Bibliography Assignment and Requirements
For Unit III, you will not write a pape
Bibliography Assignment and Requirements
For Unit III, you will not write a paper! Instead, you will create an annotated bibliography (click here to link to Purdue OWL’s detailed explanation).
An annotated bibliography is a Works Cited page that contains brief summaries (usually one to two paragraphs) of each source. Here is a Sample Annotated Bibliography for English 1020. Take a look at the sample; you will produce a document like this one for Unit III.
Slide Show Lecture Unit III explains the “what and why” behind an annotated bibliography. Make sure you refer to the slide show a few times to help you form a concept for this assignment. The slide show explains the purpose of annotation and how to create one.
In short, an annotated bibliography is a “map” of research that you gather on a topic. You create an annotated bibliography to deepen your knowledge of a subject, in preparation to write on that subject in depth.
HOW DO I BEGIN?
Choose a topic after referring to the list of retired topics:
THESE TOPICS ARE RETIRED: Abortion and related topics, Capital Punishment, and Gun Control and related topics (they are too broad for this assignment).
For this assignment, I recommend that you choose a topic related to a profession that you have or a profession that you hope to have one day. Choose something that interests you. You may also choose something related to a hobby.
For example, I had a pre-health physical therapy major (who was also a runner) who did an annotated bibliography on barefoot running (so she combined her hobby and future career). She researched injuries related to running and looked at whether or not barefoot running increased or decreased typical running injuries.
See the Unit III: Discussion I: Topic Proposals discussion for a list of example topics that might inspire some ideas.
Special Note: I understand that some of you do not have a future major or career in mind at this point. I have also had students who have no passions or hobbies in life. In the past, these students have asked me to assign a fixed topic to them for this assignment. If this sounds like your situation, then after referring to the above discussion, if you still cannot find a topic, then I suggest that you choose one of the topics from the CASEBOOK section of Practical Arguments where you will be able to choose any one of the following topics: Helicopter Parents; Controversial Sports Mascots; Ethical Obligations of Bystanders; Bottled Water Costs and Benefits; College Education; Meat or Vegetarianism; American Safety after 9/11; Does it pay to Study the Humanities?
Scan the table of contents for Part 6 of Practical Arguments. There you will find a list of topics with essays supporting different point of view on those topics. You may choose any topic that you have not already used in the previous unit (so UNIT II). You may use a topic from Unit I.
At this stage of the assignment, you do not need to know the specific angle that you will take as you write about your topic; you only need to choose a topic that interests you.
BIBLIOGRAPHY REQUIREMENTS:
Write a minimum of 600 words
Use a minimum of 5 sources. One source must be a peer reviewed journal article or a book. One source may come from Practical Argument, but you must have at least 4 outside sources. Each source is worth 20 points of the 100 points for this assignment.
Avoid writing on the list of retired topics (see above). You will have to start over if you do.
Include a minimum one paragraph annotation in your own words of each source. Each annotation is a one or two paragraph passage that summarizes the source and assesses the source in your words (how useful does this source seem to you?)
Double-space your bibliography
Use the “hanging indent” and MLA format in your bibliographic entires
Use 12 point, Times New Roman Font
Use MLA Essay format (see the MLA Format Help Module)
Upload your essay to the Unit III Dropbox by the deadline on the class schedule