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Annotated Bibliography information: Home

GC Annotated Bibliography

What to Include in Your GC Annotated Bibliography:

  • Research Questions:  List the essential inquiry questions that are guiding your research.

  • Bibliographic information for each of your three required sources.  Use our library homepage and librarians for assistance with MLA formatting.  The three sources must be able to pass each component of the CRAAP test.  Wikipedia may be a starting point but would not be accepted as one of your three required, credible sources.    

  • Underneath each source’s bibliographic information, complete the following three tasks in a  paragraph:

  1. Summarize:  Write a brief summary of the source’s topics.  If someone asked you what this article/book was about, what would you say?

  2. Assess:  Is it a credible source?  Is its information reliable?  Why would it pass or not pass the CRAAP test—currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose?  Address each component of the CRAAP test as you assess each source.  Refer to your CRAAP test overview while completing this step.  The goal is to include three credible, informative sources that will help prepare you for your GC experience.

  3. Connect:  How will this information help you be successful with your GC project? Which essential research question(s) does this source support?  Identify any new topics of interest related to your project if they arise while researching.  

Target

                                 1                                2                                   3                                4

Informed &  Integrative Thinking

I can do level 3 with significant support.

I can summarize the sources’ content, assess their credibility, and make connections to my essential research questions in my annotations.

I can write bibliographic entries.

I can summarize the sources’ content, assess their credibility using each component of the CRAAP test, and make connections to my essential research questions in my annotations.

I can write bibliographic entries in MLA format.

In addition to level 3, I can connect my resources to my research questions and expand my original inquiry based on those results.

I can select the best evidence in order to reach a deeper understanding of my topic.

 

Annotation template

This color-coded template helps you organise the parts of your annotation.  Click here to download a copy.

 

 

Name ____________________________ Topic _____________________________ Date _______________

 

Research Questions:

1.

2.

3.

 Use Noodletools

Citation #1

(REPEAT FOR EACH CITATION)

Summary

In your own words, what was your source about?



C

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

-When was the info published or posted?

-Has it been updated?

-Do you need the most current info for your topic?

R

Relevance: The importance of the info for your needs.

-Does the information directly relate to your topic?

-Does it help you answer questions?

-Have you looked at other sources to find the best one?

A

Authority: The source of the info.

-Who is the author or publisher?

-Are they qualified to write about the topic?

A

Accuracy: The reliability and correctness of the info.

-Is the info supported by evidence?

-Can you verify the info with another source?

-Is the author or publisher biased or unbiased?

P

Purpose: The reason the info exists and who its intended audience is.

-What is the purpose of the info (teach, sell, persuade, entertain)?

-Is the info a fact or an opinion?

-Who is it written for (professors in the field, the average person, school students)?

-Again, is the author or publisher biased or unbiased?

Connect/Reflect

How did this source change your research, project and/or thinking?

NoodleTools!

Use our subscription version of NoodleTools to create the annotated bibliography!  NoodleTools allows students to cite, archive and evaluate sources, organize notes, and outline.  The 'Sharing and Collaboration' function allows students and teachers/advisors to work together on a project.

There are many features that make NoodleTools a terrific research helper.  Take advantage of the option in your account profile ("My Account" - "My Profile") to display "Show Me" help screens for source checking and for help finding the information required for source evaluation with the CRAAP test.  Check out the Help Bubbles offered when making a citation.

Finding sources

GC CRAAP

The CRAAP Test For Evaluating Sources

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

-When was the info published or posted?

-Has it been updated?

-Do you need the most current info for your topic?

Relevance: The importance of the info for your needs.

-Does the information directly relate to your topic?

-Does it help you answer questions?

-Have you looked at other sources to find the best one?

Authority: The source of the info.

-Who is the author or publisher?

-Are they qualified to write about the topic?

Accuracy: The reliability and correctness of the info.

-Is the info supported by evidence?

-Can you verify the info with another source?

-Is the author or publisher biased or unbiased?

Purpose: The reason the info exists and who its intended audience is.

-What is the purpose of the info (teach, sell, persuade, entertain)?

-Is the info a fact or an opinion?

-Who is it written for (professors in the field, the average person, school students)?

-Again, is the author or publisher biased or unbiased?

 

Yoga examples - Does it pass the CRAAP test?

The sites below represent a range of potential sources for the GC topic "yoga."  

Which of these would pass the CRAAP test? Which would be appropriate research resources for students to include in the annotated bibliography?

If the research questions are:

  1. What are the historic roots of yoga?

  2. What are yoga's physical benefits?

  3. What are the non-physical effects of yoga?