Course Project: Thesis, Annotated Bibliography and Source Evaluation

  Introduction

You have arrived at the third part of the Course Project. By this week, you should have collected the sources that you need to support, with relevant evidence, the position you have taken on the issue you chose, and the three aspects of the issue you will write about. This week you will submit a thesis statement and an annotated bibliography of at least five sources that you will use in your paper

Instructions

This week, submit the following:

• A thesis statement stating your opinion/conclusion on the issue, the supporting points you will offer, and at least one relevant opposing view you will address.


• An annotated bibliography with evaluation of at least five (5) sources you intend to use in your final paper to support your claim.
  
  
  
  • These are sources that provide evidence to support that your claim should be accepted by the reader.
  
  
  • Scholarly sources are preferred and should be used where available; due to the nature of some of the topics, authoritative articles in very high-quality substantive journals may also be acceptable.
  
  
  
  

Use the Source Evaluation Worksheet to determine the following:

· If your source is current

        If it is not current, explain why you think it is acceptable.

· If your source is credible, reliable, and authoritative

· How well your source supports your thesis

         If the annotation does not make this obvious, explain to your instructor how you will use it.

· If your support is popular

          If it is, explain to your instructor why you think it is acceptable.

Annotation Example

Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51, 541-554.

The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living. 

Source Evaluation Example

• While this source is not current, it has formed the basis for numerous follow-up studies and it frequently cited in the literature; it has both historical value and also serves as a base-point for tracking changing attitudes.

• This is a scholarly source; the source is credible, reliable and authoritative.  The authors were experts in their fields, published their study in a peer-reviewed journal, and the study has held up under rigorous scrutiny by other experts in the field.

• This source strongly supports my thesis that the current pattern of young adults remaining with family because they cannot afford independent living due to student loan obligations is having a negative effect on young adults developing self-sufficiency and individualism.

• This source is popular; it is used to show how public opinion was influenced by advertising.

Writing Requirements (APA format)

• Length: 4 Full Pages  (not including title page or references page)


• 1-inch margins


• Double spaced


• 12-point Times New Roman font


• Title page


• In-text-citations 


• References page