The purpose of this assignment is to compile an annotated bibliography in MLA format of potential sources you might use for your research essay. The next step of the research project is to find and evaluate sources for your research essay based on your research question. The research question will help you evaluate the research you find for its relevance to your topic.
Process
A good guideline for finding sources is that you should closely evaluate in detail three times as many sources as you will end up using. For instance, for a biology lab report where you are required to use two scientific studies as support, you would closely evaluate six studies to decide which is the most relevant to your specific experiment. If you were writing an ethics position paper and were required to use four peer-reviewed academic journal articles, you would need to closely evaluate twelve. This process of careful evaluation should be applied to any assignment where you are required to use primary and/or secondary sources to address a specific assignment or topic. For your research essay, the potential sources you choose to evaluate closely should help you to “answer” your research question(s).
For the final draft of the academic research essay, you will be required to use five sources. These sources must include two peer-reviewed academic journal articles from an FSW database and three additional sources of your choice. (The additional source might be a credible website, another journal article or book, a news or editorial article, and so on.) Using the “rule of three” above, you should closely evaluate six peer-reviewed academic journal articles from an FSW database and nine “other” sources of your choice in order to determine which source is most appropriate and useful for your specific research question(s).
From the twelve sources you closely evaluate, you will choose five sources for your annotated bibliography. Your Annotated Bibliography should summarize and describe the source, as well as outline in detail the criteria you used to evaluate the sources and their potential use for your project. Each annotation should be brief, no more than 150 words.
To assist you with this project, please review the student sample.
Assignment Rubric
An Annotated Bibliography that “Achieves Excellence” will be distinguished in the following criteria:
The writer includes 5 sources.
The writer’s potential sources include two peer-reviewed journal articles from an FSW database and three additional sources of the author’s choice.
The writer has a brief annotation for each source of no more than 200 words that summarizes, describes and evaluates the source.
The writer’s selection of sources shows careful thought about how best to address his or her research question(s).
The writer’s potential sources clearly relate to his or her research topic and question(s).
The writer’s bibliography adheres to MLA format for the citations and the format of the entire document.
The writer uses appropriate spelling, grammar, and mechanics.
The writer meets the standards for effective composition.