

• Evaluate the usefulness or relevance to your research topic (Reflection/Usefulness to your research or

topic Will you use this source? and/or why it did not meet your expectations..)

The AnnotationA sample:

Jim Rasenberger, an author and journalist for the New York Times,

asserts that the events as described by Gansberg in “38 Who Saw Murder”

could not have happened the way Gansberg described them. Rasenberger

states that although 38 people may have heard or seen the initial attack,

Genovese was attacked three times. The most serious attack occurred in

the back foyer of her apartment building, and could have been witnessed by

five or six people at most.

He concludes his article by saying that if Gansberg’s account had been

accurate, countless articles and books would never have been written about

the incident and Americans’ apathy would not have been studied as

thoroughly. He seems pleased that the initial and most famous account was

flawed. Rasenberger’s article is interesting, but contains few facts and little

research to support his assertions. The article is helpful as a starting point

for a critical view of Gansberg’s article.

• On the next slide, you will see the same paragraphs color-coded by specific criteria…

Background & credibility of author Possible Audience

Main idea Contents Usefulness to my topic/research

The AnnotationJim Rasenberger, an author and journalist for the New York Times, asserts that

the events as described by Gansberg in “38 Who Saw Murder” could not have

happened the way Gansberg described them. Rasenberger’s assumes his

audience is familiar with Gansberg’s famous and widely published article.

Rasenberger states that although 38 people may have heard or seen the initial

attack, Genovese was attacked three times. The most serious attack occurred in

the back foyer of her apartment building, and could have been witnessed by five

or six people at most.

He concludes his article by saying that if Gansberg’s account had been

accurate, countless articles and books would never have been written about the

incident and Americans’ apathy would not have been studied as thoroughly. He

seems pleased that the initial and most famous account was flawed.

Rasenberger’s article is interesting, but contains few facts and little research to

support his assertions. The article is helpful as a starting point for a critical

view of Gansberg’s account of events.

Background & credibility of author Possible Audience

Main idea Contents Usefulness to my topic/research

Completed Example Annotated Bibliography entry

Rasenberger, Jim. “Nightmare on Austin Street.” American Heritage. 57.5 (2006): 65-66. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO.

TCC Library, Portsmouth, VA. 12 Nov. 2008. <http://search.ebscohost.com>.

Jim Rasenberger, an author and journalist for the New York Times, asserts that the events as

described by Gansberg in “38 Who Saw Murder” could not have happened the way Gansberg

described them. Rasenberger states that although 38 people may have heard or seen the initial

attack, Genovese was attacked three times. The most serious attack occurred in the back foyer

of her apartment building, and could have been witnessed by five or six people at most.

He concludes his article by saying that if Gansberg’s account had been accurate, countless

articles and books would never have been written about the incident and Americans’ apathy

would not have been studied as thoroughly. He seems pleased that the initial and most famous

account was flawed. Rasenberger’s article is interesting, but contains few facts and little

research to support his assertions. The article is helpful as a starting point for a critical view of

Gansberg’s article.


Your Mission…

Your Mission:•Locate 2 sources on your topic. • Write an MLA Works Cited style entry for each source.

(some people keep their notes on index cards—if this helps you, great!)

• Look for any biographical info./credentials you can find about the author and note them.

• Scan the source and note the content on your paper/index card.

• Look at a few specific passages that catch your eye—summarize them. Do you detect any bias? Is the source written for a particular audience (scholars, professionals in the field, general adult audience, educators, social workers, parents, teenagers, the poor, religious etc…)?

• Write your annotated bibliography from your notes.

FAQ’s – frequently asked questions

Q: Are the sources in my annotated bibliography the same as the ones in my paper?

A: That’s up to you. Your annotated bibliography is simply a sampling of sources—it’s your exploring what’s out there. You may have horrible sources for your annotated bibliography—many researchers find the bad sources first, reject them, and then ultimately find the best sources. Your annotated bibliography & your paper may/may not have any sources in common – do not feel that just because a source is in your annotated bibliography it must also be in your paper!

Q: Should I turn in 3 or 5 sources? Why turn more than 3?

A: About the number of sources--Bibliographies with fewer than 2 sources will automatically receive a failing grade. A bibliography with 2 sources should have well-developed notes. A 5-source bibliography may have (slightly) shorter notes. The more you give me, the more I can provide in return, so if you need help with research/MLA, your annotated bibliography will show me what you’re doing correctly and incorrectly. If you’re looking for an A or B grade, having more (and well-written) entries is what you should aspire to. (Doing the absolute bare minimum rarely results in excellence.)



Q: Do my notes have to look like the ones in the example?

A: No, not exactly. However, the sample notes are excellent--very comprehensive, well written, and perceptive—definitely “A” level work. So...if you’re looking for an “A” (exceptional, demonstrated excellence in effort and ability), your notes should look similar. That said, I don’t expect everyone’s notes to look just like the sample. I do, however, expect you to write as a college student in any college would. Bibliographies with extremely brief or missing notes will receive a failing grade.

Q: What types of sources are you looking for? Can we use any sources we want?

A: I am so glad you asked! Please review the lecture notes “Why Evaluate Sources?” and other documents from this week that discuss research. As a college-level scholar, you should expect that your professors (not just me!) require knowledge and use of relevant, scholarly sources rather than information from any website that pops up on Google or Yahoo.

Your tuition dollars pay for access to huge databases filled with reviewed, scholarly sources that indicate to your professors that you know what you’re doing when you conduct research.

All of these wonderful sources are right at your fingertips, accessible from your home PC!


SourcesWhere can college students find reliable, scholarly sources?

Old habits…

• Many students do “research” by using a general search engine such as Google or Yahoo.

• This type of search is a habit that does not work well when doing college research.

Why not Google or Yahoo?

On the Internet….

•No selection process: Documents do not undergo any selection process but rather are placed there at will by anyone with access to a web server.


•No standards: There is no overall effort, nor any rules or standards, to organize information to facilitate retrieval. Often, commercial sites or sites soliciting donations dominate search results.


• No validation: No one reviews sites for accuracy. The internet is filled with hoaxes, scams, parodies, and hate speech disguised as “fact.”

Sources

General Guidelines: You MUST use a web evaluation on

any web sources not from an approved academic site.

• (note: sources means more than one)

Sources

General Guidelines: You MUST use MSU Camden Carroll

Library sources: • Databases• Librarian approved/reviewed sources

found on the MSU CCL site• (note: sources means more than one)

Sources

Scholarly sources from outside MSU are OK • university studies (.edu)• reports written by scholars (Master’s degree +)

for scholars (any college student/graduate in scholarly field/faculty)

• government sources/publications (.gov) obtained from the original source are fine.

Sources

NO WIKIPEDIA!!!

#

Sources – where to find them on the TCC LRC site

Ask A Librarian>How do I ..?

Find books & articles > Cite sources > Evaluate sources > Access from off-campus

TCC Library CatalogOther libraries

> WorldCat.orgDatabases of Articles

> Title list > Subject list > Descriptions > Publication name search > QuickSearch > E-books

ReferenceSubject Guides to Topics

> Art Resources (VAC) > Controversial Topics > Government Sources > Literature > Statistics > Writing & Citations

Go to:

http://www.tcc.edu/lrc/ and you will see the box to the left.

Learning Resources Centers

• Ask A Librarian>How do I ..?

• Find books & articles > Cite sources > Evaluate sources > Access from off-campus

• TCC Library Catalog• Other libraries

> WorldCat.org• Databases of

Articles• > Title list

> Subject list > Descriptions > Publication name search > QuickSearch > E-books

• Reference• Subject Guides to Topics

> Art Resources (VAC)> Controversial Topics> Government Sources> Literature> Statistics> Writing & Citations

Full text databases in which you can find full-text articles from numerous sources!

Academic Search CompleteEthnic NewsWatchFactiva

Arts & Humanities Business & Economics EducationGeneral & Reference

Health SciencesLanguages & LiteratureNews & Current Issues Public Affairs & Law

Science (Applied & Math)Science (Natural & Physical)Social Sciences

SUBJECT LIST OF DATABASES LRC@TCC

Gale Virtual ReferenceJSTORLexis-Nexis Academic


MasterFILE PremierOmniFile Full Text Select Opposing Viewpoints

Favorites

Select a general subject area to find a list of databases

OR Choose one of the databases below in red to begin

Academic Search CompleteAP Images of the Associated PressArticleFirst Cambridge University Press Conference Papers Index Consumers IndexDissertation Abstracts Online EBSCOHostEssay & General Literature IndexFactivaFacts.comFacts on FileFuente AcademicaIssues and Controversies on FileJSTORLexisNexis Academic OmniFile Full Text SelectPapersFirst ProceedingsFirstWorldCat

Biography Reference Bank Encyclopaedia Britannica Gale Virtual Reference Library MasterFILE Premier Oxford English DictionaryOxford African American Studies CenterOxford Reference Online Premium STAT-USA Wiley InterScienceWorld AlmanacWorld Factbook World News Digest

General & Reference

Click on “Subject Guides to Topics”




> WorldCat.org• Databases of Articles• > Title list


• Reference• Subject Guides to

Topics > Art Resources (VAC)> Controversial Topics > Government Sources

> Literature > Statistics > Writing & Citations

Subject Guides LRC@TCC

Click on any general subject area to find an abundance of reliable sources!

A 100+ list of subjects/resources!

Public Affairs & LawScience (Applied & Math)Sciences (Natural & Physical)Social Sciences

Arts & HumanitiesBusiness & EconomicsEducation

General

Health Sciences

Internet GuidesLanguage & LiteratureNews & Current Events

SUBJECT GUIDES LRC@TCC

See the next few slides for more details on these resources…


General Guide to Topics









These are links to many excellent resources for current, accurate information and statistics

BiographyBook Reviews CareersCopyrightKids' Sites

Primary Sources Public Opinion SpeechesStatistics Writing & Citations

General

A wealth of information about writing & citing research papers.


Internet Guides to Topics









These are links to many excellent resources for current, accurate resources

Best Information on the Net Environment Web Directory FirstGov.gov Google Scholar Librarians' Index to the Internet

Scout Report Archives

Searching the Internet* Subject Guides (ODU) Subject Guides (VCCS)

Internet Guides: recommended for their research quality.

* A TCC site about where to find the best online information


CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS SUBJECT GUIDE LRC@TCC







> Art Resources (VAC)

> Controversial Topics

> Government Sources > Literature > Statistics > Writing & Citations

Periodical and Newspaper articles

Congressional Digest Each issue is devoted to one topic with pro/con opinions from congressional members. (VB, PO, CH campuses) Indexed: Academic Search Complete and an annual cumulative index in the December issue.

CQ Researcher Each issue focuses on a specific topic presenting alternative views and a bibliography. Indexed: Academic Search Complete and an annual cumulative index in the bound volume. This title is also available on our shelves.

Issues and Controversies on File Articles provide the history or development of an issue, a current overview, varying opinions, a prediction of future developments, and a short bibliography. Self-indexed. Annual cumulative index in bound volume (VB Campus). This title is also available on our shelves.

Opposing Viewpoints Access viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to web sites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles. Examples: Adoption, America's prisons, Censorship, Death penalty, Euthanasia.

Great resources for many topics!


Keep scrolling on the Controversial Topics page for many more resources!

GOVERNMENT SOURCES GUIDE LRC@TCC







> Art Resources (VAC)> Controversial Topics

> Government Sources > Literature > Statistics > Writing & Citations

Library Resources(r):

LexisNexis Congressional Full text congressional reports, track bills, laws, federal register, etc.Government Resources from the member libraries of VIVA.

Subject guides for Law and Statistics.

Quick Search:

Government Resources index to federal, international, state, maps, and data services information. (Northwestern University)

Find your state and federal representatives at congress.org

Keep scrolling down on the “Government Sources” page for links to many helpful government resources


Final Notes…

Your Handbook (Chapter 34) contains MLA style documentation.

You may also explore the TCC-LRC website for MLA help.

http://www.tcc.edu/lrc/guides/research.htm

Free, friendly, & candid advice:Want to irritate your future professors? Complain

that you cannot find any sources on your topic. Want to impress your future professors? Mention

enthusiastically how you have so many ideas and sources from your research that you’re trying to decide which angle to take on the topic.

End of Presentation

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