Annotated Bibliography/Resource List

What is it? An annotation is a brief evaluative summary of a book, article, or other publication. A
bibliography is a list of resources cited in a consistent style format (such as MLA). An annotated
bibliography, then, is a list of cited sources with brief explanations centering around one topic or research
question. The purpose is to help the reader of the bibliography understand the uses of each source and the
relationships of one source to another.

Your Assignment: You are going to compile ___ sources on the same topic for this annotated bibliography,
cited in proper MLA format.

Learning Outcomes: The learning outcomes for this assignment are 1. Interpret, evaluate, and cite
evidence in written communication; and 2. Distinguish between types of information resources and how
these resources meet the needs of different levels of scholarship.

General Instructions: When writing your annotations, be sure to compare and contrast the source with the
other sources you have included. Discuss how this work relates to your topic and what perspective it
provides. You can use the RADAR (relevance, authority, date, accuracy, and rationale) framework to help
you evaluate your sources.

Specific Instructions: Follow these steps when writing each of your annotations.

Step 1: Citation: Cite the source correctly using a referencing style (such as MLA).

Step 2: Relevance/Main Purpose: How does this source relate to your topic? What does this source add to
the general knowledge on your topic?

Step 3: Relevance/Audience: What is the intended audience level of this source and is it appropriate for your
topic?

Step 4: Authority/Author: Qualifications of the author (e.g., John Smith, a Russian history professor at USC,
based his research on recently discovered documents). Is this source cited by other sources writing on the
same topic?

Step 5: Accuracy/Evidence: Are the author’s claims supported by evidence in the form of references,
citations, endnotes, or a bibliography?

Step 6: Rationale/Bias: Is there a bias in relation to your topic (e.g., “However, Smith’s case is somewhat
weakened by an anti-German bias”)? State whether or not bias is present.

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 Resources: You may wish to consult the following resources for additional help:

Research  Library Information Desk- 1st Floor of Library (open 24/5)

Help  24/7 Ask A Librarian Chat: http://library.lmu.edu/gethelp/

Find Books,  Rhetorical Arts Research Guide:

Articles, etc. http://libguides.lmu.edu/RHET1000

Tutoring  Academic Resource Center: http://academics.lmu.edu/arc/

(help with
citations and
editing)
MLA  Writing LibGuide: http://libguides.lmu.edu/writing
Citation  MLA Handbook: Information Desk REF LB2369 .G53 2009
Guidelines  OWL Purdue: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/

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Rubric for Evaluation of Annotated Bibliography/Information Literacy:
Criteria Accomplished (3)
Points (100-88%)
(Citation) Citations correctly identify
Identifies bibliographic bibliographic information
information in citations such as author, title, source,
publisher, and date.
(Citation) Citations are free of
Cites sources correctly grammatical, spelling,
using a referencing style formatting, or stylistic
errors.
(Annotation) Addresses usefulness for
Relevance: research topic of all
Identifies content /main sources. Demonstrates
purpose of sources sophisticated level of
critical thinking in stating
how source adds to general
knowledge on research
topic.
(Annotation) Presents clear indication of
Relevance: intended audience for all
Identifies intended sources.
audience
(Annotation) Clearly presents author
Authority: qualifications and whether
Identifies authority of the source has been cited
author by others for all sources.
(Annotation) Presents clear analysis of
Accuracy: whether claims are
Recognizes if claims were supported by evidence
supported by evidence (citations/endnotes/
bibliography/ references)
for all sources.
(Annotation) Presents clear analysis of
Rationale: author bias/intentions for
Recognizes author all sources.
bias/intentions
Competent (2)
Points (87-75%)
Citations have minor errors
in the identification of
bibliographic information
such as author, title, source,
publisher, and date.
Citations have minor
grammatical, spelling,
formatting, or stylistic
errors.
Attempts to address
usefulness for research
topic of most sources.
Tends towards summary
rather than higher level
critical thinking in stating
how source adds to general
knowledge on research
topic.
Presents clear indication of
intended audience most of
the time, but not for all
sources.
Clearly presents author
qualifications and whether
the source has been cited
by others for most (but not
all) sources.
Presents clear analysis of
whether claims are
supported by evidence
(citations/ endnotes/
bibliography/
references) for most (but
not all) sources.
Presents clear analysis of
author bias/intentions for
most (but not all) sources.
Developing (1)
Points (74-60%)
Citations have major errors
in the identification of
bibliographic information
such as author, title, source,
publisher, and date.
Citations have major
grammatical, spelling,
formatting, or stylistic
errors.
Does not clearly address
usefulness for research
topic of most sources. Does
not demonstrate higher
level critical thinking in
stating how source adds to
general knowledge on
research topic.
Indication of intended
audience lacks clarity for
most to all sources.
Presentation of author
qualifications and whether
the source has been cited
by others lacks clarity for
most to all sources.
Analysis of whether claims
are supported by evidence
(citations/ endnotes/
bibliography/
references) lacks clarity for
most to all sources.
Analysis of author
bias/intentions lacks clarity
for most to all sources.