You will first identify a contemporary topic or issue within your field of study, prospective academic major, or professional community and then form a research question that helps you better understand the topic/issue you have chosen.

You will first identify a contemporary topic or issue within your field of study, prospective academic major, or professional community and then form a research question that helps you better understand the topic/issue you have chosen. You will work to better understand the complexity of the issue through research and write a researched essay that highlights, for example, elements of the issue that are misunderstood or should be understood in a new way. This topic and research question should guide you throughout Project 1. Annotated Bibliography To begin, you will identify a contemporary topic or issue within your field of study that you wish to learn more about. Then, you will form a research question that will serve as the cornerstone of your investigative essay. In order to explore your research question, you will engage in a variety of research methods. Research is finding information—and there are many ways to go about finding information. You will discover, however, that some research methods are favored within your academic discourse community. For instance, while the humanities tend to prefer secondary research (consulting scholarly, popular, and professional publications), the sciences tend to prefer primary research (collecting data through interviews, surveys, first-hand observations, and experiments). To that end, it is up to you to identify what research methods are most appropriate for your project. Some options to consider include: Primary Research Observations Interviews Surveys Data/Text analysis Secondary Research Scholarly Peer-Reviewed Articles Books (Published by an Academic or Scholarly Press) Academic Lectures/Presentations Popular Websites Blog Posts Magazine Articles Newspaper Articles Documentaries For this assignment, you will summarize and analyze your data by annotating 6 potential secondary sources, 3 of which must be scholarly ones (namely, peer-reviewed articles). You should properly cite each of the six sources in accordance with the documentation style for your field (refer to chapters 50-53 in The Bedford Handbook for information on MLA & APA formats and to the FSU Library’s Citation Guide for additional ones). Below each citation, you will include an annotation that includes a combination of these elements: briefly summarize the source and its main ideas, explain how you would use the source in your essay, offer an evaluation of the source’s credibility, and tell how the source relates/does not relate to the other sources. The suggested format for these annotations is: Use the first paragraph to summarize the main relevant points of the source in order to orient readers to the source. Your second paragraph will explain how that information is credible, relevant, and useful to yourself and your research. The goal for this paragraph is not to summarize, but to engage with these sources and explain to your audience how each source is credible and what each source offers to your conversation. You can also use this paragraph to discuss how that specific source relates to the others used in your annotated bibliography. Documentation Style: Use the documentation style of your field (for in-text citations and list of sources). Formatting: Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, double-spaced (which is common across major citation styles). Suggested length: 1,000 typed, polished words minimum Rubric Annotated Bibliography Rubric Annotated Bibliography Rubric Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Source Selection & Relevance 20 pts Excellent All six sources are relevant, credible, and clearly connected to the research question and field. At least 3 are scholarly/peer-reviewed. Demonstrates strong discernment in selecting high-quality sources. 15 pts Proficient Most sources are relevant and credible, though one or two may be less directly connected or not as strong. Includes 3 scholarly sources. 10 pts Needs Improvement Some sources are only tangentially related to the research question or field. May include fewer than 3 scholarly sources. 0 pts Unsatisfactory Few sources are credible or relevant. Lacks scholarly sources or shows little connection to topic. 20 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Summary & Understanding of Sources 20 pts Excellent Summaries accurately and insightfully capture key ideas and arguments from each source. Demonstrates deep understanding of the material. 15 pts Proficient Summaries are generally accurate and clear, though may lack nuance or miss minor details. 10 pts Needs Improvement Summaries are overly general, incomplete, or show partial understanding of source content. 0 pts Unsatisfactory Summaries are inaccurate, vague, or missing. Shows little to no understanding of the sources. 20 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Analysis & Evaluation of Sources 20 pts Excellent Provides thoughtful analysis of each source’s credibility, relevance, and usefulness. Critically engages with author perspective, methodology, or bias. 15 pts Proficient Discusses credibility and relevance with some insight, though analysis may be surface-level or uneven across sources. 10 pts Needs Improvement Provides minimal or formulaic evaluation of credibility and usefulness. Analysis may be inconsistent or underdeveloped. 0 pts Unsatisfactory Lacks evaluation or engagement. Sources are listed with little or no analysis of credibility or relevance. 20 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Integration & Connection Among Sources 15 pts Excellent Effectively connects sources to one another and to the overall research question. Highlights relationships, patterns, and tensions among ideas. 10 pts Proficient Makes some connections among sources and to the research question, though may not consistently explain their significance. 5 pts Needs Improvement Few or weak connections among sources. Relationships are mentioned but not developed or explained. 0 pts Unsatisfactory Does not relate sources to one another or to the research question. 15 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Citation Accuracy & Documentation Style 15 pts Excellent All citations and formatting follow the documentation style of the field (MLA, APA, etc.) accurately and consistently. 10 pts Proficient Minor citation or formatting errors that do not impede clarity. Documentation style is mostly consistent. 5 pts Needs Improvement Frequent citation errors or inconsistencies in style and formatting. 0 pts Unsatisfactory Incorrect or missing citations; documentation style not followed. 15 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Clarity, Style, & Mechanics 10 pts Excellent Writing is clear, polished, and well-organized. Language is professional and precise. 7 pts Proficient Writing is clear and organized with few minor errors. Readable and mostly polished. 4 pts Needs Improvement Writing occasionally unclear or awkward; multiple errors distract but do not prevent comprehension. 0 pts Unsatisfactory Writing is unclear, disorganized, and/or filled with mechanical errors that impede readability. 10 pts Total Points: 100