Annotated Bibliography : FAQ’s - Frequently asked questions
Am I writing a research paper?
No, an annotated bibliography is different. Read the information about how to do an
annotated bibliography using my website. Go to NPHS website, click “teacher
webpages,” click “McCreary, Robert,” click “Sociology,” scroll down to “research
Project” and click “How to do an annotated bibliography.” Print and read.
How many sources do I need?
How many have to be books, magazine articles, websites, etc?
Click on “4.0/5.0/6.0 Requirements” and read.
Does an online article I find count towards the “website source” maximum?
No. If you find an entire website that deals with your topic, that counts towards your
website minimum/maximum. If you find an online article from a magazine, newspaper, or
journal, it does not count towards your website maximum.
Where can I go to find articles online about my topic?
EBSCO Host is probably your best bet. That can be accessed through the NPHS Library
Resource page which can be located by clicking on “Library” on the NPHS webpage.
Can I access EBSCO Host from my house?
Yes, but you will need a password and a public library card to do so. The password can be
obtained in the IMC or through their webpage.
What is a “scholarly journal?”
A scholarly journal is a publication that includes information written by persons / experts
in the field of study that the journal covers. The information can be in the form of studies
done by these experts or simply essays, comments, and/or editorials about other studies in
that field.
How do I get EBSCO Host to look for “scholarly journals” as well?
When you type your topic (or related key words) into EBSCO Host, click on “refined
search” and check off “Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals.” Journal articles should
appear on the list if any apply to your key word search. Look at the title of the publication.
Usually it will have the word “journal” in it. (ex. American Journal of Sociology)
I can’t seem to find much on my topic. What should I do?
Brainstorm a list of key words, people, organizations, etc that might be associated with
your topic in some way. Use them in your search. Some topics are harder to research than
others. Ask a librarian or teacher for other key words to use in your search. If all else
fails, you may consider changing your topic. See next question for another solution.
My topic is very modern and not covered well in our IMC. What do I do?
Use a bookstore like Barnes and Noble or Borders as a library. They will have up-to-date
books on modern topics. Take them off the shelf, look through them, take notes, etc and
then put it back on the shelf. Be sure to not damage the book in any way. Don’t forget to
get the citation info before putting the book back!
What is MLA?
MLA is a set of guidelines for formatting / structuring written material including
parenthetical documentation and bibliography/works cited pages. There are other
guidelines (ex. APA) but NPHS uses MLA.