6. Annotated Bib: Why should I
write one?
To learn about your topic
Learn “what’s been said”
Develop your own point of view
To see what the issues are, what people are
arguing about
7. Annotated Bib: Format
Citation (MLA/APA)
Precis
How does this source relate to the others? Include at least one
quote in this section.
Citation
Precis
How does this source relate to the others?
Repeat for 10 articles
8. Writing a precis
Name of author, [a phrase describing author], genre and title of
work, date; a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert,"
"argue," "suggest," "imply," "claim," etc.); and a THAT clause
containing the major assertion (thesis statement) of the text.
An explanation of how the author develops and/or supports the
thesis, usually in chronological order.
A statement of the author's apparent purpose, followed by an
"in order to" phrase.
A description of the intended audience and/or the relationship
the author establishes with the audience.
9. Evaluating claims
In a second paragraph for each source, explain how that source ties
into your topic:
You should make clear how this source is relevant to your own
research, if that link is not easily obvious to me. For example:
“This article is of relevance to my research project in its definitions of
motivation and incentives and in its findings about specific incentive
programs.” You should evaluate the claims and credibility of the
author as necessary. For example, if the author seems to be biased or
if you think her interpretation of her data is flawed, you can comment
on that in your annotation. Include at least one quote from each
source in your discussion.
Make connections to your other sources. “This source relates to…”
10. Example, part 1
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.
New York: Anchor Books, 1995. Print.
Anne Lamott, a professional writer, in her 1995 work, Bird by
Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, asserts that students
argue mostly with their own inner critic when writing a paper. She
supports this assertion through a variety of anecdotes, in which
she uses humor to display students’ insecurities with their own
writing abilities. Her purpose was to show that students should
be more confident when writing, because they are often their
own tough critics. Her intended audience includes writing
students and teachers, and she targets this audience by using
anecdotes from both the student and the teacher perspectives on
writing.
11. Example, part 2
Lamott’s book is relevant to my topic because she focuses on
the students’ writing processes as determinants of their
confidence with writing. Stating, “Students’ lack of confidence
with writing often limits their abilities,” meaning that students
limit their writing potential when they doubt themselves,
Lamott argues that writing teachers should work to increase
their students’ confidence with writing (89). This article relates
to the claims made by Swales, but he references the discourse
communities in which students write, while Lammott speaks
more directly about individual students and their writing
processes. This article can also be related to Grant-Davie, since
he discusses rhetorical situations and their influence on how
students might target audiences through their writing.
12. Other reminders
List in alphabetical order, just like you would in a list of Works
cited
Double-space the entries
Do not number them
Heading should be in MLA/APA format
Shoot for at least 10 citations
Peer draft this Thursday, Sept. 27th. Final Monday, Oct. 2nd
13. Some details…
Article titles in quotes
Book titles and journal titles in italics
Punctuation goes inside quotation marks:
Devitt states, “Genres are reactions to life,” which means…
Devitt states, “Genres are reactions to life” (234).
