English 104-67 and 104-75
Spring 2012
Major Writing Project Two:
Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography
1st Draft Due: Thursday, February 16 (Turn in hard copy and post to Blackboard)
Final Due: Thursday, March 1 (Draft and final in two-pocket folder; Word .docx on Blackboard)
The goal of this assignment is to become familiar with the conversation on your topic. You will locate, strategically read, then briefly summarize and evaluate 15-20 relevant sources that you plan to use in your research essay. You will also write a two-page (500-word) proposal describing and defending your research focus and tentative thesis:
- Explain what interests you about the topic and/or how you came to choose it.
- Discuss what you already know about this topic from your interviews, other previous research, or from personal experience.
- Discuss what you have learned about this topic from the sources you found in the library, on subscription databases, on the Web, and, possibly, in archives. What surprised you? What intrigued you? What disturbed you?
- Argue for advantages of your choice based on the range of sources you have found and/or the potential to find more sources on your topic.
- If you haven’t done so already, come up with a tentative thesis (your thesis will probably evolve as you learn more about your topic). What do you see as the purpose of your research?
Sources
Your annotated bibliography should include at least 15 sources and meet the following criteria:
· At least two of your sources must be Web sites or Web pages.
· At least three of your sources must be books.
· At least three of your sources must be articles from academic journals.
· You must include a variety of types of sources (journal articles, newspaper articles, books, etc.).
· You must include sources that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
· DO NOT include wikipedia, encyclopedia, or dictionary entries (You may consult these to learn background information about your topic, but they will not count as sources).
Format
Start the bibliography on a separate page, after your research proposal. For each of your sources, include an entry with relevant publication information in MLA format, and then annotate directly after each entry. Be sure to use 1" margins, 12" typeface, page numbers, and hanging indents for entries.
Annotations
Write a brief paragraph for each of your sources, relying on your own words. Use summary and paraphrase. Do not use direct quotes. Include a brief description that identifies the argument (or main point/purpose) of the source. Make a statement about the strengths and weaknesses of the source, in terms of its authority, bias, and logic, and how it would support your own argument.
