thematic narrative annotated bibliography

 
Requirements:
● At least 4 bibliographical entries (at least two primary sources followed by at least two secondary sources)
● 100-150 word summary and analysis for each source
● Numbered pages
● Times New Roman
● 12 point font
● Single-spaced
 
Goal of the Assignment
 
This assignment is designed to help you summarize and analyze the major argument(s) and content of the sources you will use for your Thematic Narrative Final Essay. 
 
Instructions
 
For the primary source annotations:
 
Summarize: What kind of document/source is this? When was this source created? Who created it, and where? What topics are covered, or what is the purpose of this source? If someone asked what this source is about, what would you say? 
Assess: How is it a useful source for your thematic narrative? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
Reflect: Once you’ve summarized and assessed the primary source, answer how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?
 
For the secondary source annotation:
Summarize: What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book, chapter, or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? 
Assess: After summarizing a source, evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? What is the goal of this source?
 
Reflect: Once you’ve summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?
 
:
Sample 1
Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Roles of the Northern Goddess. London: Routledge, 1998.
Davidson’s book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death. The author discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant artifacts.
*This annotation includes only one paragraph, a summary of the book. It provides a concise description of the project and the book’s project and its major features, but it does not provide an evaluation of how this source is helpful*
Sample 2
Ehrenreich, B. Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2001.
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. Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well-researched.
*This example of an annotation both summarizes and assesses the book. 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. However, this particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance or usefulness for this person’s own research.*
Sample 3
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1995.
Lamott’s book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott’s book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one’s own internal critic.
In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one’s own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.
Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students’ own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott’s style both engaging and enjoyable.
*In the sample annotation above, the writer includes three paragraphs: a summary, an evaluation of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to his/her own research, respectively. While it contains the necessary elements (summary, evaluation, reflection), it is longer and more detailed than necessary for the purposes of this assignment*