Working with Sources (Precises, Reviews, Annotated Biblios)

M3

1. Working with sources PRECIS, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, BOOK REVIEWS

2. Assessing and Evaluating Sources

3. Prec í s Brief yet accurate summary of the claims and arguments of a piece of writing, aimed at yielding insight into the author’s thesis and position. Two primary purposes: Summarization and location within the conversation

4. General Tips for Writing a Prec í s The précis can sometimes be a challenging and frustrating experience. A précis is simply a summary of the main arguments of an article or book. In theory it could serve as a substitute for the article, offering the reader the chance to understand the thesis and argument of the author without having to read it. While it sounds simple enough, boiling down 50 pages to a single page summary is pretty tricky. Don’t be discouraged – you can do it! Taken from “OT520 Prec í s Writing Tips”, John Cook et al

5. General Tips for Writing a Prec í s No bibliography is necessary for the précis assignments. You are reviewing a single work by a single author and it is sufficient to simply place the page number in parenthesis when making a citation. Please cite direct quotations . Please write 1 full page , double spaced with standard (1”) margins. Using single spacing or exceeding the page limit gives you an unfair advantage over your classmates. You should find it difficult to fit all of the information into such a small space . This forces you to refine your own writing and to focus on the primary arguments of the author. If you find you have extra space you have probably missed something. Proofread . If you’re having difficulty please take advantage of the writing resources available through the library or ask a friend to help you proof your work. Taken from “OT520 Prec í s Writing Tips”, John Cook et al

6. What to Include in the Prec í s Focus on the primary argument of the author. What is their thesis? Why are they writing? Define key terms . Follow the organizational structure of the author . It may be helpful to try to outline their argument. What the major points and sub-points? At this stage, it’s best to refrain from commentary on the opinions of the author. The goal of this assignment is to summarize the argument of another author. Be careful with the use of words like “we” or “you ,” which suggest that you are stepping into the conversation rather than reporting what the author thinks. Taken from “OT520 Prec í s Writing Tips”, John Cook et al

7. What to Include in the Prec í s Be sure and cover the entire reading selection . Watch out for unnecessary words. Often however, also, it seems that, further, according to, and phrases set off by commas are things you can remove. Summarize major points, don’t just list them. Give enough specifics to demonstrate that you understand the content presented by the author (see silly example below). Taken from “OT520 Prec í s Writing Tips”, John Cook et al

8. Old MACDONALD had a farm E-I-E-I-O And on his farm he had a cow E-I-E-I-O With a moo moo here And a moo moo there Here a moo, there a moo Everywhere a moo moo Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O Old MACDONALD had a farm E-I-E-I-O And on his farm he had a pig E-I-E-I-O With a oink oink here And a oink oink there Here a oink, there a oink Everywhere a oink oink Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O Old MACDONALD had a farm E-I-E-I-O And on his farm he had a duck E-I-E-I-O With a quack quack here And a quack quack there Here a quack, there a quack Everywhere a quack quack Old MacDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O Summarizing vs. Listing Text: Old McDonald Had a Farm. Summary: The author argues that Old MacDonald had a farm with many animals including cows, pigs, and ducks. He systematically steps through the name of each animal on the farm along with its corresponding animal sound. Listing: The author discusses Old MacDonald’s farm. First he describes the cows on the farm. The cows make a “moo” sound. Then he reviews the ownership of the farm before moving to the next animal. This animal is called a pig. The pig makes an oink sound. Then the author reviews the ownership of the farm a third time. The last animal mentioned is a duck. The author describes the duck’s sound as a “quack.” The author concludes by reminding the reader who owns the farm, namely Old McDonald.

9. Book Review Concise (yet accurate) summary Critical (and accurate) assessment of its argument Statement of how it may be relevant to your own work and to the larger conversation

10. Book Review Length: Generally short, but can be longer. 2-3 pages is a typical range.  Purpose: To review the author's argument critically: Is the argument clear? Is it well supported? What areas are the strongest/weakest? What questions do you have after reading? Voice: Primarily written using 3rd person (he, she, they), but may use 1st person in certain areas, such as a personal review, like this: "I enjoyed this section of the book because . . ." Details: A critical examination of a book, not a summary. Usually, in a review, you have the opportunity to say what you did or did not like/agree with in the book. Concise (yet accurate) summary Critical (and accurate) assessment of its argument Statement of how it may be relevant to your own work and to the larger conversation

11. Annotated Bibliography An  annotated bibliography  is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.

12. “Each annotation is an opportunity to evaluate the credibility of a source, summarize its argument , and explain its relevance to your project.” What does it do?

13. Annotated Bibliography A “bird’s-eye view of a range of sources and the roles they might play in your paper” “Allows you to reflect on the sources you have collected”; “each annotation is an opportunity to evaluate the credibility of a source, summarize its argument , and explain its relevance to your project” “Can serve as a checkpoint to gauge how thoroughly you have conducted your research and how deeply you have engaged the sources you have collected”

14. Summary Annotations A   summary annotation  describes the source by answering the following questions: who wrote the document, what the document discusses, when and where was the document written, why was the document produced, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description. 

15. Evaluative Annotations An  evaluative annotation  includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project. The focus is on description and evaluation.

16. Using these three tools – the precis, the book review, and the annotated bibliography – you are well on your way to compiling your literature review.