Writing an Annotated Bibliography

Your assignment is to construct a properly formatted annotated bibliography for your researched argumentative essay as described below. You must use appropriate sources as described in the essay direction page, and each annotation must include the items in the list below. See calendar for due date.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (references cited), such as books, journals, newspapers, magazines, Web Pages, etc., each of which is followed by an annotation or description of each item.

What is the purpose of an annotated bibliography?

The annotated bibliography serves a number of purposes including but not limited to

• reviews the literature on a particular subject
• illustrates the quality of research that you have done
• provides examples of the types of sources available
• explores the subject for further research

• prepares research to be discussed in the final essay

Annotations may consist of all or part of the following items, depending on the assignment:

• describe the content (focus) of the item
• discuss any limitations that the item may have, e.g. grade level, timeliness etc.
• evaluate reliability of the item
• discuss the author’s background
• discuss any conclusions the author(s) may have made
• describe usefulness of the information as it applies to your paper

What does the annotated bibliography look like?

You write and arrange the bibliographic entries (references) just as you would in an MLA Works Cited list. These are arranged alphabetically by the first word, which is typically an author’s last name. The annotation then immediately follows the bibliographic information skipping one line and indenting the first line of the summary. Remember to be brief and include only directly significant information, including how the information pertains to your essay, and write in an efficient manner. All entries should be single-spaced with a double space between each reference. A sample annotated bibliography in MLA Style appears below.

Working Thesis: Though researchers still debate whether whole language instruction provides an adequate reading foundation, coupled with a phonics component, the whole language approach clearly benefits children as they begin learning the associations between letters, sounds, and words.

Annotated Bibliography

Castle, Jillian, Jacquelyn Riach, and Tom Nicolson. "Getting off to a Better Start in Reading and Spelling: The Effects of Phonemic Awareness Instruction within a Whole Language Program." Journal of Educational Psychology 89 (1994): 350-59. Print.

The effect of providing phonemic-awareness instruction at school entry on the reading and spelling progress of 5-year old children was examined within a whole language program. Overall, the training in two experiments had significant effects on children's spelling and reading performance. Useful in providing examples of results from whole language instruction.

Chall, Jeanne. Learning to Read: The Great Debate. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967. Print.

A Harvard University education professor surveyed the literature on how children learn to read, concluding that the evidence is most favorable toward phonics. Provides background and orienting material.

Colvin, Richard Lee. "State Test Finds Students Lagging". Los Angeles Times 5 Apr. 1995: A1. Print.

For the second straight year, a solid majority of California's fourth-, eighth-, and tenth-graders failed to demonstrate even minimal proficiency in reading, writing and math, according to results from the state's pioneering but controversial educational testing system released on April 4, 1995. Evidence of argument against whole language instruction.

Goodman, Ken. Phonics Phacts: A Common-Sense Look at the Most Controversial Issue Affecting Today's Classrooms. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1993. Print.

A University of Arizona education professor and one of the founders of the "whole language" movement describes the politics and theoretical conflicts surrounding the "Great Debate," outlining what he says is a proper place for phonics in teaching reading.

Levine, Art. "The Great Debate Revisited." Atlantic Monthly Dec. 1994: 38-44. Print.

The drive to promote exclusively the "whole language" approach to learning to read is discussed. This approach is infecting many schools and is having worrisome results. Provides evidence to argue against whole language approach.

Moustafa, Margaret. "Recoding in Whole Language Reading Instruction." Language Arts 48 (1993): 483-87. Print.

A theory of how children can learn letter-sound correspondences without direct instruction in phonics is outlined. Findings on phonological processes involved in such learning and relevant findings on children's cognitive processes are discussed. Provides balanced discussion of the costs and benefits of whole language instruction.