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Annotated BibliographiesSummary / evaluation / assessment of value of each source

Villanova Libraries

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What is the purpose of an Annotated Bibliography?

Review the literature on a

subject

Explores and organise sources for further

research

Demonstrates the quality and depth

of reading you have done

Highlights the scope of sources

available: journals, books,

sites …

Informs the reader of the relevance, accuracy and

quality of sources

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Parts of the annotationThe annotation must provide:

Provide the full bibliographic citation.

Summarise the main arguments /ideas presented that are relevant to your assignment topic.

Evaluate how useful you found the sources. Assess its objectivity, reliability and bias, and compare it with other sources you have used.

Reflect on how you used the source in your research.

4 Reflection

3 Evaluation

1 Citation

2 Summary

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Bibliographic CitationList all sources in alphabetical order (according to surnames) and include the annotation under each source.

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Summary

Use the structure of the source to structure your annotation.

eg. This chapter focuses on three issues which are …

If the author has a specific purpose behind his/her writing, specify this.

eg. The author’s intention is to present an overview of …

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The Evaluation

Critique the source – evaluate its reliability or objectivity.

Is the text descriptive or analytical?

Look for evidence the author may have used to support his or her ideas.

Consider the journal’s reputation, author’s resume.

eg. Although an interesting chapter, it is mainly descriptive and does not discuss options for prevention or treatment.

eg. The author supports this claim with statistics from the World Health Organisation.

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The Reflection

How useful was this source in my research?Did it add to my understanding of the topic?Was it easy to read?Are there any useful references to follow up?How could other researchers use this source?

eg. Although the guidelines on this website for infection control are very detailed, they are written in plain English and clearly articulate the message of thorough hand washing as the main defense against the spread of germs.

eg While the focus of this chapter was very broad, the authors supply some useful references for readers to pursue for more specific information.

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Example

1 Citation Trevor, C. O., Lansford, B. and Black, J. W. 2004. “Employee turnover and job performance: monitoring the influences of salary growth and promotion’. Journal of Armchair Psychology, vol. 113, no. 1. pp 56-64.

2 Summary In this article Trevor et al. review the influences of pay and job opportunities in respect to job performance, turnover rates and employee motivation. Their research focuses on assessing a range of pay structures such as pay for performance and organisational reward schemes. 3 Evaluation Although the article was peer-reviewed a limitation of the article is that the survey was restricted to mid-level management. 4 Reflection The article is useful to my research topic, as Trevor et al. suggest that there are numerous reasons for employee turnover and variances in employee motivation and performance. This article will not form the basis of my research; however it will be useful supplementary information for my research on pay structures. The article was easy to follow and understand.

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✔ used the referencing style specified.

Checklist: I’ve …

✔ provided a brief overview of main ideas, using the features such as the structure or purpose.

✔ commented on whether the source was useful.

✔ evaluated the source for its objectivity and reliability.

✔ checked spelling, grammar and punctuation and my writing is set out in a logical format.

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Keep it concise. Remember this is a summary. Keep to one paragraph.

Final Points

Write in full sentences using academic vocabulary.

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References

Queensland University of Technology. 2012. “Writing an Annotated Bibliography” Accessed May 29, 2012. http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/annotatedbibliography.jsp

University of New South Wales. 2010. “Annotated Bibliography’ Accessed May 29, 2012. http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/annotated_bib.html