Annotated BibliographiesAnthropology 218

Suzanne van den Hoogen, MLISSeptember 12, 2014

What is an “Annotated Bibliography”?

A list of citations to books, articles and documents followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph. This annotation is intended to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Retrieved from Western Libraries: http://www.lib.uwo.ca/programs/nusring/NSGannbib.shtml on September 12, 2014

What is the purpose of an annotated bibliography?

Learn

Learn about a particular topic in preparation for a research project

Focus your research

Develop a thesis that is debatable, interesting and

current

Demonstrate

Demonstrate the value of a

particular source

Why are the sources you chose

for your paper worthwhile?

Inform

Inform fellow or future researchers

about a topic or source

Provide detailed examples of relevant and

useful sources

Annotated Bibliographies: FormatThe format of an annotated bibliography can change

depending on the assignment, but the typical format is a list of reference entries followed by annotations.– Alphabetized by author– Brief– Appropriate bibliographic format (AAA)

Be sure to ask your instructor about any alternative expectations for your specific assignment!

Walden University, Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review Basics by Jessica Baron. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/Documents/Annotated_Bib_and_Lit_Review_Basics.ppt on September 10, 2013

Annotated Bibliography: Your Assignment10 Academic references

Each reference presented at the top of a separate page, followed by:

250-350 words - double-spaced

Statement indicating how you plan to use this source for your paper – be specific!

AAA style

Annotated Bibliographies: The ElementsWithin each annotation, there are

typically three elements:

SummaryCritique/AnalysisApplication

These elements can often be formatted as three paragraphs.

Walden University, Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review Basics by Jessica Baron. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/Documents/Annotated_Bib_and_Lit_Review_Basics.ppt on September 10, 2013

Annotated Bibliography: Summary

• What is this study about?• What key themes are presented?• What arguments does the author use to present their

findings?• What methods were used in the study?• What was the theoretical basis for the study?• What were the conclusions of the study?

Annotated Bibliography: Critique/Analysis

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the article?• Did the author present a convincing or persuasive

argument?• Are there gaps in the information presented? Was

something missing?• Was the article biased?• Was the article scholarly? Why or why not?

Avoid trying to be nice! Your reader will want to know if there are any deficiencies or areas for improvement within the research.

TIP!

Walden University, Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review Basics by Jessica Baron. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/Documents/Annotated_Bib_and_Lit_Review_Basics.ppt on September 10, 2013

Annotated Bibliography: Application

• How does this research apply to your topic?• How does this source compare to other articles in the

same field or on the same topic?• How does this source inform future research?• Did this article raise any further questions?

Annotated Bibliography: Worksheet

EVALUATING SOURCES

Scholarly vs Popular

Popular• Magazines• Written by journalists, students,

popular authors, or no author listed• Flashy covers• Advertisements• Brief articles• Trade Journals: Business, Finance,

Industry (Written by experts, but may not be peer reviewed)

• Newspapers

Scholarly• Journals• Written by experts• Evaluated by experts: “Peer Reviewed”• Authoritative Source• Usually include:• Credentials of the Author• Abstract• Bibliography• Specialized vocabulary• Reference List

Anthropological sources: What are they?

Check out Moodle! Dr. Fawcett provides you with excellent resources on how

to determine whether or not your reference is anthropological!

HolisticComparativeEthnographicTheoretical FrameworkKey Authors: AnthropologistsAnthropology Journals

Question! Question! Question!• Is this source reliable? • Is this source current?• Have opinions changed?• What are the current trends in this research area?• Are there any gaps in the research? Is something missing?• Who is the author? • Are they an expert in this field? • Do they represent multiple points of view or do they

express bias for their own point of view?

Currency How recent is the information? Can you locate a date when the resource was written/created/updated? Based on your topic, is this current enough? Why might the date matter for your topic?

Reliability What kind of information is included in the resource? Is the content primarily opinion? Is the information balanced or biased? Does the author provide citations & references for data?

Authority Can you determine who the author/creator is? What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience)? Who is the publisher or sponsor of the work/site? Is this publisher/sponsor reputable?

Purpose / Point of View What’s the intent of the article (to persuade you, to sell something)? For Web resources, what is the domain (.edu, .com, etc.)? How might that influence the purpose/point of view? Are there ads on the Web site? How do they relate to the topic? Is the author presenting fact or opinion?

C

AR

PBased on the original CRAP TEST created by Librarian Molly Beestrum, Dominican UniversityLOEX (Library Orientation Exchange) wiki (2008). The CRAP test. Retrieved from http://loex2008collaborate.pbworks.com/w/page/18686701/The%20CRAP%20Test

Let’s evaluate these websites!

• http://www.originofaids.com/• http://carca.ca/

Paraphrasing and Plagiarism

Paraphrasing• Read the original text until you grasp its

meaning; then set it aside.

• Using your memory, write down the main points or concepts. Do not copy the text verbatim.

• Change the structure of the text by varying the opening, changing the order of sentences, lengthening or shortening sentences, etc.

• Replace keywords within the sentences with synonyms or phrases with similar meanings.

• Check your notes against the original to ensure you have not accidentally plagiarized.

Plagiarism• is the misrepresentation of another's work,

whether ideas, words, or creative works, published or unpublished, as one's own.

• The use of someone else's work must be explicitly acknowledged.

Examples• Quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing text

without proper acknowledgement

• Paraphrasing too closely (e.g., changing only a few words or simply rearranging the text)

• Downloading all or part of a paper, journal article, or book from the Web or a library database and presenting it as one's own work

• Plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty, including cheating, tampering, and falsification, are subject to academic discipline.

StFX Step-by-Step Research Guide by Suzanne van den Hoogen. Retrieved from http://stfx.libguides.com/aecontent.php?pid=480283&sid=3935208 on September 12, 2013.

Annotated Bibliography:Cite Your Work!

American Anthropological AssociationAAA

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