is the language motivationally biased?  If so, what are the biases?  You may

 MLA-format for Annotated Bibliographies

(from the Purdue OWL and Brad Matthies’ article,

modified and with additional information by

Laurel Lacroix)

For an annotated bibliography, use standard MLA format for the citations (alphabetical by author’s last name or, if there is no author listed, by the first important word in the title – using the real word for the symbol [i.e.” #2 Blue Dye” would be listed as if it were “Number Two Blue Dye”]).  Then include a brief abstract for each entry, including the following, adapted from

Matthies, Brad.  “The Psychologist, the Philosopher, and the Librarian:  The Information-literacy 

            Version of CRITIC.”  Skeptical Inquirer,  May/June 2005, pp.  49 – 52.

1-2 sentences:  Claim of the source

What is the claim?  Is the source’s presentation of the claim clear and reasonable

or is the language motivationally biased?  If so, what are the biases?  You may

consider appeals and fallacies as types of biases.  Remember that the claim of the 

source has something to do with how you are to understand the event, not just the 

event itself.

1-2 sentences:  Role of the claimant

Is the author clearly identifiable?  Can you and have you established her or his

credibility (and how)?  Is there any reason to suspect bias on the author’s part

(philosophical, political, religious, cultural)?  Where did you find this source and

how does that impact how you value it and its information?

1-2 sentences:  Information backing the claim

Is there any?  Is it verifiable or anecdotal?  How did you go about determining

this?  Is the information relevant to the claim and provable?  How did you determine this?  Can the information be independently verified through

another source not related to this one?

1-2 sentences:  Conclusion – what is your conclusion regarding the source?  What is its

potential, specific value to your research project?