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Engineering Research Guide

Engineering & Physical Sciences Librarian

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Ellen Cline
she/her/hers
Contact:
Belk Library 117
3362786586

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Finding References

Class Activity

In class, we'll use the worksheet linked below to find sources and think about information that you might use in your annotated bibliography. Download a copy for yourself and your team.

Using the resources mentioned above, good search strategies, and evaluation methods: what sources can you find for your team's project? You can use this information when you're working on your annotated bibliography!

What's an Annotated Bibliography?

  • A bibliography is a list of sources that you have consulted.
  • An annotation is a description or analysis.

Putting them together, an annotated bibliography is a list of citations with a brief description following each source.

What Should be in an Annotation?

  • What's in an annotation?
    • An annotation consists of two general parts: a brief summary of the source (why is it relevant to your work?), and an analysis. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the design mentioned in your source?
  • What elements should go in an analysis?
    • Use the search exercise worksheet (above) to draft your analysis.
  • How long should an annotation be?
    • It depends! The best thing to do is check with your professor for specific requirements. In general, your annotation should be clear and concise, but still give enough detail for the annotation to be useful (for yourself and for your group).