English 110C: English Composition

Instructor: Raoul Lobo

rlobo001@odu.edu

Assignment 3: Annotated Bibliography

Due Dates: April 4th via Blackboard (only Word or PDF files)
Word Count: Approx. 200 words per annotation, a minimum of 5 annotations
Format: MLA

Assignment:
For this assignment, you will stick to the same topic you chose for your previous
assignment—the rhetorical analysis of an article. And you will also continue with
this topic for your next assignment—the argumentative essay. The purpose of this
assignment is to prepare you for your next paper. So, find, cite, and annotate
sources for your argumentative essay.

(Students can look up the course guide and the library instruction video to get a
better idea of the topics.)

Late papers get docked 5%, with an additional 5% for each week. After three
weeks, you get a zero. 5% will be deducted if it does not meet the word count
minimum.

This assignment makes up 10% of your final grade.

What is an annotated bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of citations to sources (books, articles, films, websites, etc.)
that you’ve used when researching a topic. An annotated bibliography includes a
summary, evaluation, and comparison of each source. All annotations must be in
paragraph form and use complete sentences.

Breaking down the annotating process.

Summary
5 to 8 sentences to summarize the main idea(s) of the source.
What are the main arguments?
What is the point of this book/article?
What topics are covered?
What conclusion does the article reach?
What is an important quote or two (with page numbers) you can use?

*Sentence templates that “take apart” an annotation.

This article discusses/analyzes/presents/provides an overview of __________. The

main point of the article includes/involves _____________. The authors cover
topics such as ___________, _________, and ____________.

This article presents__________. The authors indicate that ____________.

Research in the article covered ____________.

Evaluate
2- 4 sentences to assess and evaluate the source & 1 or 2 sentences to reflect on the
source.
Is this information reliable?
Is the source objective or biased?
Was this source helpful to you?
How can you use this source for your research project?
Has it changed how you think about your topic?
Tip: you can use the CRAAP test to help you write this section. See below for the
CRAAP test questions. Each of these questions can turn into a sentence that’s
useful for your annotation.

What CRAAP score does the article have?

Currency: When was the information published or posted? Is there a copyright or

last updated date on the page? Has the information been revised or updated? Is the
information (and links) current or out of date for your topic? Are links broken?

Relevance: Does the info on the site answer your question? Who is the intended
audience? Is the information advanced enough for your needs? Have you looked at
more than the top few search results to select this source?

Authority: Is the author/organization name listed? Google the author’s name to

learn more. Can you figure out what makes the author an expert (the ethos of the
author) by looking at credentials? Organization/publisher/source/sponsor is named.
There is contact information. Does the URL indicate something about the
organization (.edu, .net, .org, .com, or .gov)*?Does the URL match your research
needs?* Is the information supported by evidence? Does it have links? A Works
Cited or Reference list?

Accuracy: Is the information reviewed or refereed (vetted)? Does the language

seem free of emotion? Do links work?

Purpose: What is the purpose of the information? Do the authors/organization

make their purpose clear? Is the info a fact, opinion, or propaganda? Are there
political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

Compare
Leave space for the comparison part of the annotation (completed last):
How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
How is an aspect of this article more useful for a certain part of your proposal?

Key Resources:
 Textbook Chapter18: Finding Evidence, Chapter 19: Evaluating Sources,
Chapter 20: Using Sources, Chapter 22: Documentation
 Purdue Owl (Definition, Purpose, Breakdown, & Examples)
 How to create an annotated bibliography video
 Tips to making annotating easier