Annotated bibliography tips
Pick a topic. Read research articles on your topic from different disciplinary
perspectives. When you search for articles, use disciplinary words like
"economic, cultural, social, geographic, psychological, political”.
For example:
Spinosa, J., Christiansen, P., Dickson, J. M., Lorenzetti, V., & Hardman, C. A.
(2019). From socioeconomic disadvantage to obesity: the mediating role of
psychological distress and emotional eating. Obesity, 27(4), 559-564
• Kadouh, H. C., & Acosta, A. (2017). Current paradigms in the etiology of
obesity. Techniques in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 19(1), 2-11.
●
Biener, A. I., Cawley, J., & Meyerhoefer, C. (2020). The medical care costs of
obesity and severe obesity in youth: An instrumental variables
approach. Health economics, 29(5), 624-639. Pick three articles
Research articles from good quality sources not news articles,
editorials or web site postings
If the article is too difficult to understand, pick a different one.
Articles don't have to be related - your purpose is to compare and
contrast the different types of knowledge that they contribute to
study of this topic. Summarize and add your comments
Summarize the article and main findings in your own words – don't
copy large amounts of text from the article (but if you do quote the
article, remember to use proper in-text citation)
After you summarize the article, add your own comments about:
how this is the same or different from the perspective of other articles,
why it is important to the body of knowledge (or not),
• or anything new or unexpected that it adds to your own understanding of the
topic
Each entry in the bibliography should be 150-200 words
● Nimmerblit, Griselda. "Flower Images in Fairy Tales
since World War II." Criticism in Contemporary Folk
Narratives 9.4 (1989): 71-89. Print.
Nimmerblit examines the significance of floral imagery in
five different contemporary fairy tales. She argues that
flowers have taken on an increasing importance in fairy
stories since the end of World War II as a means of
countering the "real world suburban sprawl that has
occurred during the same time period" (72). Wildflowers
in particular are used to evoke a Golden Age when
humankind and nature existed in perfect harmony.
Nimmerblit uses logical arguments to support her ideas,
which are rooted in the Paleo-Verdo theory developed by
the Greenman Folklorists. She also establishes some very
plausible linkages between her research and the Paleo-
Verdo-Jaundoists' theory of weed envy, making this article
of great interest to scholars in both schools of thought.
Properly cites quoted text
from the article.
Complete citation in a
recognized citation style (MLA)
Briefly summarizes the
main thrust of the article
https://wiki.ubc.ca/Library: How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
Critical assessment of the
article's quality as well as
its overall usefulness to
scholarship in the field
Brevity-sticks to ideal 10
sentence maximum, and
under 150 words.
HS 200 - please use
APA 6 or 7
Ideal 200
words
HS 200- you are
asked to compare
this article to the
others (similarities
and differences)
and assess what it
adds to body of
knowledge on the
topic./n Prior to beginning this assignment, students will select a health issue that they are interested in
analyzing – for example, obesity. Students may select a topic from a list provided, or select a different
topic (in discussion with the instructor).
Some suggested topics:
• chronic pain • dementia • substance use • health outcomes of violence/injury • chronic diseases
(arthritis, diabetes, asthma, etc) health problems of aging depression
For this assignment, students will create an annotated bibliography of three good quality research
articles, each looking at their topic from a different disciplinary perspective (biology/medicine,
psychology, sociology, geography, anthropology, economics, etc).
For this assignment, students are asked to provide a proper bibliographic reference for each selected
article and summarize in one paragraph (in their own words) the main argument and pertinent findings
of the article. At the conclusion of the paragraph, students will compare each article to the other two
articles and reflect briefly on the differences or unique perspectives that this article introduces to
knowledge about this topic.
Success indicators
Learning outcomes
●
Students will begin to find and access information on health studies topics from a variety of
good quality sources
Students will assemble and synthesize multiple ideas
●
●
●
●
Students will identify relevant and appropriate sources for their assignment
Students will show a good understanding of source materials and summarize clearly and
coherently in their own words
Learning
outcome:
Students will
begin to find and
access
Students will connect their sources to broader themes and ideas in their topic and reflect on
changes in their own understanding of this topic
information on
health studies
topics from a
variety of good
quality sources
Good
● Student selects
sources that relate
to their chosen topic
Student selects a
variety of sources
Student selects
information from
appropriate sources
and locations
Satisfactory
sources are not clearly
related to the topic
lacks a variety of
sources
information mainly
from convenient, non-
academic sources and
does not make use of
research strategies
Unsatisfactory
• sources are poor
quality and/or not
appropriate for the
topic or the
assignment
● Student selects
information from
inappropriate
locations HS 200 Lori Latta
Students will
assemble and
synthesize
multiple ideas
Summary of the article
shows good
understanding and
ability to identify and
rephrase key points.
Student establishes and
examines connections
between their sources
and broader ideas in
their topic, and among
different sources.
Summary shows some
understanding and ability
to summarize key points
with minimal repetition of
descriptive details.
Student provides a
superficial analysis of
connections between their
source and broader ideas
and themes
Summary is mainly
repetition of article's
content with no attempt
or weak attempt to
identify and rephrase
key points.
One of my favourite sources for APA referencing is Douglas College:
https://guides.douglascollege.ca/APA-7
This is what an annotated bibliography entry looks like:
Student does not
examine connections
between their sources
and broader ideas, or
among their different
sources
All referencing must follow APA 7 guidelines. See the U of R library website for APA guidelines
https://library.uregina.ca/introapa.
Koesling, D., Kieselbach, K., & Bozzaro, C. (2019). Chronic pain and society. Pain, 33, 220-225.
Koesling and colleagues' article discusses chronic pain using a sociological perspective. They argue that
although chronic pain is a global problem, groups are affected differently depending on their ethnicity,
gender, age, and socioeconomic status. Their findings indicate women and people of poverty are more
likely to suffer from the condition. Furthermore, how people are affected by and deal with chronic pain
is closely related to the social framework provided to the individual. Finally, they have found that how
society, and its medical system, interprets pain can promote the development of chronic pain. They
conclude by suggesting that medicine cannot address all of the problems of chronic pain; socio-political
measures also need consideration. A sociological perspective discovers how interactions can exacerbate
or alleviate how people experience chronic pain, which is crucial for the body of knowledge for
influencing and implementing public policies. This perspective does focus on variables similar to the
epidemiological paper; however, it places more attention on societal structures, behavioural factors,
and power relations, which allows them to examine how inequity affects chronic pain.
