Evaluate Woodrow Wilson as a wartime president. What were his strengths and weaknesses?
Annotated Bibliography Assignment
Select at least six sources that you will use in the Project 2 paper and create an Annotated Bibliography. At least two of these sources must be primary sources. Two sources may come from the assigned course materials like Neiberg and the online primary resources, but at least four must be outside sources.
For outside material, you can find scholarly secondary sources from the Excelsior College Library
(Links to an external site.)
or a primary source from the Excelsior College Library
(Links to an external site.)
You should NOT use non-scholarly websites such as Wikipedia or History.com. If you have questions about appropriate sources, please contact your instructor.
For each source you should write a one to two paragraph (200-250 word) annotation.
Unlike a traditional bibliography, an annotated bibliography explores the sources rather than merely references them. According to the staff of Cornell Library
(Links to an external site.)
, an annotated bibliography should begin first with a proper citation, then:
“a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.” This should be done for each of your sources.
The Annotated Bibliography should be formatted using either APA
(Links to an external site.)
or Chicago
(Links to an external site.)
style.
Resources for writing and formatting an Annotated Bibliography:
Excelsior Library, Annotated Bibliography Tip Sheet
(Links to an external site.)
[PDF, file size 106.16 KB]
Excelsior OWL, Annotated Bibliography Tips and a Sample
(Links to an external site.)
Cornell Library, How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
(Links to an external site.)
2) Outline with a Thesis Statement
In the same word document as your Annotated Bibliography, create an outline that shows the development of your thesis statement and how you will use your sources.
Directions for writing a strong thesis statement:
Your thesis statement should be one to two sentences summarizing your overall argument. You should base your argument on the topic you chose in Module 2, and it should reflect your own thoughts. A good thesis statement contains the following:
It addresses a “why” question rather than just what or when.
It is argumentative and reflects original thinking
It is narrow enough to be something that can be “proven” in a paper, but broad enough to encapsulate several different issues that you will explore in your body paragraphs
It appears at the end of your introductory paragraph, it is reinforced through specific evidence in every body paragraph, and it is re-stated in your conclusion
Resources for creating a thesis statement:
Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL) on creating an Argumentative Thesis
(Links to an external site.)
Purdue OWL on Developing Strong Thesis Statements
Directions for completing an outline:
Your outline should be detailed enough to show the development of your topic, including bullet points for supporting points for at least four body paragraphs of the paper, and your conclusion. Your outline should be approximately ½ to 1 page long in outline format with headings and subheadings organized by body paragraphs that build on your thesis statement, which should appear in the introduction. The outline should not be written in paragraph format.
