Guidelines for Annotated Bibliography
Annotations vs. Abstracts
Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they expose the author’s point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority. The sources you will annotate will focus on historical and cultural conditions and perspectives surrounding the public issue you address. Therefore you’ll need to address in your annotations why and how the sources inform your particular argument.
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by three brief (usually about 250 – 300 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraphs. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
Steps to Follow:
- Create an MLA or APA citation for each Secondary source. (Primary Sources too – but do not add steps 2-4)
- Begin with a summary of the author’s ideas and the main claims in his/her research.
- Next evaluate the source. Analyze the author’s ideas and the perspective it offers. How does the source complicate, compliment, or contradict other sources you have encountered?
- Finally, assess how useful the source will be in your project? How does this source add to your conversation about the particular identity issue you are researching?
Submit as a Word Document on Canvas.
Guidelines for Annotated Bibliography
Annotations vs. Abstracts
Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they expose the author’s point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority. The sources you will annotate will focus on historical and cultural conditions and perspectives surrounding the public issue you address. Therefore you’ll need to address in your annotations why and how the sources inform your particular argument.
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by three brief (usually about 250 – 300 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraphs. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
Steps to Follow:
- Create an MLA or APA citation for each Secondary source. (Primary Sources too – but do not add steps 2-4) Feel free
- Begin with a summary of the author’s ideas and the main claims in his/her research.
- Next evaluate the source. Analyze the author’s ideas and the perspective it offers. How does the source complicate, compliment, or contradict other sources you have encountered?
- Finally, assess how useful the source will be in your project? How does this source add to your conversation about the particular identity issue you are researching?
Submit as a Word Document on Canvas.
STUDENT SAMPLE:
Primary Sources:
“Pilot.” Greek. ABC Family. WCPO, Cincinnati. 9 Jul. 2007. Television.
Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life & Leadership. Miami University, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. <http://www.units.muohio.edu/saf/GRA/PanhellenicRecruitment.htm>.
Secondary Sources:
Risman, Barbra J. “College Women and Sororities: The Social Construction and Reaffirmation of Gender Roles.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography: 231-34. Print.
The authors main idea of this section of her journal was that through sororities, girls learn how to become women. Risman says that people learn how they should and should not act, based on the people around them. The journal also says that girls in sororities only surround themselves, and interact with other girls in their sorority. They only eat, study, hang out with, their sisters. The only people they interact with outside their sorority would be parents and professors. The journal also discusses the topic of courtship. It also discusses that as girls learn the rituals, courtesies and priorities of their chapter, it molds them.
Based on personal experience, I don’t think the author is completely valid in saying that sorority girls only interact with each other, their parents and professors. I know plenty of girls in sororities that have signed housing contracts to live with girls in sororities different form their own. I also know girls that are great friends with other girls who chose not to rush and be in a sorority. But due to many meetings, and social gatherings, sorority girls do spend a lot of time with their sisters. I just don’t agree that they spend all of their time together. I do agree that by being in a sorority, girls are learning how to become women. They have positions of power in their chapter and have to earn the respect of not only their sisters, but elders in the community.
I will easily be able to incorporate this journal in my essay. It helps prove that there is more to being in a sorority than just the social aspect. Many people think that girls join sororities to become popular and to meet tons of people and to go to different parties. But as the journal states, girls learn about themselves and how to become women through their sororities.
Handler, Lisa. “In the Fraternal Sisterhood: Sororities as Gender Strategy.” Gender & Society: 236-40. Print.
This journal discusses how sororities have changed over time due to the advances in feminism in today’s society. It discusses how by joining a sorority you enter a sisterhood and create many relationships. But you also support women who are in power. Sorority girls understand the importance of women’s job opportunities, women’s health care, etc. This journal also talks about the how sororities may be somewhat similar in format. And differ according to geographical location, size, and type of school they are at. Girls join sororities for many different reasons.
I think that the author has many valid points. This article contradicts the first article in the sense of sorority girls only surrounding themselves with each other. This article acknowledges the concept of sisterhood, but does not go on to accuse sorority girls of only staying within their circle. This article also stresses the ideas of how sorority girls are independent and have a voice. I also found it interesting how the author said that sorority growth has increased in the past decades and she connected that with the feminist movement.
This article will be very easy to incorporate into my essay. I will be able to use it to show that once again, sorority girls are not just in it for social reasons. Whether they realize it or not, they are in it to stand up for women’s rights. And by doing so they support women having powerful jobs, health care, etc. But it also discusses the importance of sisterhood.
English 104 