Sample Entry

1. Joseph Perreault
English 102-09—Perreault
2/10/17
Annotated Bibliography First Entry (Sample)
Research Question: Are there any demonstrated psychological effects to having a name that is
unconventional or odd?
1.)
Pinker, Steven. The Stuff of Thought. Viking, 2007.
The Stuff of Thought is a popular science book that covers a broad range of topics in
psychology in an attempt to explain how humans use language as a tool to find meaning in the
world around them. It takes a broad view on many psychological issues, from metaphors and
swear words to names and psychological games.
The author, Steven Pinker, is a world-renowned psychologist who specializes in
cognitive linguistics. He uses well documented scholarly sources to support the information he is
presenting on each topic, and he can be considered one of the world’s leading experts in his field.
This source is highly reliable.
This book has a specific chapter on the psychology of names and what they mean. It
offers a wealth of information on the purpose of names, how new words and names come into
being, how novel objects or inventions acquire names, and how specific names come in and out
of popularity. There isn’t much specific information relating to the psychological effects of
specific names whether popular or unpopular. The chapter does have several citations that may
lead to sources more specifically related to my topic. It also offers plenty of background
information that may be useful in explaining the psychological importance of names for the early
part of my paper. Overall, I think it is a useful source.