Write an annotated bibliography for a problem/solution essay on, the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana for Wisconsin.

Lakeshore Technical College
Written Communication
Annotated Bibliography

Assignment: An annotated bibliography is a detailed list of sources that you consulted during your research. Each source should include an annotation: a brief summary of that source and how you might use it in your paper or why you won't use it. For this assignment you should include at least four sources. This will be formatted similar to a Works Cited but will include the respective annotation immediately below it. The annotations should each be between 50 and 150 words. This should all be done in MLA format.

Purpose: Annotated bibliographies are designed to create an organized approach to research. This assignment ensures that students are collecting good sources and are evaluating them as they conduct their research. It also helps students keep track of sources if they feel they need to return to them.

Process: As you conduct your research, keep track of which sources you look at even if you decide it may not be helpful. As a rule of thumb, if you do more than merely skim the pages, sources, or index, you should likely include it in your annotated bibliography. As you look at a source, think about what the source's focus is, what it argues, why you might or might not use it, and, if you might use it, how you would use it. All this information should be included in the annotation. Amass your sources in one document like you would a Works Cited page and include each annotation below the source it describes.

Audience: The audience for an annotated bibliography is typically yourself and a research advisor. Imagine that your annotations are being evaluated by someone who is advising your research.

Example:

Grace, Pamela. "Motherhood, Homocide, and Swedish Meatballs: The Quiet Triumph of the Maternal in Fargo." The Coen Brothers' Fargo. Ed. William G. Luhr. New York: Cambridge, UP, 2004. 33-54. Print.

Grace's article within Luhr's anthology argues that the Coens challenge the views of motherhood in Fargo by contrasting a pregnant woman with gender stereotypes. While I am not writing about gender stereotypes or even focusing on Marge's pregnancy, Grace does a good job analyzing different relationships in the film, including Marge's relationship with Norm, which I find especially convincing. It's likely that I'll use this source in my paper to explain the end scene of Marge and Norm watching television.