Mrs. Herrera English Language Arts and Composition

This is a preliminary Works Cited page. This assignment is where you will begin to collect your research in an organized fashion. It is called “Working” because it will change as you begin to write your essay and not all of the sources you gather will be used. The sources you do cite in your paper will be listed in a concrete and final reference page called “Works Cited.” So this is just a first attempt, but it lets me know you’re working at gathering valid information you could possibly use.

The documentation does not have to be perfect, but it should be consistent and more correct than incorrect. See the Purdue OWL for more information on citing specific sources, or ask your instructor for help. See pages in the Texas Write Source textbook. Use standard MLA heading and header, found on the sample MLA paper provided to you (also available online at the OWL website).

This bibliography should have a minimum of __6__ sources and no more than __7__ sources. You must use a variety of sources to draw from. You cannot simply use electronic or internet sources. This means that you must use several different types of sources (e.g. electronic database or internet, book, newspaper, article, journal, scholarly essay, magazine, etc.) YOUR ACTUAL RESEARCH PAPER WILL ONLY HAVE A TOTAL OF 3-4 SOURCES!

This is a Working Bibliography which means you are gathering potential sources, but you will not be required to use all of the sources for your paper. When looking for your sources, you often have to “kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince,” and I don’t want you to feel that your effort was wasted, so I require more sources now than I will later with your actual paper. However, you should aim to get proficient sources now, as this will surely save you time and prevent frustration down the road. Trust me!

Bibliography literally means: “complete or selective list of works compiled upon some common principle, as authorship, subject, place of publication, or printer.” (Webster’s Dictionary) The format should include Title Author Publisher Date Location of Publication Type of Source (e.g., Web, Print, Book, Article, etc.)

This portion of your portfolio is worth 20 pts. It is due on __________________ It must be in MLA format with a proper heading and pagination (see sample MLA paper).

Annotated Bibliographies follow the basic MLA style heading, header, and margins. Your title should be: Annotated Bibliography: Novel Title The first line of the paper should indicate your thesis statement. Make sure your thesis statement is arguable! It should identify a fact that includes strong adjectives and an opinion that shows your position. (It should not include “I am for…, I am against…” etc.) It is written in third person!

In Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Celie’s example shows that by fighting back against adversity, one can simultaneously examine identity, discover selfhood, and free the spirit from the bondage of oppression. Notice that the author and title of the book is referenced in the thesis.

For your Annotated Bibliography, you must annotate a minimum of _5_ sources and no more than _6_ sources. You must use a variety of sources (e.g. electronic or internet sources, articles, magazine, journals, essays, books, periodicals, etc.) Use your Working Bibliography as a springboard, but you must cut, or eliminate 1 source. Don’t forget that your primary text (novel) should be listed!

Remember this is like a Works Cited page! Your list of sources should be listed alphabetically and adhere to proper MLA format. Consult the Texas Write Source textbook or the Purdue OWL. Sources are not numbered Unlike your Working Bibliography, your sources should be documented correctly!

After each Bibliographic Entry:  For each source, you should have a Works Cited page entry, a SHORT summary (three sentences minimum) and a brief analysis (3 sentence minimum).

 When annotating your sources the SUMMARY-should be proportionate to the source. For example if the source is 50% about the author and 50% about their novel, your summary should reflect that by being 50% about the author and 50% about the novel.  It should be a fully developed paragraph summarizing the works main arguments and major points. This must be original and in your own words.  Do not copy! This is plagiarism!

When annotating your sources, your analysis should explain why you like / dislike the source and if and/or how you plan to use it in your paper. Evaluate if you think this source will be useful to you or not when writing your paper. Make these bibliographies as detailed as possible—within reason. The more detailed information that you include in your summary, the better your bibliography will be. Not only will this help you get a better grade, but it will also help you to write a better research paper because it will force you to be organized and focused.

Please look at the sample papers if you have questions about formatting. Read in your Texas Write Source textbook about research papers. Reference Purdue OWL often! You will not have to use all of your sources in your paper, but doing this will help prepare you!

You should write your paper first, and then put in the research so that it adds support and validity to your claim. You may not end up using all of the material that you find. Evaluating what is useful and what is not is a vital part of the research process. Your research should support your argument. Your paper should not be a repetition of someone else’s argument.