Annotated Bibliography or Lit Review
If your goal is to assess students’ familiarity with existing sources and their ability to assess those sources, you may want to look at annotated bibliographies or literature reviews. These assignments are often used as part of scaffolding into larger assignments to encourage students to start work earlier, to discourage plagiarism and cheating, and to provide feedback to guide students. It is also possible to use these assignments with the purpose of demonstrating critical thinking, analysis, and research skills as well as building lists of sources on topics that could be used later by those students or for other students as part of a resource “library.” They can also be useful artifacts in a Learning Portfolio.
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a listing of sources, arranged in bibliographic order, with summarization of the sources. It can also include critique and analysis of the source, depending on the requirements of the assignment. They can vary in length, both in number of sources and in the amount of summary and analysis required. A literature review takes this farther and is a way for students to demonstrate that they have more widely investigated the current state of scholarship on a particular topic through listing sources, often arranged by theme or argument. Connections between sources should be discussed as a way to map the particular area of scholarship. Literature reviews can be part of a larger investigation, such as a research project, a study, or a thesis. It is important to ensure that students understand what is being asked of them and are provided instruction and resources for how to go about a literature review and what their product is to look like.
Tips
- It is important to ensure that students understand what is being asked of them and are provided instruction and resources for how to go about a literature review and what their product is to look like.
- Encourage students to use the resources from the Archer Library. You can also contact your liaison librarian for assistance with any guides they have or may be able to build for you.
- When constructing the assignment, going through a writing guide can be helpful to ensure that you are providing students the information they need to go through the process you want and hand in the product you are seeking. Be clear, be focused. Provide concrete expectations about how to define a topic, the number of sources required, how long entries should be, and what needs to be included in entries. Providing examples is useful if possible.
- Keep in mind access to resources. If your students need to be working at a distance with no access to a physical library, many books may not be as accessible. Some resources can be digitized but that will take time and, in some cases, may come with a fee. Guide them to databases, ebooks, and websites that will be easier for them to access regardless of their location, with whatever technology they have.
Resources
Annotated Bibliographies:
- Archer Library SPARK info on annotated bibliographies: Annotated Bibliographies - SPARK
- A guide for students writing an annotated bibliography: Writing an Annotated Bibliography | Writing Advice
- Rubric examples for assessing an annotated bibliography: LibGuides: Information Literacy Toolkit: Annotated Bibliography Rubric (UGS 302)
Literature Reviews:
- Information on teaching how to do literature reviews: Writing a literature review assignment (and for instructors: providing guidance)
- A guide on writing a literature review for students: How to write a literature review · Help & Writing
- Rubric example for assessing a literature review: Assess your Literature Review - Literature Review - LibGuides at Atlanta University Center