Journalism and Mass Communication

Lohman
CMST 180
Research Paper Project: Annotated Bibliography
ASSIGNMENT: Prepare a two-page annotated bibliography of research on a specific topic
related to a mass media problem. Include 4-6 credible, verifiable sources. Your sources
should include at least one print source, one web site, and one article found using the
Lexis/Nexis database.
TOPIC: Research a problem which relates to one or more of the mass media covered in
class. Be able to identify this problem with a specific thesis sentence. I expect you to include
this sentence at the top of your annotated bibliography.
Sample topics:
“Digital Video Recorders are making it harder for advertisers to reach consumers.”
“Illegal file-sharing is causing the recorded music industry to shrink.”
FORMAT:
Do not exceed two pages, and do not double-space the document. Include your name, class
time—including the days of the week that the class meets–and due date at the top of the
page, as well as the sentence that expresses your topic. Organize your bibliographic
information according to MLA format.
CRITERIA:
You will be graded on the following aspects of your paper.
1.) Mechanics (spelling, punctuation, MLA format, etc.)
2.) Following Directions (How well does your paper conform to the directions presented
herein?)
3.) Analysis and understanding of research and mass media topic
For information about annotated bibliographies, you might check the following web site:
How To Prepare An Annotated Bibliography
For information about MLA citations, you might check out the following web site:
Purdue Online Writing Lab(Remember that you are not doing in-text parenthetical citations for this project, you simply
need to structure each bibliography entry according to MLA style.)
SUBMISSION & DUE DATE: This assignment will be submitted through Canvas via
Turnitin, using the “Submit Annotated Bibliography” tool in the Annotated Bibliography
Module. Please follow the instructions in Canvas very carefully, and if you have any
technical questions, seek support at the OCC Computing Center.
There is a one-week window during which Annotated Bibliographies may be submitted.
 If you would like feedback about your written work, you must submit your
Annotated Bibliography before class begins on Monday, April 15. I encourage you
to do this! I would love to provide a brief critique and assist you as a writer.
 After class on Monday, April 15, you have until the beginning of class on April 22,
2019 to submit your Annotated Bibliography through Canvas.
 You will not receive feedback if you submit any time after the April 15 class, only a
grade. If you have questions about any grading, you may come to the very last
scheduled class session of the semester to ask.
 Your assignment will not be accepted after the final due date, for any reason, and
there will be absolutely no exceptions to this rule. Because of this, under no
circumstances should you wait until the last day to submit your assignment.
Do not submit any assignments during our class time. I will not accept them.
IMPORTANT:
• Avoid plagiarism! Your annotations should be your own, original work.
• The research that you find should be credible and appropriate for college work.
• Your textbook will not count as your print source, nor will any book you read for
extra credit in this class.
• Do not choose as your topic any of the sample topics presented in this paper or as
examples in class.
• You are expected to read completely any work that you are annotating. (Or
view/listen completely if it’s non-text based media, such as a documentary film.)
• The goal here is to access and evaluate research about a media problem, not to find
examples of the problem. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: Can we use quotations in our annotations?
A: You may make very minimal use of direct quotation only when absolutely necessary to
support a point you are making.
Q: Will you read my paper and give me feedback on it before I turn in the assignment?
A: No. For this assignment, think of me as the client who should see your best work, not
as a coach who will tell you what to do.
Q: This isn’t an English class, it’s a Communication/Journalism class; why do you care so
much about spelling and grammar?
A: I care because this is a college class. College students should develop the ability to
produce error-free written work.
Q: Do I have to turn in the research that I find along with the paper?
A: No, you will only be submitting the two-page annotated bibliography to me.
Q: How will you know which source is our print source, web site, and electronic database?
A: MLA guidelines stipulate a different format for different types of sources, so if you are
formatting your bibliography correctly, I’ll be able to tell. For example, I ask that you
include an “Accessed” date for web and electronic sources, but do not include this for print
sources.
Q: Should we include every URL (web address)?
A: You should include a URL for your web sites; you should not include a URL for articles
you found in an electronic database.
Q: Is there anything else you want to tell us about this assignment?
A: Yes! I encourage you to choose a topic that interests you. I encourage you to be very
detail-oriented—make sure that you are including every required component and following
all of the directions. And: I look forward to reading your work