

Skilled writers can make you think their interpretations are facts. Facts can usually be verified opinions, though they may be based on factual information, evolve from the interpretation of facts. Is the information covered fact, opinion, or propaganda? It is not always easy to separate fact from opinion.

What type of audience is the author addressing? Is the publication aimed at a specialized or a general audience? Is this source too elementary, too technical, too advanced, or just right for your needs? B. Guidelines in Critical Analysis of the Source Content (Please note this is an initial list and does not include all the areas that might be requested by any specific assignments) In instances where you are asked to reflect on how useful the source is for your own research, you will usually write a sentence or two stating whether or not the source will be helpful, and a brief explanation of why or why not. It is important that you read your instructions carefully. However, you could be asked to reflect on how the source relates to the themes in your research project. Most often, this is a reflection on how useful the source is for your own research or project for instance, if you are writing the annotated bibliography in preparation for an engineering design project). In some assignments, you may be asked to include a reflection in your annotated bibliography. As with books, the presence and quality of a bibliography at the end of the article may reflect the care with which the authors have prepared their work.

Reading the article abstract and scanning the table of contents of a journal or magazine issue is also useful. Read the chapters that specifically address your topic. Note whether bibliographies are included. Scan the table of contents and the index to get a broad overview of the material it covers. Read the preface to determine the author's intentions for the book. You should examine the body of the source. The annotations should show how you're critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, In addition to initially examine the nature of the source from the Author, Date, Edition, Publisher, and Title. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work helps and support your project topic.Ĭritically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. First, locate and record citations to books, journal articles, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your project topic.The ProcessĬreating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research. Annotations are descriptive and critical they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression. AbstractsĪbstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents.
