Prejudice and Discrimination: An Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography (50 pts)

Writing an Annotated Bibliography

Annotated bibliographies are usually used in larger research projects and often help students to gather important and detailed information about a variety of texts such as books, journal articles and even Internet materials. When writing an annotated bibliography, students usually read the texts first, and then write summaries or analyses (depending on the assignment and the purpose for writing the annotated bibliography). Annotated bibliographies are usually written for the following reasons:

• To summarize a lot of texts for a research project
• To help write a doctoral thesis
• As part of a larger research assignment for a professor
• To be published independently as a resource

In the case of this class, the assignment is written to help the student (you) become familiar with the research materials available in PSYCHINFO in our library and online.

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of texts. The annotated bibliography contains two parts. This first part lists important information about a text, the author, publisher and date (just like in a standard bibliography). This first portion of the annotated bibliography will usually be in APA style format.

The second part of an annotated bibliography contains additional information that separates it from a standard bibliography. This additional information is the annotation – the process of adding notes, summary information about the text, and/or an analysis of the text.

Here are several different types of annotations:

• Informative – summarize the main findings or arguments from the source
• Evaluative – evaluate the source, assess its strengths and weaknesses
• Indicative – describe what is included in the source
• Combination – summarize, evaluate, and describe the source

Assignment Details:

• Select four empirical articles pertaining to your research question, cite the reference in APA format (6^th edition), and write a half page-full page summary of the article – double spaced.
• Define and summarize key theoretical concepts discussed within the empirical article such as the theory proposed/challenged. Also mention sample size, participant demographics, experimental design (e.g., within-subjects factorial ANOVA, between subjects t-test), important results, and future implications.
• Remember that empirical articles are peer-reviewed. Do not cite newspaper articles, blogs, book, dissertations, etc.

 Sample APA Annotation

Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. Henry Holt and Company, 13(1), 56 – 78.

In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist’s experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.

An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America.

The annotation above both summarizes and assesses the book in the citation. The first paragraph provides a brief summary of the author’s project in the book, covering the main points of the work. The second paragraph points out the project’s strengths and evaluates its methods and presentation. This particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance or usefulness for this person’s own research.

Helpful Links:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/annotated_bibliography_samples.html

https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/annotated-bibliography/