Assignment Overview
What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is an alphabetized list of sources with descriptive commentary. Each entry in the bibliography consists of an MLA-formatted citation followed by 3 paragraphs (roughly 100-150 words total) of evaluation: this is the “annotation.” The first paragraph summarizes the source, the second paragraph assesses the source, and the third paragraph reflects on the source. An annotated bibliography is your first review of the literature on your research topic.
Do I need to choose a research question in order to do an Annotated Bibliography?
YES, you do—well, at least a “topic” idea. The first step in crafting an annotated bibliography is to figure out what topic you would like to investigate. Thus, an annotated bibliography begins with a broad search. This approach will help you to narrow down your research topic and ultimately, lead you to your focused research question. The sources you choose to include in your Annotated Bibliography should be related to the topic you have chosen. After reviewing and analyzing multiple sources on your chosen topic, you will be able to mount an argument where you make a claim based on your research topic.
Will the topic I ultimately choose for my Annotated Bibliography evolve into all the other assignments I draft for this course?
Yes. Of course, you can always change your topic after this assignment is completed and graded, but you will have to start the research process over again on your new topic. The reading and research you do to prepare for and draft the Annotated Bibliography is the foundation for the following assignments: The Research Proposal, Research Outline, Researched Argumentative Essay, and the Research Story.
Selecting a Topic: Are there any off-limit topics?
Selecting the right topic is an important step in ensuring your success in researching and writing an argument–starting with the Annotated Bibliography and including the Research Proposal, Outline and Story.
You’ll want to choose a topic that has the following features:
Of interest to you
Relevant
Current
Debatable
Well-researched
Narrow in scope
Academic or “scholarly” in nature
Topics to avoid, as they are either too complex to debate in a single essay, or not considered appropriate for an academic or scholarly argument, are as follows:
The death penalty
Euthanasia or self-assisted death
Abortion
The (il)legalization of drugs (e.g. marijuana)
Religion or religious readings (e.g. existence of a higher order/being, or life after death)
Gun rights/rules
Global warming
Please do not select one of the above 7 topics, as your essay may be returned without grading, and you will be asked to rewrite it.
