Write an annotation for one of the articles you’ve found in your research for the AB. Use the information below as a guide. **You can use the same article you found for the Critical Reading Assignment.
Cite:
Include an MLA and APA citation for the source.
Summarize:
Summarize the source by answering the following questions
What is the main argument in this article?
What are the major supporting points in this article?
If someone asked what this article is about, what would you say?
Here are additional tips for writing a summary:
In the first sentence, mention the title of the text, the name of the author, and the author’s thesis.
Maintain a neutral tone; be objective.
Use the third-person point of view and the present tense: Taylor argues, “…
Keep your focus on the text. Don’t editorialize by inserting your opinion or stating the author’s ideas as if they were your own.
Put all or most of your summary in your own words; if you borrow a phrase or a sentence from the text, put it in quotation marks and provide an in-text citation.
Limit yourself to presenting the text’s key points, not every little detail.
Be concise; make every word count.
After summarizing, evaluate the source by answering the following questions
How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
Is the information reliable?
Is this source biased or objective?
What is the goal of this source?
What are the author’s credentials?
What type of publication is the article printed in?
Here are additional tips for writing an assessment:
Checking for signs of bias:
Does the author or publisher endorse political or religious views that could affect objectivity?
Is the author or publisher associated with a special-interest group, such as Greenpeace or the National Rifle Association, that might present only one side of an issue?
Are alternative views presented and addressed? How fairly does the author treat opposing views?
Does the author’s language show signs of bias?
Assessing an argument:
How does the author support their claims — with relevant and sufficient evidence or with just a few anecdotes or emotional examples?
Are statistics consistent with those you encounter in other sources? Have they been used fairly? (It is possible to “lie” with statistics by using them selectively or by omitting details.) Does the author explain where the statistics come from?
Are any of the author’s assumptions questionable?
Does the author consider opposing arguments and refute them persuasively?
Does the author fall prey to any logical fallacies?
Once you’ve summarized and assessed, reflect on the source by asking how it fits into your research:
How is this source helpful to you?
How does it help you shape your argument?
How can you use this source in your research project?
How has it changed or reinforced how you think about your topic?
The key here is to be detailed and specific; show your professor that you have your research paper in mind as you are building this assignment.
