You will be writing a researched argumentative essay as your final essay for this class, so to get you started on the right foot, you will begin with an annotated bibliography. Because you will use the same topic for the annotated bibliography as the final paper, the annotated bibliography will get a large portion of the preliminary work done for the final essay by requiring you to locate, cite, read, and narrow your research to just the useful, credible sources.
There are multiple uses for such a bibliography; one of them is to keep your research in a neat, organized space. When you have to complete a complex research assignment like the final essay, you spend a lot of time looking through a lot of material, and sometimes it is difficult to remember just what you have read or how it is going to benefit your paper or project. Creating an annotated bibliography helps keep your sources neat and the material familiar.
First, you will need to choose a topic, specifically an arguable topic. This should be something you are interested in; something for which you will find research material from academic and credible sources; and something you have a clear stance on. Do not pick something you couldnt care less about because, believe me, your boredom or indifference will seep into your final paper. Some possible topics are given at the end of this prompt, and you can always go into the librarys databases and browse various arguable and controversial topics (e.g. the Browse function in Opposing Viewpoints provides a substantial list of arguable topics). However, you may not do your research on topics that are primarily argued through personal beliefs (e.g. religion, conspiracy theories, alien abductions). Topics like these tend to be nearly impossible to argue effectively and logically because they are often based on personal beliefs and experiences. There are also very few factual and credible sources available to support arguments on such topics.
After you settle on your topic and as you begin to research and find sources, you will need to do the following three things: 1) Properly cite your sources in MLA documentation; 2) take notes as you read the sources, creating a summary paragraph for each source; and 3) evaluate each sources credibility, creating a paragraph that discusses the following five evaluation elements:
Authoritative Source Is the publisher of the material (e.g. book publishers, newspapers, journals, websites, organizations) trustworthy? Is the publisher well-known with a good reputation? Is the publisher an authority on the subject matter it is publishing?
Expert Author Does the author have a degree in the subject s/he is discussing? Does the author have experience in the subject matter? Is an author even given for the source, which may be the case for many online sources?
Current Is the source recently published, updated, modified, or copyrighted? If a source is older than a year, be careful! The material could be outdated.
Sufficient, Reliable Support Does the source support itself with other research sources? Are the sources used actually credible (e.g. not Wikipedia or personal blogs)? Does the author support his/her claims with more than just his/her opinions?
Balanced Tone Does the author attempt to discuss both sides of the issue and use logical reasoning? Or does the author use name-calling, sarcasm, stereotyping, assert his/her opinions as fact, or make absolute assertions (e.g. always, everyone, its obvious that, and the like)?
We will further discuss how to create well-written summaries and how to evaluate sources in the next week or so. The evaluation paragraph requires you to critically think about your sources, so this tends to be the most difficult part of the annotated bibliography. Be honest in your evaluations because these evaluations will help you determine which sources you should use for the final essay. After all, credibility in your sources lends credibility to you as a writer.
You will need to cite, summarize, and evaluate 7 sources, including at least two scholarly/academic journals (online or print, accessible through the librarys databases). Follow MLA format guidelines, but use proper structure for an annotated bibliography (refer to the end of this prompt for an example of a fully cited, summarized, and evaluated source). Remember that this assignment will be reviewed by your fellow classmates. Your final draft will be submitted to Canvas (here) and the workshop sheets will be submitted in class by the assigned due date.
Possible arguable subjects:
Censorship
Climate Change / Pollution
Social Media
Ethics in Healthcare
Capitalism
Education System
Stem Cell Research
Offshore Drilling / Fracking
Cloning / Genetic Engineering
Prescription Drugs
Immunizations / Vaccines
Law Enforcement/Prison System
Prostitution
Sex Education
DREAM Act
Corporal Punishment
Capital Punishment (Death Penalty)
Technology
LGBTQ+ Rights
Freedom of Speech
Euthanasia / Assisted Suicide
Vegetarianism / Veganism
Drinking / Smoking / Gambling Age
**You are not limited to these topics; they are only suggestions.**
Annotated Bibliography Sample
Castelvecchi, Davide. Carbon Tubes Leave Nano Behind. Science News, vol. 174, no. 5, 30 Aug. 2008, p. 9, Wiley Online Library, doi: 10.1002/scin.2008.5591740506.
Davide Castelvecchis news article, Carbon Tubes Leave Nano Behind, describes how researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratories in New Mexico accidentally created what they dub the colossal carbon tubea hair-sized structure made up of carbon atoms. Castelvecchi explains that, although the new fiber is not as strong as some earlier carbon structures, groups of such fibers might be easier to weave together for useful applications like bulletproof vests because of their size.
This source proves to be credible in various ways. The author, Davide Castelvecchi, is an experienced writer in the field, having published in various scientific journals and magazines, and he has earned high degrees, including a PhD, in the fields of mathematics and science writing. Castelvecchi takes on an unbiased tone throughout the piece, relaying scientific data without interpretation other than to explain particular concepts in more depth. Sources that are used come in the form of personal interviews from noted and experienced scientists within the field, and the article itself comes from a respected journal in the science field, Science News. However, the source is somewhat outdated, being nearly five years old, so there may be more up-to-date material available.
**The second source would either start directly after the previous source (on this line) or start on the next page on the top line. Either format is acceptable. Just be consistent. Also, Keep in mind that your paragraphs will most likely be longer than the samples above. Most sources will take up a full page or more once the citation, summary, and evaluation are completed for each one.**
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