For your research assignment in this class, you'll need to compile an annotated bibliography that surveys the scholarly literature on your topic. An annotated bibliography is a document that provides a summary and evaluation of the sources you have used. It may also include works you consulted during the research process but did not use.
Keep in mind that an abstract is not an annotation. An abstract is a summary of the source.
Why write an annotated bibliography?
An Annotated Bibliography consists of these parts:
Write the annotation in complete sentences. If you quote text from the source, cite it. The average length of an annotation is about 100-150 words.
Most research questions do not exist in a vacuum nor are academic books and journal articles isolated, self-contained packages of information. Rather, every academic text represents one intersection in a network of ideas and debates that scholars have been tracing through their writing, sometimes over long periods of time. Think of each academic text (including the one you are writing!) as one contribution to a scholarly conversation.
In his 2004 article "Breaking into the Conversation: How Students Can Acquire Authority in Their Writing," writing and literature scholar Mark Gaipa identified and described a set of strategies writers can use to critically engage with secondary sources. We'll review these strategies and apply them to one of your course readings.
Scholarly Conversation Zine (readable format on Google Slides). Printable version below!
In this activity, we will examine the first page of a scholarly article to determine how a philosopher critically engages with their sources. As you read, consider the following questions:
