Creating an Annotated Webliography:

A Webquest

 

J. Beyer' s College Writing II 

Summer 2008

 

 

Introduction

 

You are now the experts on the novel chosen for this course. You have done a lot of work with this book and are familiar with the many topics, issues, and themes within its pages. Now each of you will select one of the dominant topics related to the novel in order to create an annotated webliography. When we compile these webliographies into our class wiki, you will have offered other readers many resources to draw from if they want to better comprehend the novel.

 

 

Resources, definitions, and background

 

Before you begin, read through these definitions and familiarize yourself with the concept of annotated bilbiographies and webliographies.

 

 

1. Definitions (the links here are optional resources you can check):

 

  • Webliography: a list of web-resources for a specific topic.
  • Annotated: "Including critical and explanatory notes" according to Carl Noe, the bookman.
  • Annotated webliography: a list of web-sites related to a focused topic. Each citation is followed by a brief description and critical evaluation of the site.

 

 

2. Models of annotated webliographies:

 

Look at some samples of annotated webliographies. Note: many of these do not adhere to the same formatting and styles I am asking you to use (Please review at least two of the following). These are ROUGH guides only to familiarize you with the concept of annotated bibliographies.

 

  • 2 samples of annotated bibliographies (not webliographies) for "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (see the two links for "annotated bibliography" on the top of this webpage (one is by Jennifer Johnson and the other by Stephen Landherr).
  • A short (shorter than yours will be) sample regarding children's literature.
  • A colorful, thorough sample regarding a revitalization project(scroll down to the section "annotated webliography" and note that their citations are not as thorough as I want yours to be)
  • A collection for research guides. Again, they don't use MLA citations. Also, the citations are presented not in alphabetical order, but in order of relevance to this particular class.

 

Other samples:

 

 

Start reviewing this ASAP! It should be completed well before you begin the search.

 

 

 

Tasks

 

As you complete the steps in this assignment, you will

 

  • use Internet search engines to locate reliable academic sources
  • link to the sources you find
  • demonstrate an ability to evaluate electronic sources
  • create an organized list of web-resources in the form of an annotated webliography 

 

 

Process

 

Here are the steps you will take to complete your webliography and thus accomplish the tasks set forth above. Follow each link in these steps.

 

Phase I: Limiting your topic and write the topic proposal

 

Your first assignment for this project is to select a topic would help another student understand at least one aspect of the story (using your experiences as a reader and/or the notes page on the wiki). Pick something that interests you personally as you will be working with this for some time.  Type up a paragraph (roughly 100 words) that describes your topic and explains your choice (10 pts).

 

 

Phase II: Searching effectively

Make sure you know how to effectively use Google (or your favorite search engine) by reading the following links:

 

To show you have completed this phase, you will submit a paragraph that identifies the different search engines AND various search phrases you used. Then, give me a description of the results of each search and how useful the results were. (10 pts).

 

Phase III: Finding and Evaluating web-sites

When you have completed these readings, use search for 12-15 authoritative sites that cover your chosen topic. They do not have to be from academic  (.edu)sites, but they should be professional and reliable (not commercial or personal). Depending on your topic, you may want to seek educational sites, historical society sites, museums, professional associations, and so on. I ask you to choose this many so you can later narrow the list to the best, most credible sites. It's better to start with MANY so you don't have to start over later if you find out these sites are not reliable (based on the criteria in this phase).

 

To determine whether a site is valid or not, you will need to know what to look for. Read the following sites which will help you to later write your annotations and to narrow your findings to the most useful sites:

 

  2. Follow a checklist for evaluating sites you visit (or this one).
  3. Think critically about the content.
     

Now apply the evaluation criteria to your sites and narrow the list to 8-10 relevant, authoritative sites that you think other students would find useful in order to learn more about your topic. To show me you know how to evaluate a site, write a 50-100 word paragraph for four  separate sources that convinces me the site IS credible based on the criteria listed in these sites/checklists.  You will submit a paragraph for each, so you will be submitting 4 separate paragraphs. Be specific, detailed and thorough. Treat each paragraph like a mini-persuasive essay in which you convince me you should be able to use this source in your research.

 

 

Phase IV: Keeping track of your useful sites

You will need to refer to these pages again throughout this webquest because you need to be able to find them again. To keep track of your sites, create a folder in your bookmarks or favorites file. I do not recommend writing down the URLs as it is too easy to make mistakes that will prevent you from finding your sites again. You can keep track of your findings more easily with one of the following methods:

 

1. Read how to save a site in your favorites or bookmarks in your broswer (Internet Explorer or Netscape for example)

 

OR

 

2. When you find a page you want to return to, highlight the URL, click CNTRL-C. Now open a Word document where you will save all the URLs, and click CNTRL-V. Repeat for each web page you find. (you can also copy the sites to a new wiki page you create for yourself instead of using Word).

 

**There is no assignment associated with this phase--it is simply a suggestion to keep you organized.

 

Phase V:   Creating the annotations

Now that you have found, evaluated, and organized your sources, you are ready to create the annotations for the sources you deemed credible, worthwhile sources for your topic. 

 

Each entry of an annotated webliography consists of two parts:

 

  1. The bibliographic citation (author, title, dates, and other publication information) 
  2. The annotation (a brief paragraph immediately following the citation that identifies, describes, and evaluates the focus, usefulness and effectiveness of the source).

 

Therefore, for each source, you will cite it and then write a paragraph (150-200 words) that explains to the reader why they would want to use this site to learn more about the topic.

 

In order to accomplish this step, you'll need to know:

 

  1. how to document electronic sources (specifically web-pages) in MLA format.
  2. how to write an annotation (tip: You will be writing in paragraph styleand using the "combination stance" that this site mentions).
  3. how to format the page (MLA; new line is your required format)
     

 

You will submit a rough draft on the 10th of July and I will give you a thumbs-up or down (with basic suggestions for revision as needed). The final draft of your webliography is due July 12th (100pts).

 

 

Phase VI: Formatting

When you submit your annotated webliography, the overall format should look like the template in the link below (bolded entries, double spaced, etc). In fact, you can open this word document and simply fill in your information.

 

annotatedbibdoc[1].doc 

 

This is critical! Take your time to format everything correctly!

 

 

Evaluation

Your performance on the overall annotated webliography will focus on the following criteria. Note: the annotation, proper citation, and quality of your sources are weighed the heaviest, but grammar and format will count!

 

Click here for the updated grading rubric:

 

 

updated rubrick annotated bib project.doc 

 

Conclusion

You should now have a completed annotated webliography to submit. Congratulations! By completing this assignment, you have successfully completed the research objective for this class. You might want to consider how this process could help you organize material and take notes for future research papers. You might also consider how someone else's annotated biblio- or webliography might save you time by directing you to useful, evaluated research material in future classes!

 

If you want to learn more about bibliographies, you can access these sites:

 

 

Questions? Email me!

 

 


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