Transcript Slide 1

Annotated Bibliography Basics
Hillary Wentworth, Writing Specialist
Walden University Writing Center
Session Overview
What are annotated bibliographies?
• Overview of purpose
• Expectations for format and organization
• Strategies for fulfilling KAM Depth
expectations
• Examples
Annotated Bibliographies
What does the term mean?
According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary:
Annotate— “to make or furnish critical or
explanatory notes or comment”
Bibliography— “the history, identification, or
description of writings or publications”
How do these definitions combine?
Annotated Bibliographies
The purpose of an annotated bibliography:
• To demonstrate knowledge and critically
assess
• To share the value of a source
• To inform fellow or future researchers
about a topic or a source
• To gather sources for literature review
Annotated Bibliographies
For your KAM Depth section, the typical
format is a list of reference entries
followed by annotations.
–Alphabetized by author
–Usually no headings or additional
spacing
–Brief
Annotated Bibliographies
Additional requirements for KAM Depth
section:
– At least 15 current articles (not books or
websites)
– Scholarly sources
– Usually from the last 3-5 years
– More source tips:
http://catalog.waldenu.edu/mime/media/7/648/K
AM_Guide_Sept2009.pdf
Bird’s-Eye View
The Reference Entry
Article with DOI:
Author, A. (year). Title of article. Journal Title,
v(i), pp-pp. doi:245wgh/340/st9
Article with journal home page:
Author, A. (year). Title of article. Journal Title,
v(i), pp-pp. Retrieved from
http://www.journalhomepage.com
The Reference Entry
Article with database search page:
Author, A. (year). Title of article. Journal Title,
v(i), pp-pp. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com
More reference tips:
Common Reference Examples
Electronic Sources
Annotated Bibliographies
Within each annotation, there are typically
three elements:
1. Summary
2. Critique/analysis
3. Application/value
These elements can often be formatted as
three paragraphs.
1. Summary Paragraph
You will want to answer some or all of the
following questions:
• What is the topic and purpose of the study?
• What actions did the researcher perform and
why?
• What were the methods?
• What was the theoretical basis?
• What were the conclusions?
1. Summary Paragraph
• Take careful factual notes while reading
• Use the past tense
– Smith and Jones found…
• Use your own words (not the abstract of the
article)
• Focus on purpose, methods and findings.
Remember, you don’t have to include
everything.
1. Summary Paragraph
Thompson, Kirk, and Brown conducted a study to determine how
burnout and emotional exhaustion of female police officers affect their
family environment based upon role ambiguity and role overload.
Thompson et al. mailed out surveys to 1,081 female police officers
employed by the Australian State Police; however, only 421 surveys
were useable. The researchers predicted that supervisor support
would reduce role stressors and emotional exhaustion and improve
family cohesion and conflict. They found a relationship between
supervisor support and reduced role stressors, family functioning, and
emotional exhaustion, but did not find a correlation between coworker
support and work stress. Thompson et al. suggested that further
research is needed on how emotional exhaustion affects family
stressors in policewoman.
2. Critique/Analysis Paragraph
You will want to answer some or all the following
questions:
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the
article?
– Methodology, language, organization, detail
• What, if any, information is missing?
• Is researcher bias present?
• Is the article scholarly or generalizable? Why or why
not?
2. Critique/Analysis Paragraph
• Take questioning notes while reading.
• Break it up: Focus first on strengths and then
on weaknesses.
• Start with your overall view and then get
more specific as you go through the
paragraph.
• Do not feel the need to be “nice.”
2. Critique/Analysis Paragraph
Although Masterson et al. made a significant
contribution to the field of police research, the
article had several limitations. First, the researchers
chose a small and specialized sample that did not
include policewomen or other minorities. Second,
the researchers potentially influenced results by
asking leading questions in the interviews and focus
group meetings. Therefore, further research is
needed with a wider demographic range and
completely impartial interviewers.
3. Application Paragraph
You will want to answer some or all of the
following questions:
• Does this article fill a gap in literature?
• How does the study apply to your KAM?
• Is the article universal?
• How does it inform your professional field?
3. Application Paragraph
• Jot down three things you’ve learned from
reading the article. Use these to write about
the overall value.
• Ask yourself
• How the source is different than others in
the same field or on the same topic.
• How the source informs your future
research.
3. Application Paragraph
This study was valuable to understanding the
relationship between employees’ views of change and
the coping mechanisms used. Based on the results, the
business sector should reinforce positive emotions to
reduce withdrawal and increase commitment to the
change. This implication aligns with Kotter’s 8-step
change model emphasizing the positive and reinforcing
employees for their efforts. This study, as well as
Kotter’s model, will serve as the basis for the Business
Change Strategy of my Application.
Poll: What Is It?
This case study exemplified applying models of
change theory in a practical setting. The analysis
clearly laid out each step of the process, the
obstacles, and how they were effectively overcome.
The limitations include the fact that the case study
only involved one hospital and one change
initiative. Additionally, the case study was based on
the observations and analyses of one person, the
main change agent. While this information is
valuable, the observations and analyses might differ
from person to person.
Poll: What Is It?
Bouckenooghe, Devos, and Van Den Broeck argued that to
effectively manage and plan change organizations must clearly
define the basis for the change. The researchers conducted
this study to determine the situations under which change
occurs, which included an instrument to measure the climate,
process, and readiness of change. Bouckenooghe et al.
followed the principles of psychometric theory to ensure
content, construct, and criterion validity of the organizational
change questionnaire instrument. The authors argued that
readiness of change is comprised of emotional, cognitive, and
intentional dimensions, which are predominantly influenced
by the climate and process of change. As a result of this study,
the authors successfully developed a validated instrument to
help organizations effectively implement change.
More Tips on Annotations
• No citations crediting the source or outside sources
– The presence of the reference entry makes
citation redundant
• No direct quotes
– The reader will want to hear your interpretation of
the material
• Limited referrals to the first person
– Be objective and removed in your description of
the source
More Tips on Annotations
• No anthropomorphism
– The article stated… The study found…
Better:
– The authors stated… The researchers found…
Smith and Jones conducted…
• Support analysis with example.
• Problematic: The researchers did an excellent job.
Q&A Box: How could you make this sentence
better?
Poll: What’s Wrong?
In this longitudinal study, Myers and Foster (2009)
measure the relationship between change-related
information and change-related self-efficacy for
employees engaged in organizational change.
Members of the Queensland Public Service
Department participate. The findings suggest that a
positive relationship between efficacy and changerelated information is indirectly related to employee
well being, client engagement, and job satisfaction.
More Resources
• Walden Library: http://library.waldenu.edu/
• KAM Exemplars:
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/1335.htm
• KAM Intensives:
http://kamintensives.waldenu.edu/
• Scholarly Writing:
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/1082.htm
Questions
Now: Use the Q&A box on
your screen
Later: Email the tutors at
[email protected]