The annotated bibliography is an assignment to be completed in preparation for Essay 3 - the research paper. Once you have completed your research proposal and settled on a topic for your research paper, it's time to begin conducting research for your paper. The annotated bibliography helps you keep track of the material you find. It will also allow your instructor to gauge your progress, assess if your sources are appropriate, and determine if you have a basic understanding of MLA documentation. For this assignment, you will need to submit information about two (2) of your sources - but it is recommended that, for your own purposes, you keep a record for each source you encounter. At the top of your page, after your MLA heading, please post your topic and focusing question (refer to Unit 3 content notes as needed). Then proceed with the following information for each entry (2 total): a bibliographic entry for the source according to MLA format a brief note about how you located the source: did you find this source in person at the library, electronically, or otherwise? what terms did you use to locate the source, etc. information about the source's author: who is the author? how is the author credible? You may need to do additional research on the author or organization responsible for the source to find out more about him/her/them/it, their credentials, etc. [This information will prove helpful because in your research paper's text, when introducing a source, it is good form to use a signal phrase that introduces the author to add credibility to your argument (as in, "According to John Doe, who is a professor at Harvard University, ...)] a brief summary of what the source says (main ideas) a reflection: how do you think you will use this source? How will this source help you support your own argument? How did it shape your own opinion, if at all? What are the source's strengths and weaknesses? Here is a sample entry: "Ten Facts to Know About Torture." Torture Abolition and Survivor Support Coalition. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2013. This article appears in the tassc.org website. The article can be found under the tab “about torture”. I found the article by using the search engine Google; I typed “torture facts.” After reading several articles from the search, this website seemed perfect for my research. TASSC, Torture Abolition and Survivor Support Coalition, “was founded in 1998. It is the only organization in the United States founded by and for torture survivors. The mission of TASSC is to end the practice of torture wherever it occurs and to empower survivors, their families and communities wherever they are,” according to the "What Is TASSC"? page on their website. These are survivors who became advocates for the coalition. They work very closely to the UN and human rights groups worldwide. The coalition is “a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and operates independently of any ideology, government or economic interest”. I think the r.

1. The annotated bibliography is an assignment to be completed in
preparation for Essay 3 - the research paper.
Once you have completed your research proposal and settled on
a topic for your research paper, it's time to begin conducting
research for your paper.
The annotated bibliography helps you keep track of the material
you find. It will also allow your instructor to gauge your
progress, assess if your sources are appropriate, and determine
if you have a basic understanding of MLA documentation.
For this assignment, you will need to submit information about
two (2) of your sources - but it is recommended that, for your
own purposes, you keep a record for each source you encounter.
At the top of your page, after your MLA heading, please post
your topic and focusing question (refer to Unit 3 content notes
as needed). Then proceed with the following information for
each entry (2 total):
a bibliographic entry for the source according to MLA format
a brief note about how you located the source: did you find this
source in person at the library, electronically, or otherwise?
what terms did you use to locate the source, etc.
information about the source's author: who is the author? how is
the author credible? You may need to do additional research on
the author or organization responsible for the source to find out
more about him/her/them/it, their credentials, etc. [This
information will prove helpful because in your research paper's
text, when introducing a source, it is good form to use a signal
phrase that introduces the author to add credibility to your
argument (as in, "According to John Doe, who is a professor at
Harvard University, ...)]
a brief summary of what the source says (main ideas)
a reflection: how do you think you will use this source? How
will this source help you support your own argument? How did
it shape your own opinion, if at all? What are the source's
strengths and weaknesses?

2. Here is a sample entry:
"Ten Facts to Know About Torture." Torture Abolition and
Survivor Support Coalition. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2013.
This article appears in the tassc.org website. The article can be
found under the tab “about torture”. I found the article by using
the search engine Google; I typed “torture facts.” After reading
several articles from the search, this website seemed perfect for
my research.
TASSC, Torture Abolition and Survivor Support Coalition,
“was founded in 1998. It is the only organization in the United
States founded by and for torture survivors. The mission of
TASSC is to end the practice of torture wherever it occurs and
to empower survivors, their families and communities wherever
they are,” according to the "What Is TASSC"? page on their
website. These are survivors who became advocates for the
coalition. They work very closely to the UN and human rights
groups worldwide. The coalition is “a 501 (c) (3) non-profit
organization and operates independently of any ideology,
government or economic interest”. I think the resource is
credible based on their ties and the amount of information
presented on their website.
The article explains ten different facts related to torture. The
article shares information such as how torture is still being used
in 90% of the countries, that it occurs mainly in places of
detention, the legal definition of torture, types of torture used
nowadays, the reason behind, who commits acts of torture, the
effects, the rehabilitation available for victims, and how we can
get involved to help these victims.
I will use the source to show that torture is not only used to get
information from prisoners but to degrade and destroy the
prisoners’ self-esteem. This website has a lot of facts, not
opinions and shares many personal experiences of people who
were tortured. The article's strengths are that it is concise and

3. the information presented is very valuable and current.
For Essay 1, write an explication of one of the assigned poems.
(The lessons in Unit 1 will walk you through how to write this
essay. Carefuly review all the content first.)
Choose to write about only one of the following:"The Fish"
"A Blessing"
"My Papa's Waltz"
"Lady Lazarus"
"The Blue Bowl"
"Most Like an Arch This Marriage"
Unit 1 will cover, in detail, how to write an explication essay.
In brief, "in an explication essay, you examine a work in much
detail. Line by line, stanza by stanza...you explain each part as
fully as you can and show how the author's techniques produce
your response. An explication is essentially a demonstration of
your thorough understanding of a work" (Literature: The Human
Experience 47).
For this particular essay, you will want to focus on the poetic
techniques of diction, tone, image, and/or figurative language,
which we will also cover in this unit.
Your essay should be between 500 and 750 words and adhere to
MLA formatting. It needs to quote directly from your chosen
text for support, but it should not use any secondary research.
Remember that the explication essay should not just summarize
the poem.
It needs to look at the different elements of poetry used and
offer a detailed explanation of the poem that also addresses the
poem's overall effect and meaning.
For Essay 2, you will write an essay that compares and/or

4. contrasts. Your essay's focus needs to be on theme and setting
and/or characterization; your essay's focus will depend on
which prompt you choose.
(The lessons in Unit 2 will walk you through how to write this
essay. Carefuly review all the content in this unit first before
writing the essay.)
You may choose one of the following prompts:
1. Compare/contrast Mary in "Lamb to the Slaughter" to one of
the women in "A Jury of Her Peers" (Minnie Foster, Mrs. Hale,
or Mrs. Peters -- or possibly all three), paying particular
attention to theme as well as setting and/or characterization, and
make an argument about justice and the role of gender.
2. Compare/contrast the parent/child relationships in "Everyday
Use" and "Marriage Is a Private Affair," paying particular
attention to theme as well as setting and/or characterization, and
make an argument about the conflicts that can exist between
generations.
3. Compare and/or contrast the grandmother in "A Good Man Is
Hard to Find" and Mathilde in "The Necklace," paying
particular attention to theme as well as setting and/or
characterization, and make an argument about the pitfalls of
pride.
Again, Unit 2 will cover, in detail, how to write a
comparison/contrast essay. In brief, "an essay in comparison
and contrast shows how two works are similar to and different
from each other" (Abcarian and Klotz 57).
For this particular essay, you must demonstrate your
understanding of characterization, setting, and/or theme, which
we will also cover in this unit.
Your essay must be between 750-1000 words and adhere to

5. MLA formatting. It needs to quote directly from your chosen
text(s) for support, but it should not use any secondary research.
Keep in mind that the comparison/contrast essay should not just
summarize the story or stories, nor should it just state how two
things are alike and/or different: the essay should move beyond
that and also present an original opinion or argument based on
those similarities/differences, as you see them.
Adapted from The Curious Researcher:
After carefully reviewing the Unit 3 content notes (which
explain what a research question is and how to write an
argumentative thesis), completing and participating in the Unit
3 Discussions, and selecting a topic, complete and submit a
Research Proposal.
The research proposal helps you to identify your research
question and tentative thesis. The thesis may - and likely will -
change as you conduct more research and draft the paper - but
the proposal will help to ensure you are starting with a
convincing argument in mind. It will also allow your instructor
to gauge if your chosen topic is, in fact, argumentative and
appropriate for the assignment.
Review Lesson 2 before completing this assignment.
For the proposal, after your MLA heading, please submit the
following:
1. Identify your major and briefly explain how writing about
this topic might be beneficial for someone in that field (or
identify if you have not yet declared a major or are a dual-
enrolled student: remember that if this is the case, your topic
must relate to an issue in education)
2. Your research question
3. Your tentative thesis
4. Answer all: "What, if any, prior beliefs, assumptions,
preconceptions, ideas, or prejudices do you bring to this

6. project? What personal experiences may have shaped the way
you feel? What research have you conducted thus far? Before
you began developing working knowledge on the topic, what
were you thinking about it? What are you thinking about it
now?" (Ballenger 46).
(Keep in mind that in order to fully answer question #4, you
must have first developed some working knowledge on your
topic. Again, review Lesson 2 as needed.)
For Essay 3, you must write an ARGUMENTATIVE
RESEARCH PAPER.
That is, the paper must argue for or against something, present a
solution to a problem, or defend a position: it may not just
present information on a subject.
(The lessons in Unit 3 will walk you through how to write this
essay. Carefuly review all the content.)
(Our assigned essay, Marc Prensky's "Colleges Should Mandate
That All Textbooks Be Digitized" is an example of an argument
- refer to our Unit 3 discussion and content as needed.)
For your own research paper:
1. Write a research paper that tries to convince the reader of a
position. In other words, to repeat, your paper should not just
inform your reader about a topic, but instead it must convince
your reader of something. Think of an argumentative paper as
writing FOR or AGAINST something.
You may choose your own topic, but to promote writing across
the curriculum, choose from the following:a topic that is
directly related to your major/field of study or a job you
currently hold or want to hold. For example, a student interested
in business may choose to write an argumentative paper about
the Affordable Care Act and small businesses. Don't be afraid to

7. think outside the box. An art student, for instance, may not be
sure at first what argumentative topic to tackle, but perhaps he
or she could write an argument about the use of sex in
advertisement, etc. Ultimately, choose a topic that will be of
real interest of you. Consider perhaps a problem you face at
your current job or areas of disagreement in your professions of
interest.
a topic that relates to an issue related to school. Consider your
past school experiences as well as your current one. Think of a
problem or issue you faced then or are facing now, a policy with
which you disagree, etc.
Before writing the full paper, you will first work through the
process of creating a research proposal and an annotated
bibliography. Keep in mind that, first and foremost, your topic
will need to approved by your instructor.
For the purposes of academic discourse, please avoid choosing
controversial topics that will require, in great part, relying on
religious/moral arguments. Although you are each, of course,
entitled to your own personal beliefs, it will best for this course
to depend on academic sources that are independent of personal
faith. For example, avoid writing papers about abortion, the
death penalty, etc.
Unit 3 will cover, in detail, how to write an argumentative
research paper -- and its precededing components.
Your final research paper must be between 1500-1800 words
and adhere to MLA formatting.
Source guidelines:The paper must incorporate formal research.
A minimum of three (3) sources must be used - a maximum of
five (5) sources can be used.
Only ONE (1) source may come from a direct website; this
does not mean that you cannot conduct all of your research
online -- you can, but your other sources must be academic ones

8. (books, newspaper articles, journal articles, etc.). It IS possible
to access these sources remotely via the library portal (from
your home or work computer) without having to physically visit
the library, if you would prefer not to or are unable to do so.
The unit content will explain how this is possible.Within the
paper itself, you must cite each source from which you
paraphrase, summarize, or quote. All in-text citations must
adhere to MLA formatting. Although this is a reseach paper
assignment, the bulk of the paper should still come from your
own original ideas, interpretations, evaluations, and
suggestions. Roughly, no more than 30% of the paper should
come from source material.
An accompanying Works Cited page is required: papers
submitted without one will automatically earn a zero (0).
Accompanying multi-media materials can be incorporated -- and
are encouraged! -- but should be in addition to, not in place of,
other formal source material and own content.