Research Plan & Annotated Bibliography
Project 2 has two components that work towards one main purpose-prepping you to write an argument with research in the next unit. You will use the topic and research from Project 2 for Project 3/Researched Argument.
For Project 2, you will create one document that contains two parts: a Research Plan and an Annotated Bibliography. These parts work in tandem to help you explore a topic and establish a research foundation. Complete the unit’s learning activities and review the student examples to prepare for this project.
Part 1: Research Plan
Purpose: The research plan helps you get started thinking about crafting an argument. Your job for part one is to propose a topic that you will research. Your Research Plan should provide:
- a concise description of the issue or subject you wish to research
explain the importance of the subject
establish a research plan for moving forward
- conclude with a tentative thesis statement that will be refined in your argument essay (aka Project 3).
To transition to your Annotated Bibliography, at the end of your Research Plan you will also include a brief statement that explains how evaluated your sources (2-3 sentences is fine).
Research Plan & Annotated Bibliography
Format
Your research plan should be brief (300 – 500 words). It should be typed in 12-point font size; standard font (Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman). All margins should be one inch, and your proposal should be double-spaced.
Part 2: Annotated Bibliography
Context:
Annotated bibliographies are used in research as tools to help select sources. In addition to being a list of materials, an annotated bibliography also describes and evaluates them. It is also a tool for writers to evaluate their own research. The purpose of the one you will write is to help you decide which sources are worth using for your argument. Essentially, it helps you know what kinds of sources are out there, gives you a broader scope of information related to your topic, and helps you to prioritize sources for the next project.
Research Plan & Annotated Bibliography
Your Task:
For this part of Project 2, you will cite, summarize, and evaluate ten (10) sources related to your proposal topic. At least five of those sources need to from the library’s databases. The other five can come from online internet websites (just remember your skills from Unit 1 to gauge the credibility of web content). Each annotated bibliography entry should be between 100-200 words.
Tips for Your Annotated Bibliography
Each entry in your annotated bibliography has three parts:
- Correctly formatted MLA or APA bibliographic entry*
- *Your choice. If you are researching a topic related to science, technology, education, or health
related, I suggest APA. If you are researching a topic related to the humanities, then use MLA.
- A short, neutral, and accurate description of the source
- A brief evaluation of the source and how it could be useful for your research purpose
Other Considerations:
- Make sure the sources you choose to include are relevant to your topic. Your evaluation of the sources may be negative, but don’t waste time on irrelevant or unrelated sources.
- Make sure your entries are consistent in format. As well as using MLA or APA style, the description/evaluation sections need to be written in a similar manner each time. Pick a style and stick with it for the whole document.
Student examples of the Research Plan and Annotated Bibliography are posted in this unit for your reference. Please review them for additional guidance.
Research Plan & Annotated Bibliography
Assessment
The Research Plan should be 300-500 words and your Annotated Bibliography should be 700-1000 words. Project 3 will be assessed with the following criteria:
Part 1: Research Plan
Concise description of the topic
Intended focus and tentative thesis statement
Indicates rationale for choosing the topic
Describes sources/research needed to pursue this topic
Explains importance/relevance of the topic
Part 2: Annotated Bibliography
Summarizes and evaluates ten (10) sources of varied origin (at least 5 sources are scholarly)
Cites sources accurately and consistently according to MLA or APA format
Maintains a tone for a formal audience
Well-designed and executed with clear organization, including mechanics/grammar/spelling and formatting.