ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY based on the introduction & thesis

In order to complete this Assignment, you will need to do research. One of the more useful tools in conducting research is the annotated bibliography.  An annotated bibliography combines the citations found in the References list at the end of documents in APA format with annotations about each of the sources.  For this assignment, you will construct an annotated bibliography based upon the topic of study that you have selected to focus on. Your topic must relate to a current event topic/issue in an American national, regional, or local level.

Purpose: An annotated bibliography is an organizing tool that is helpful when working on a research project.  An effective annotated bibliography is used to compile research sources in one location and provide the researcher with quick access to the information contained in each source. 

Audience: This assignment should be directed at your scholarly peers, and you may assume that they have only a casual familiarity with your topic or issue.

Content/Subject: Your annotated bibliography will consist of 15 sources that you have deemed relevant to your topic and/or question(s) of inquiry.  While you may encounter sources that are not relevant or do not fit the scope of your project while researching, for the purposes of this assignment, you may include the ones that you do not find useful and relevant, but that number is not to exceed 2 of the 15 sources used. At least 5 of your sources must be considered as Print Sources – hardcopy, e-books, journals…etc. Sources are considered academic if they are considered to be presenting expert knowledge, cited work of other scholars, or reviewed by other scholars.

1. Cite the source in proper APA format.  The citations should be organized in alphabetical order by author just as in an APA References page. 

2. Follow with a brief annotation that summarizes the source (approx. 3-5 sentences). You may quote from the source, but do not copy and paste the abstract. Ideally, all of the annotation should be in your own words.

3. In 1 or 2 sentences, explain the source’s relevance and importance to your issue.   

Constraints: The annotated bibliography is a fairly rigid genre.  Your citations must adhere to APA format.  This will be one of the central components of the grade for this assignment.  Failure to follow APA format exactly will harm your grade.

The annotations for each source should follow an academic style.  This means that you must construct, with elevated and sophisticated language, correct grammatical sentences that effectively summarize what each source has to say.  Additionally, you should explain how each source is relevant to the issue that you have selected and what adds to your knowledge about your issue.

Specific guidelines to follow when completing this assignment are:

· 5 sources of various types (book, article, website, etc.).

· Sources focused around a narrowed issue or question of inquiry.

· Adherence to APA format for all citations.

· Sources in alphabetical order according to author.

· Thoughtful and complete annotations of 100-150 words.

· Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Rubrics are subject to minor revisions. Students will be notified of changes.

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