annotated bibliography

Annotated Bibliography FAQ 1

COMM 2367: Persuasive Communication

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY PAPER

FAQ

General Questions

What if I have trouble finding sources about my topic?

I know it’s often a last resort for students, but librarians are specifically educated and trained to

locate credible information quickly. They really do want to help you! If you go to

library.osu.edu, you can find contact information on the right side of the page: phone, email, or

instant chat. If you have been unsuccessfully searching for information for an hour, stop and

contact someone at the library. Don’t waste valuable time being frustrated; ask for help.

How many sources should focus on my region?

You are not required to find any sources that specifically focus on your region right now. The

primary goal for this assignment is to gather information and gain a general understanding of

your topic. You can add regional sources to your next assignment.

How current should my sources be?

Because we can easily access current information, your sources should be no more than five

years old. Sources that contain statistics should be as current as possible. If you find a source that

is not current but believe it contains important and relevant information, email me.

Should my sources be listed in alphabetical order?

Yes, just as you would alphabetize on a reference page.

What is a DOI?

“The Digital Object Identifier (DOI®) System is for identifying content objects in the digital

environment. DOI® names are assigned to any entity for use on digital networks. They are used

to provide current information, including where they (or information about them) can be found

on the Internet. Information about a digital object may change over time, including where to find

it, but its DOI name will not change” (The DOI system, 2011).

Should I include the URL or the DOI name in my reference citation?

If you found the source in an academic database, you aren’t required to use the DOI or the URL.

If, however, you located the article another way, use the DOI name. It will always be accurate

and is much shorter than an entire URL.

I don’t see a DOI name. Should I use the URL?

If you found the source in an academic database, you aren’t required to use the DOI or the URL.

If, however, you located the article another way, use the URL.

The title page on the Purdue OWL website is different from the title page we reviewed in

class. Should I follow the example on the OWL or the one in my notes?

APA format does not provide definitive formatting information for class papers. Instead, they are

focused on papers being submitted for degrees or journal publication. You may see a few

Annotated Bibliography FAQ 2

differences in the header and on the title page. Please use the information from class to format

your paper.

My assignment is longer than three pages. Do I need to cut some information?

No, but it should be no longer than four pages (not including the title page). The page

requirement is a general guideline, not a strict requirement.

I have completed my assignment early. Can I email it to you for some feedback?

I don’t provide feedback via email for assignments completed ahead of time, but I am more than

happy to meet with you during office hours before the due date. If you have a conflict with my

office hours, we can try to schedule another time to meet.

Do you have any tips to avoid deductions for grammar/mechanics and APA formatting?

 Use Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/

 Proofread your paper by reading aloud.

 Consider proofreading backwards—begin with the last sentence or paragraph and read it aloud. This interrupts your flow of thought and you are less likely to miss mistakes because

you will focus more on the words and language use.

 Avoid contractions.

 Understand the difference between affect and effect.

 Write out numbers that begin sentences. Refer to this link when including numbers in text: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/593/01/

 Focus on word choice to express your ideas clearly and precisely. Avoid slang, clichés, and informal language: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/608/

 Double check APA formatting rules for capitalization and punctuation.

 Follow the APA paper formatting rules discussed in class. Remember to change the margin default setting to 1” on every side.

What kind of information should I be looking for?

Keep your end goal in mind--you want to persuade the audience that your topic is a problem in

your region. Look for sources that provide evidence of the problem. Some general suggestions

for types of information from each source are as follows:

 The peer-reviewed journal article will most likely be about your topic/issue. The journal article will not provide regional information.

 The newspaper or periodical can be about either your NPO or topic/issue. You will likely find good regional information from this source. Below are suggestions based on your

region:

o Columbus: Columbus Dispatch o Ohio: Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cincinnati Enquirer o Midwest: any of the above and Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times,

Indianapolis Star

o United States: any of the above and The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, TIME, Newsweek

 The government, university or research institution is geared toward finding current research and statistics about the topic/issue.

Annotated Bibliography FAQ 3

I’m the Moderator and my group’s problem is broad. How do I narrow my search for

sources?

I would encourage you to search for articles that cover the subtopics your group members have

chosen. You may decide to locate one article for three different subtopics; you may decide to

focus only on one or two subtopics for now. Also, as you search for subtopics, you may find

some great articles that address your problem in general or that focus on your region. These are

all acceptable. If you are still uncertain, see me during office hours.