Informal Annotated Bibliography: Making Preliminary Connections and Identifying Stakeholder Interest
DESCRIPTION (AND STEP BY STEP)
This Part 4 assignment asks you to annotate the three sources you identified in your Project 1 Part 3 assignment and compile the annotations into an informal annotated bibliography. After writing the annotations, you will include an introductory paragraph and preliminary thesis statement that identifies the area of research and your initial findings.
STEP BY STEP
Step 1. For each source, your annotation will include two paragraphs (approximately 300 words total). The first paragraph will summarize the source’s key ideas. The second annotation paragraph will address the credibility of the source and note the links, patterns, similarities, and/or variances between the source and the other two sources. Use the 4-sentence rhetorical summary model addressed in Project 1 Part 1.
Step 2. After you have compiled your annotations and synthesized their arguments and drawn preliminary conclusions about your subtopic, you are ready to write your introduction. This opening paragraph should introduce your reader to your subtopic area and identify what people/stakeholders might be interested in or influenced by your subtopic. The introduction will briefly explain why this research is important. To conclude the introduction, you will (a) represent your initial findings based on the research compiled in the annotated bibliography and (b) write a preliminary thesis statement that begins to frame these findings.
You will upload this Part 4 assignment to MyReviewers by the assigned due date.
HELPFUL HINTS
When writing your introduction, remember that you are still in the process of researching your subtopic. This means that your information will be brief, the conclusions you draw will be preliminary, and the thesis you compose will be representative of initial trends in ongoing research. Do not worry; you don’t have to have all the answers yet!