ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

An Annotated Bibliography is a list of the sources you plan on using for a research project. Under each of the sources, you would typically give a brief summary of the resource, identifying the merits and demerits of the source. For continuity and ease of use, all of our 4 RESOURCES should revolve around your intended Career and/or Major in College (essentially, your "FUTURE."

NOTE: There are four main parts of any Annotated Bibliography paragraph:

1. The citation itself, formatted in MLA or APA.

2. A summary of the source, that answers the questions, "What is the main purpose of the source and what is the primary thesis?"

3. An analysis of the source that answers the questions, "How does rhetoric (logos, ethos, pathos, bathos, topos, kairos) get used to make the source appealing/less appealing?" and "What CRAAP-based elements make the source weak or strong?"

4. A sense of utility regarding the source that answers the question, "What elements from the source will you use?" and "How will you use the source for your future research project."

In this assignment, YOU MUST assess the rhetorical merits of each resource selected. In other words, you must identify if and how the resource employs logos, ethos, kairos, bathos, topos or pathos.

MANDATORY STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Primary goal: Craft an annotated bibliography in APA-format for about 2-3 pages;

A. Select several resources while working together with your instructional librarian. jtokuda@hawaii.edu as well as working with your instructor. The librarian is great for helping to shape what resources are available for use; your instructor is great for helping to shape the parameters of your topic.

B. Attempt to find a variety of resources, e.g., credible library articles, magazine articles, interviews, surveys, graphs, charts, etc.

C. Use the CRAAP test (the librarian will provide the official handout) to identify if the resources are useful for your argumentative project.

D. Create APA citations using the Citation Machine.

E. Under each citation, craft "annotations," specific notes that include: 1) a brief summary of your resource; 2) analysis of the merits and demerits of that resource; 3) analysis of the rhetorical strategies used within that resource; 4) how you might use the resource for a potential argument.

Only for students desiring an "A" or "A+" (higher level)/(higher task)

F. Create a final 1 page "Best Resource Analysis" that is stapled to the back of your Annotated Bibliography. Ultimately, this analysis is meant to argue the following:

The best resource that I found was ____________ because _____________.

Thesis Statement: The thesis statement for your piece should also state your central claim regarding the success of the editorial's argument and your reasons supporting this claim. Your topic proposal should be one paragraph long (about 250 words) and carefully proofread. Use a bibliographical entry (in APA style) to head your proposal.

Your rhetorical analysis is worth 20% of your overall grade. You will earn the points as long as your piece follows the guidelines described above and turned in on time.

Reminders and hints In your rhetorical analysis, you will take a stand on whether or not the piece you've chosen persuades its audience of its central argument. This essay, then, is not primarily about the issue discussed in the editorial. It is instead about the rhetorical strategy the writer employs. Remember that any successful argument makes a central claim and then supports that claim with good reasons. Follow these steps in developing your argument: Find an argument that you either strongly agree with or strongly disagree with. You can find arguments on the editorial pages of newspapers; in opinion features in magazines such as Time, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report; in magazines that take political positions such as National Review, Mother Jones, New Republic and Nation, and the on-line journal Slate; and the Web sites of advocacy organizations (see links below). PLEASE NOTE: Letters to the editor and on-line news-group postings won't work for this assignment unless they are long and detailed. CRAFT A THESIS THAT ANSWERS THESE TWO QUESTIONS: 1) Is the article convincing? 2) Why or why not? SAMPLE: In stating that prison isn't the solution for those involved with 'batu,' the author fully convinces me, because he uses his personal experiences to shore up his argument. In stating that prison isn't the solution for those involved with crystal methamphetamine, the author fails to convince me, due to the lack of personal and emotional experiences to shore up his argument.

Some things that might go into your analysis:

Analyze the structure of the argument. First, number the paragraphs; then, on a separate page, write a sentence summarizing each of the paragraphs. Where is the main claim located? Underline it. What are the reasons offered in support of the claim? Put stars beside those. Are any opposing positions considered? If so, put O's beside those.

Analyze the language and style of the argument. Make a list of the key words in the argument. Which are controversial? Are the key terms adequately defined? Are any metaphors or other figurative language used in the argument? Does the writer use the first or second viewpoint or does he or she speak from a distanced viewpoint? How would you characterize the writer's style? Is it formal or informal? Is it serious, humorous, or satirical?

Analyze the ethos. How does the writer represent himself or herself? Does the writer have any credentials to be an authority on the topic? Do you trust the writer? Why or why not? CREDENTIALS and EXPERTISE: Are you impressed by the writer's credentials? Does the writer seem qualified to write about this subject? Is he or she knowledgeable about this subject? ETHICAL APPEAL: Does the writer seem honest, sincere, trustworthy, reasonable, and fair? Why or why not? What kinds of values does the writer seem to have? Do the values seem fair or appealing? Do these values mesh with your own value about what is right or wrong in society? TONE: What is the writer's tone? Identify words, phrases or statements that illustrate the writer's tone. Is the tone effective? Why or why not? FAIRNESS TO OPPOSITION: Does the writer treat their opposition with respect and see both sides of the issue well? Or, is the writer very one-sided, biased, sarcastic, or abusive of the opponent's viewpoint?

Analyze the pathos. For whom do you think the argument was written? Are there any places where the writer attempts to invoke an emotional response? Where do you find appeals to shared values with the audience? You are a member of that audience, so what values do you hold in common with the writer? What values do you not hold in common? What emotions does the writer use in persuading you to accept the conclusion(s) of the piece? Identify specific emotions such as fear, indignation, anger, contempt, pride, and the like. Identify LANGUAGE (words, phrases, images, analogies, euphemisms, strongly-worded phrases, or figurative language). Are the emotional appeals SAPPY? Are they effective?

Assess the overall effectiveness of the argument. How successful is the argument overall? What two or three things are most important in making it effective or ineffective?

Write a draft. Introduction: Describe briefly the argument you are analyzing, including where it was published, how long it is, and who wrote it. If the argument is on an issue that is unfamiliar to your readers, you may have to supply some background. Your thesis should appear early in your essay. Body: Use your assessment of the overall effectiveness of the argument as your starting point. Then show how the writer is effective or ineffective using your analysis in steps 2-6. Remember that you don'twant to present your analysis as a list. Instead, determine what factors most contribute to the argument's success or lack of success, and make those factors the focus. Conclusion: Do more than simply summarize what you have said. You might, for example, end with an example that typifies the argument. You don't have to end by either agreeing or disagreeing with the writer. Your task in this assignment is to analyze the strategies the writer puts forth. Be sure to back up your comments with quotes, paraphrases or summaries from the text. In other words, support what you're saying. See "Incorporate Quotations, Summaries and Paraphrases Effectively," The Brief Penguin Handbook, pages 224-227.

WORKS CITED LISTING:

KEY CONCEPTS FOR THIS ESSAY: ETHOS, LOGOS, and PATHOS

Samples:

Susan Harjo, "Last Rites for Indian Dead"

Instructor's sample: "Last Rites for Indian Dead"

One Lunch at a Time

A Search for Equality

John Lennon's Imagine

How-to-Guide

Another good sample