Starting Points
Use these websites to gather background information and gain insight into controversial topics. These are great resources to use for building a keyword list and gathering questions about your controversial topic.
- ProCon.orgSponsored by a nonprofit, nonpartisan public charity, this site provides questions and information about current popular, controversial issues.
- FactCheck.orgNonpartisan, nonprofit whose goal is to increase public knowledge and understanding by fact checking politicians, advertisers, speeches, news releases, and more for accuracy, and reporting on the results.
- AllSidesShows news articles from the right, center, and left on current events.
Types of Publications
You may include scholarly or credible "grey literature" sources in your annotated bibliography. But what are the differences?
Scholarly, Trade, Popular, and Grey Publications
| Scholarly/Academic | Trade | Popular | Grey Literature | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose: | To share original research | To inform, share ideas, or sell something | To inform, persuade, or entertain | To disseminate research quickly or respond to a public issue |
| Written for: | Researchers, scholars, and professionals | People in the business/trade or hobbyists | General public | Professionals and researchers in the same field/industry and/or policymakers |
| Written by: | Researchers or scholars | Experts or professionals | Journalists or freelance writers | Individual scholars, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations, think tanks, and businesses |
| Published in: |
Scholarly journals Ex: Journal of Social Psychology |
Trade journals Ex: Education Digest |
Newspapers or magazines Ex: The New York Times |
Non-traditional publishing outlets Ex: government reports, policy briefs, theses, dissertations, conference proceedings |
| Reviewed by: | Unpaid peers (other researchers or scholars in the same field) | Professional/Paid Editors | Professional/Paid Editors | Varies - may be reviewed by advisors, fact checkers, editors, etc. or may not be reviewed at all |
| Language used: | Academic or technical language; jargon | Some jargon, more everyday language | Plain, everyday language | Professional jargon; technical or academic language |
| Length: | Long, detailed | Brief, accessible | Brief, accessible | Varies, but typically longer |
| Notable features: | Extensive bibliographies, references, or footnotes | References/mentions in text or short bibliographies, advertisements (typically trade-related) | Photos, images, advertisements |
Sources typically but not always cited May include graphics or visuals |
Annotated Bibliographies
What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography, or "annotated bib," is a bibliography (a list of books, articles, or other works) that includes descriptive and evaluative comments about the sources cited. These comments are known as annotations.
How do I format my annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography entry consists of two components: the citation and the annotation.
Citation
The citation should be formatted in the bibliographic style that your professor has requested for the assignment (i.e., American Sociological Association [ASA] style for SOAN 202).
Annotation
Generally, an annotation is approximately 100-300 words in length (one paragraph). However, your professor may have different expectations, so it is recommended that you clarify the assignment guidelines.
An annotation may include the following information:
- A brief summary of the source
- The source’s strengths and weaknesses
- Its conclusions
- Why the source is relevant in your field of study
- Its relationships to other studies in the field
- An evaluation of the research methodology (if applicable)
- Information about the author’s background
- Your personal conclusions about the source
Source: Simon Fraser University Library. (March 25, 2024). "How to write an annotated bibliography."