Annotated Bibliography

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Annotated Bibliography
Peer Review: 2/5 by 11:59pm
Final Draft: 2/14 by 11:59pm
Why:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide a solid context of research and an understanding of the existing scholarly
conversation in and about your chosen discourse community, its genres, and potential specific research topics. Knowing what
questions scholars ask, what kinds of research they conduct and how they go about it will help you to solidify your own
research questions and plan your methodologies. The difference here from a normal bibliography, or works cited, is that first
that you will craft an introductory synthesizing essay that describes the conversation you have observed through your
research and secondly, for each entry, or source, you will “annotate” or describe the main points of the source and describe
how it applies to the topic you identified in your Initial Research Proposal. Annotated Bibliographies focus on Secondary
Sources and serve as research aids by collecting your observations about sources that you can easily come back to later. So,
by doing this work up front you save yourself stress of trying to find reliable and relevant sources to connect to your own
primary research later. Furthermore, if while you work on your Annotated Bibliography you realize that secondary research is
lacking for your topic, it gives you an opportunity to re-evaluate your choice before completing your Formal Research
Proposal. Not all courses or disciplines will require you to provide annotated bibliographies prior to research projects, and
some may ask for different kinds of responses in your annotations. Sometimes, annotated bibliographies are even published
on their own as a resource text for other scholars. For the purposes of this class, the annotated bibliography is assigned to set
a foundation for your work as well as to serve as the first step in creating productive research habits that will transfer to your
future studies.

What:
6 peer-reviewed secondary sources. In other words, scholarly articles or book chapters you find

about writing that will help you to further your investigation of your topic through the frameworks of discourse communities and
genres. One may come from your textbook readings. For Example: Kerry Dirk’s “Navigating Genres”

For each source, you will need to draft annotations that address the following in 200-300 words. Break your annotations
into two pieces:
Paragraph 1: Summarize the primary argument and points made, evaluate the source’s potential biases and
methodologies
Paragraph 2: Clearly relate the source to the topic of your bibliography, connect it to other sources and make a case for
its usefulness to your and others’ research.

A Synthesis Introduction: Write a short synthesis (at least 300 –500 words) in which you present your understanding of
the current state of the scholarly conversation you found while creating the annotations and how that shapes your plans for
further research. Your focus here should be on drawing connections between rather than summarizing the various
sources; you summarized them already in your annotations. If certain sources stand out in your mind as being more
important than others be sure that comes across in your discussion Your audience for this synthesis is yourself to
 important than others, be sure that comes across in your discussion. Your audience for this synthesis is yourself to
demonstrate how you’ve mapped the scholarly conversation and the development of your research plans as well as other
interested researchers, your classmates, and Professor Thames.

How:
Start by locating your sources using Library Databases and your textbook readings. (Make the most of Library Day!)
Read and “vet” the sources you find before you finalize the list you will annotate. Do the sources really apply? Are they
from reliable and credible publications?
Compile your list of sources:
List them alphabetically by the author’s last name
Use proper MLA 8th edition formatting (see resources below).
Citations should be double-spaced with a hanging indent, your annotations should be flush with your hanging
indent.
Annotate your sources:

Follow the description above and consider the following Guiding Questions:

What is the source about? In particular, what is the argument the author is making?
What sorts of research methods did the author use to arrive at these ideas?
How does the author see this research as adding to the ongoing conversation?
Does the research address similar questions to your own?
Did the methods give you an idea for how you could collect and/or analyze data?
Did the findings help refine your research focus?

Synthesize your findings in an introduction to your annotated bibliography. Follow the description above and consider
your goal of putting these sources into conversation, this will help you to make the scholarly moves necessary to insert
yourself into the conversation with your research. Consider these Guiding Questions:

What is the discourse community you are investigating, what genres are used?
How do the sources address your topic through these rhetorical lenses?
What interesting and relevant connections have you found among the sources you've read?
What have you learned that has changed or expanded the question you are researching?
How close do these sources come to answering your question or addressing the problem?
How are these sources advancing your understanding of how writing/genre works?
Are there any research methods from these sources you want to integrate into your own plans?
What terms or concepts did you encounter in your reading that can help you to frame your research?
Do any authors reference/discuss the same issue? What are their stances? How do they differ, or, how are they
similar?
Does one source reference another? If so, how do they respond?
Does an author disagree with the claims made in one of your sources? Why do they disagree? What is their
counter-claim?

Additional Resources & Tips:

What exactly is an annotated bibliography?
A bibliography is simply a list of sources consulted for a particular project. An annotation is a short

summary and evaluation of a source. Combine those to get an annotated bibliography: a list of

sources with some summary and evaluation for each. See an example here.
(https://webcourses ucf edu/courses/1372156/files/84058675/download?download frd=1)
(https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/1372156/files/84058675/download?download_frd 1)

What kinds of sources do I need to find?

For this project, you are being asked to find scholarly, peer-reviewed sources from the discipline of

Writing Studies that will help you further your investigation into the research questions you've

identified. This means you need to be locating articles and book chapters like the ones we've been

reading so far this semester. See EasyWriter Chapter 13 for details.

Where can I find sources?

Start by running some searches in the Writing Studies-specific database,

CompPile: https://wac.colostate.edu/comppile/search/ (https://wac.colostate.edu/comppile/search/) Just about everything

you find via this site

should be useful. Also, look up sources referenced in articles you've already read, or try running

searches in CompPile for what seem like key terms for your research (e.g., genre, multiliteracies,

code-meshing) or authors whose ideas seem relevant.

CompPile Research Bibliographies (http://comppile.org/wpa/bibliographies/index.php) - Check out some of the bibliographies

here for an idea of

what an annotated bibliography plus a framing synthesis might look like.

See Also:
Annotated Bibliographies.
(https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/index.html) Page on
Purdue Owl
MLA Style Guide
(https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guid
on Purdue Owl

EasyWriter Chapter 14: Evaluating Sources and Taking Notes (p.80)

EasyWriter Chapter 45:MLA Style (p.214) This section is very comprehensive and should help you cite just about any kind
of source you come across, including your primary research later on.
Some Library Databases have a “Cite” button. You should choose the MLA citation style from the list and then can copy it
into your document. A Word of Caution, if you make use of this feature always double check the resulting citation
against MLA style guidelines. These features are not 100% reliable and often have hiccups or copy incorrectly.
List of “Annotation Verbs” for use in your annotations: Annotation Verbs List.pdf
(https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/1372156/files/84058687/download?download_frd=1)
Sample Annotated Bibliography Citation (https://webcourses.ucf.edu/api/v1/canvadoc_session/download?
blob=%7B%22moderated_grading_whitelist%22%3Anull%2C%22enable_annotations%22%3Anull%2C%22enrollment_type%22%3

Points 100
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Annotated Bibliography Rubric

You've already rated students with this rubric. Any major changes could affect their assessment results.
 Criteria Ratings Pts

Introduction 25 pts 18 pts 12 pts 6 pts 0 pts

Outstanding Meets Expectations Needs Improvement Does not Missing/Plagiarized
Writer includes a 300-500 Writer includes a Like above, the writer Meet
word introduction that 300-500 word meets the word count for Expectations
clearly and thoughtfully introduction following the introduction but is The
synthesizes the scholarly the above criteria, lacking in reflection. The introduction is
conversation being but their reflection of writer may not reference incomplete
studied. Their introduction what they learned or their chosen secondary and does not
emphasizes why this the synthesis of the sources, or they may not meet the
conversation was scholarly explain why they selected requirements
selected and what they conversation may this conversation/topic to outlines in the
have learned from their not be fully research. prompt.
25 pts
secondary sources. developed.
 Criteria Ratings Pts

Annotations 25 pts 18 pts 12 pts 6 pts 0 pts

Outstanding Meets Needs Does Not Missing/Plagiarized
Writer has annotated six secondary Expectations Improvement Meet
sources. For each annotation, they have Writer has Writer has Expectations
two paragraphs meeting the 200-300 word annotated six annotated six Writer is
count. The first paragraphs provide a secondary secondary missing
thorough and clear summary of what the sources, each sources, but annotations,
sources are about, explaining how the meeting the they are not using the
authors utilized the framework and any 200-300 word either outside two-
main conclusions they found, in this count. The of the paragraph
paragraph, the writer makes no mention of writer may be required word structure for
themselves, their research, or their feelings missing details count or each
about the sources. In the second in their unclear in annotation, or
paragraphs, the writer articulates why the summaries or both is severely
sources were selected and how they will be they may not summary and missing out
useful for their project. These second have as connections. on major
paragraphs may relate the sources to other developed of a parts of the
sources that were annotated, or they may justification for assignment in
explain how the sources relate to their own selecting each either length 25 pts
project. source. or quality of
the
annotation.
 Criteria Ratings Pts

Quality of 25 pts 18 pts 12 pts 6 pts 0 pts

Sources Outstanding Meets Needs Does Not Missing/Plagiarized
Writer has carefully thought about Expectations Improvement Meet
all six secondary sources that were Writer has thought Writer has Expectations
collected. Of the six collected, at about all six collected six Writer has
least five were scholarly and peer- secondary secondary either not
reviewed sources located through sources. Like the sources and collected six
the UCF Library database. Each of above criteria, the followed the secondary
the sources collected either apply secondary expectations sources, or, did
the writer's chosen framework, or sources meet the outlined in the not follow the
relate to parts of it and could be expectations Assignment page requirements
easily connected back in the outlined in the for doing so. above. They
introduction and annotations. If the Assignment page Numerous may use too
writer decided to use class but one or two of secondary many class
readings, readings from the the secondary sources found are readings or not
textbooks, or readings from Stylus, sources are unrelated to and enough
they were all thoughtfully selected unrelated to the another and/or scholarly peer-
and have a strong connection to framework and the the framework reviewed 25 pts
the scholarly sources found on the writer has been and do not help articles from
Library database. unable to connect the writer the library
them. understand the database.
concept fully.
 Criteria Ratings Pts

Citing and 25 pts 18 pts 12 pts 6 pts 0 pts

Formatting Outstanding Meets Needs Improvement Does Not Meet Missing/Plagiarized
Writer had successfully met Expectations Writer attempts to Expectations
all formatting and citation Writer has met meet formatting and Writer has not
guidelines. The paper follows almost all citation guidelines but met formatting
MLA formatting guidelines. formatting and has numerous and citation
Each source has a proper citation guidelines. mistakes throughout. guidelines. The
citation followed by a two- Writer has Citations are not formatting of the
paragraph annotation, and demonstrated following MLA paper and
each citation has a hanging most of the above guidelines that were citations for most
indent. All of the citations are criteria, but has taught in class, and/or of the six
in alphabetical order and use made a few the paper is not sources are not
proper punctuation, italics mistakes with meeting general following the 25 pts
and DOIs/URLs. citations or the formatting guidelines. guidelines taught
formatting of the in class.
paper.

Total Points: 100