Annotated Bibliography
Guidelines
• Find Sources
• Scan Sources
• Evaluate Sources
A Bibliography is . . .
•
A list of books
• A list of sources on a
particular subject
• A list of the sources you
used to write a paper
An Annotation is . . .
•
•
•
•
•
•
Summary
Explanation
Commentary
Evaluation
Criticism
What is it about? Why is it
important to your topic?
Who is the author?
Annotated
Bibliography =
A list of sources (books, articles, web
pages, etc.) on your topic, with
commentary on each source written by
you. This commentary might summarize
what the source is about, how it relates to
your topic, which parts are particularly
relevant, why the author is believable, and
whether or not you agree with the
information presented.
Annotated Bibliography
Your entries will look like this:
Author name. Title of Source. Publication
information. (MLA Citation of Source)
All sources will be formatted MLA style.
Underneath each source you will be including a
paragraph summarizing the source. The more detailed
this paragraph, the better and a critique paragraph
evaluating the source. The slides that follow in
these lecture notes describe the guidelines for
finding the sources and writing the notes. It is
especially important to use appropriate sources
when doing academic research.
Purpose
• The purpose of an annotated
bibliography is to provide an
opportunity and motivate
(read: gently push) students to
look up information about their
topics.
Purpose
• An annotated bibliography also
provides a starting point when
researching a topic you want to
discover more about.
Starting the process
• Your Annotated
Bibliography is the
starting point for your
research. As you look for
information, make a list
of the sources you find
and evaluate each one.
Starting the process
• You may want to print out any
internet sources and highlight
information that you find
interesting.
Annotated Bibliography
• You should begin exploring in
search of sources for your Annotated
Bibliography / paper.
• You should begin collecting
sources and taking notes.
• You will need to find the number of
sources your teacher identifies for
your Annotated Bibliography.
Annotated Bibliography
• To illustrate what to do for the
Annotated Bibliography, the next
few slides will present an example
of a source for an Annotated
Bibliography about “38 Who Saw
Murder.”
Jot it down!
The following guidelines are good to follow for any research process:
• As you explore sources,
make certain to write down
the following information
about any sources you are
considering…
Jot it down!
 Author’s name, title, and credentials
 Title of the article
 Publication information, including:
• name of database
• newspaper/ magazine/ journal/ encyclopedia/
anthology name…
• Volume numbers
• city of publication, publisher
• organization connected to the source
• date of publication, date viewed by student, page
numbers, website address
Jot it down!
Example source on
“38 Who saw Murder”
• Author’s name, title, and credentials
– Jim Rasenberger
– author & journalist for The New York Times
• Title of the article:
– “Nightmare on Austin Street.”
• Publication information
– American Heritage
– 57.5 (2006): 65-66
– TCC database: Academic Search Complete.
EBSCO
Plug information in to MLA format
Format the jotted-down
information MLA style by
following the guidelines in
your Handbook or any other
credible MLA guide.
See the next slide for the source
formatted MLA style
Plug information in to MLA format
• Here is the source in MLA format:
Rasenberger, Jim. “Nightmare on Austin Street.”
American Heritage. 57.5 (2006): 65-66.
Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. TCC
Library, Portsmouth, VA. 12 Nov. 2008.
<http://search.ebscohost.com>.
The
Summary
Write 4–6 complete sentences that
accomplish all/most of the following:
The
Summary
Write 4–6 complete sentences that
accomplish all/most of the following:
The Summary
• Provide the background and
credibility of the author
• State the main focus or purpose of
the work.
• Briefly describe the contents.
• Indicate the possible audience for
the work.
The
Evaluation
Write 4–6 complete sentences that
accomplish all/most of the following:
The Evaluation
• Describe any special features of the work that
were unique or helpful ( Aims & Research
Methods).
• Point to any defect, weakness, or suspected
bias. (fallacies or limitations)
• Mention important conclusions or
observations reached by the author
• Evaluate the usefulness or relevance to your
research topic (Reflection/Usefulness to your research or
topic Will you use this source? and/or why it did not meet your
expectations..)
The Annotation
A sample:
Jim Rasenberger, an author and journalist for the New York Times,
asserts that the events as described by Gansberg in “38 Who Saw Murder”
could not have happened the way Gansberg described them. Rasenberger
states that although 38 people may have heard or seen the initial attack,
Genovese was attacked three times. The most serious attack occurred in
the back foyer of her apartment building, and could have been witnessed by
five or six people at most.
He concludes his article by saying that if Gansberg’s account had
been accurate, countless articles and books would never have been written
about the incident and Americans’ apathy would not have been studied as
thoroughly. He seems pleased that the initial and most famous account was
flawed. Rasenberger’s article is interesting, but contains few facts and little
research to support his assertions. The article is helpful as a starting point
for a critical view of Gansberg’s article.
• On the next slide, you will see the
same paragraphs color-coded by
specific criteria…
Background & credibility of author Possible Audience
Main idea
Contents
Usefulness to my topic/research
The Annotation
Jim Rasenberger, an author and journalist for the New York Times, asserts that the
events as described by Gansberg in “38 Who Saw Murder” could not have
happened the way Gansberg described them. Rasenberger’s assumes his audience
is familiar with Gansberg’s famous and widely published article. Rasenberger
states that although 38 people may have heard or seen the initial attack,
Genovese was attacked three times. The most serious attack occurred in the back
foyer of her apartment building, and could have been witnessed by five or six
people at most.
He concludes his article by saying that if Gansberg’s account had been
accurate, countless articles and books would never have been written about the
incident and Americans’ apathy would not have been studied as thoroughly. He
seems pleased that the initial and most famous account was flawed.
Rasenberger’s article is interesting, but contains few facts and little research to
support his assertions. The article is helpful as a starting point for a critical view
of Gansberg’s account of events.
Background & credibility of author
Main idea
Contents
Possible Audience
Usefulness to my topic/research
Completed Example Annotated Bibliography entry
Rasenberger, Jim. “Nightmare on Austin Street.” American Heritage. 57.5 (2006): 65-66. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO.
TCC Library, Portsmouth, VA. 12 Nov. 2008. <http://search.ebscohost.com>.
Jim Rasenberger, an author and journalist for the New York Times, asserts that
the events as described by Gansberg in “38 Who Saw Murder” could not have happened
the way Gansberg described them. Rasenberger states that although 38 people may have
heard or seen the initial attack, Genovese was attacked three times. The most serious attack
occurred in the back foyer of her apartment building, and could have been witnessed by
five or six people at most.
He concludes his article by saying that if Gansberg’s account had been accurate,
countless articles and books would never have been written about the incident and
Americans’ apathy would not have been studied as thoroughly. He seems pleased that the
initial and most famous account was flawed. Rasenberger’s article is interesting, but
contains few facts and little research to support his assertions. The article is helpful as a
starting point for a critical view of Gansberg’s article.
Annotated Bibliography
Your Mission…
Your Mission:
• Locate 2 sources on your topic.
• Write an MLA Works Cited style entry for each source.
(some people keep their notes on index cards—if this helps you, great!)
• Look for any biographical info./credentials you can find
about the author and note them.
• Scan the source and note the content on your
paper/index card.
• Look at a few specific passages that catch your eye—
summarize them. Do you detect any bias? Is the source
written for a particular audience (scholars, professionals
in the field, general adult audience, educators, social
workers, parents, teenagers, the poor, religious etc…)?
• Write your annotated bibliography from your notes.
FAQ’s – frequently asked questions
Q: Are the sources in my
annotated bibliography the
same as the ones in my paper?
A: That’s up to you. Your annotated bibliography is
simply a sampling of sources—it’s your exploring
what’s out there. You may have horrible sources
for your annotated bibliography—many
researchers find the bad sources first, reject them,
and then ultimately find the best sources. Your
annotated bibliography & your paper may/may
not have any sources in common – do not feel
that just because a source is in your annotated
bibliography it must also be in your paper!
FAQ’s – frequently asked questions
Q: Should I turn in 3 or 5 sources?
Why turn more than 3?
A: About the number of sources--Bibliographies with fewer
than 2 sources will automatically receive a failing
grade. A bibliography with 2 sources should have welldeveloped notes. A 5-source bibliography may have
(slightly) shorter notes. The more you give me, the
more I can provide in return, so if you need help with
research/MLA, your annotated bibliography will show
me what you’re doing correctly and incorrectly. If
you’re looking for an A or B grade, having more (and
well-written) entries is what you should aspire to. (Doing
the absolute bare minimum rarely results in excellence.)
FAQ’s – frequently asked questions
Q: Do my notes have to look like the
ones in the example?
A: No, not exactly. However, the sample notes are
excellent--very comprehensive, well written, and
perceptive—definitely “A” level work. So...if you’re
looking for an “A” (exceptional, demonstrated
excellence in effort and ability), your notes should look
similar. That said, I don’t expect everyone’s notes to
look just like the sample. I do, however, expect you to
write as a college student in any college would.
Bibliographies with extremely brief or missing notes will
receive a failing grade.
FAQ’s – frequently asked questions
Q: What types of sources are you looking for?
Can we use any sources we want?
A: I am so glad you asked! Please review the lecture notes “Why
Evaluate Sources?” and other documents from this week that discuss
research. As a college-level scholar, you should expect that your
professors (not just me!) require knowledge and use of relevant,
scholarly sources rather than information from any website that pops up
on Google or Yahoo.
Your tuition dollars pay for access to huge databases
filled with reviewed, scholarly sources that indicate to your professors
that you know what you’re doing when you conduct research.
All of these wonderful sources are right at your
fingertips, accessible from your home PC!
Sources
Where can college students
find reliable, scholarly sources?
Old habits…
• Many students do “research” by
using a general search engine
such as Google or Yahoo.
• This type of search is a habit that
does not work well when doing
college research.
Why not Google or Yahoo?
On the Internet….
•No selection process:
Documents do not undergo
any selection process but
rather are placed there at
will by anyone with access
to a web server.
Why not Google or Yahoo?
•No standards: There is no
overall effort, nor any rules or
standards, to organize
information to facilitate retrieval.
Often, commercial sites or
sites soliciting donations
dominate search results.
Why not Google or Yahoo?
• No validation: No
one reviews sites for
accuracy. The internet
is filled with hoaxes,
scams, parodies, and
hate speech disguised as
“fact.”
Sources
General Guidelines:
You MUST use a web evaluation on
any web sources:
• Use Databases
• Librarian approved/reviewed sources found
on the MSU Camden Carroll Library site
• (note: sources means more than one)
Sources
General Guidelines:
You MUST use TCC LRC sources:
• Databases
• Librarian approved/reviewed sources
found on the TCC LRC site
• (note: sources means more than one)
Sources
Scholarly sources from outside MSU are OK
• university studies (.edu)
• reports written by scholars (Master’s degree +)
for scholars (any college student/graduate in
scholarly field/faculty)
• government sources/publications (.gov)
obtained from the original source are fine.
Sources
NO WIKIPEDIA!!!
#
Sources –
where to find them
on the TCC LRC site
Learning Resources Centers
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
TCC Library Catalog
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
Databases of Articles
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides to Topics
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
Go to:
http://www.tcc.edu/lrc/
and you will see the box to the left.
Full text databases
in which you can find full-text articles from numerous sources!
Learning Resources Centers
•
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
•
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
•
TCC Library Catalog
•
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
SUBJECT LIST OF DATABASES LRC@TCC
• Databases of Articles
Academic Search Complete
Ethnic NewsWatch
Factiva
•
•
•
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides to Topics
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
Arts & Humanities
Business & Economics
Education
General & Reference
Select a general subject area
to find a list of databases
Health Sciences
Languages & Literature
News & Current Issues
Public Affairs & Law
Favorites
Science (Applied & Math)
Science (Natural & Physical)
Social Sciences
OR Choose one of the databases
below in red to begin
Gale Virtual Reference
JSTOR
Lexis-Nexis Academic
General & Reference
Academic Search Complete
AP Images of the Associated Press
ArticleFirst
Cambridge University Press
Conference Papers Index
Consumers Index
Dissertation Abstracts Online
EBSCOHost
Essay & General Literature Index
Factiva
Facts.com
Facts on File
Fuente Academica
Issues and Controversies on File
JSTOR
LexisNexis Academic
OmniFile Full Text Select
PapersFirst
ProceedingsFirst
WorldCat
Biography Reference Bank
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Gale Virtual Reference Library
MasterFILE Premier
Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford African American Studies
Center
Oxford Reference Online Premium
STAT-USA
Wiley InterScience
World Almanac
World Factbook
World News Digest
MasterFILE Premier
OmniFile Full Text Select
Opposing Viewpoints
Click on “Subject Guides to Topics”
Learning Resources Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
TCC Library Catalog
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
Databases of Articles
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides LRC@TCC
Click on any general subject area to find an
abundance of reliable sources!
SUBJECT GUIDES LRC@TCC
Arts & Humanities
Business & Economics
Education
General
Health Sciences
Internet Guides
Language & Literature
News & Current Events
Public Affairs & Law
Science (Applied & Math)
Sciences (Natural &
Physical)
Social Sciences
Subject Guides to Topics
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
A
100+
See the next few slides for more details on
these resources…
list of subjects/resources!
General Guide to Topics
Learning Resources Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
TCC Library Catalog
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
Databases of Articles
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides to Topics
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
General
Biography
Book Reviews
Careers
Copyright
Kids' Sites
These are links to
many excellent
resources for
current, accurate
information and
statistics
Primary Sources
Public Opinion
Speeches
Statistics
Writing & Citations
A wealth of
information about
writing & citing
research papers.
Internet Guides to Topics
Learning Resources Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
TCC Library Catalog
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
Databases of Articles
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides to Topics
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
Internet Guides: recommended for
their research quality.
Best Information on the Net
Environment Web Directory
FirstGov.gov
Google Scholar
Librarians' Index to the Internet
These are links to
many excellent
resources for
current, accurate
resources
Scout Report Archives
Searching the Internet*
Subject Guides (ODU)
Subject Guides (VCCS)
* A TCC site about
where to find the
best online
information
CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS SUBJECT GUIDE LRC@TCC
Great resources
for many topics!
Learning Resources Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
TCC Library Catalog
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
Databases of Articles
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides to Topics
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
Periodical and Newspaper articles
Congressional Digest Each issue is devoted to one topic with
pro/con opinions from congressional members. (VB, PO, CH
campuses) Indexed: Academic Search Complete and an annual
cumulative index in the December issue.
CQ Researcher Each issue focuses on a specific topic
presenting alternative views and a bibliography. Indexed: Academic
Search Complete and an annual cumulative index in the bound
volume. This title is also available on our shelves.
Issues and Controversies on File
Articles provide the
history or development of an issue, a current overview, varying
opinions, a prediction of future developments, and a short
bibliography. Self-indexed. Annual cumulative index in bound volume
(VB Campus). This title is also available on our shelves.
Opposing Viewpoints Access viewpoint articles, topic
overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to web sites, and fulltext magazine and newspaper articles. Examples: Adoption,
America's prisons, Censorship, Death penalty, Euthanasia.
Keep scrolling on the Controversial Topics page for many
more resources!
GOVERNMENT SOURCES GUIDE LRC@TCC
Learning Resources Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ask A Librarian
>How do I ..?
Find books & articles
> Cite sources
> Evaluate sources
> Access from off-campus
TCC Library Catalog
Other libraries
> WorldCat.org
Databases of Articles
> Title list
> Subject list
> Descriptions
> Publication name search
> QuickSearch
> E-books
Reference
Subject Guides to Topics
Library Resources(r):
LexisNexis Congressional Full text congressional reports, track
bills, laws, federal register, etc.
Government Resources from the member libraries of VIVA.
Subject guides for Law and Statistics.
Quick Search:
Government Resources index to federal, international,
state, maps, and data services information. (Northwestern University)
Find your state and federal representatives at congress.org
> Art Resources (VAC)
> Controversial Topics
> Government Sources
> Literature
> Statistics
> Writing & Citations
Keep scrolling down on the
“Government Sources” page
for links to many helpful
government resources
Final Notes…
Your Handbook (Chapter 34) contains MLA
style documentation.
You may also explore the TCC-LRC
website for MLA help.
http://www.tcc.edu/lrc/guides/research.htm
Free, friendly, & candid advice:
Want to irritate your future professors? Complain that
you cannot find any sources on your topic.
Want to impress your future professors? Mention
enthusiastically how you have so many ideas and sources
from your research that you’re trying to decide which
angle to take on the topic.
End of Presentation