Grade 12 Equity and Social Justice (HSE 4M1)
Reading Circles Article Analysis and Discussion
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Gale Cengage Learning Infotrac
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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
WHAT IS AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents.
Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) paragraph, the annotation.
The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and/or quality of the sources cited.
2 MAIN TYPES OF ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Summary/descriptive
provides a concise overview of the main arguments, evidence presented, and conclusions
Combination of summary/descriptive and critical/evaluative
most annotated bibliography assignments require that you include both an overview and evaluative comments.
in addition to providing an overview, analyzes the content; comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments, evidence, and conclusions; explains the usefulness of the source for your research topic.
THE PROCESS
Locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
Briefly examine and review the actual items.
Choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
Cite the book, article, or document using APA style for your Family Studies course.
For combination annotated bibliographies:
Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article.
Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.
SAMPLE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIC ENTRIES
Summary/descriptive type (in APA style)
Sampson, R. J., Raudenbush, S. W., & Earls, F. (1997). Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science, 277, 918–924.
Analysis of data gathered by the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods indicates that although racial and socioeconomic inequalities are relevant factors, they are not the singular or primary influences on neighborhood crime. Findings suggest that neighborhood violence is predicted by measures of informal social control, social cohesion and trust, and perceptions of violence. Consistent with the social organization model, collective efficacy is shown to mediate the influence of residential stability in predicting neighborhood violence.
Combination type (in APA style)
Lamott, Anne. (1995). Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books.
Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic. In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun.
Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.
Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable.
Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.
An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America. Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well-researched.