SUGGESTED READING:
Research Strategies: pp. 99 - 103 about plagiarism; pp. 103 -106 about quotations and paraphrasing; pp. 152 - 155 for in-text citations; pp. 164 - 168 for sample References to Web sources; & pp. 170 - 177 for a sample APA essay
Bryant & Stratton College APA Style Guide: p. 23 for a sample Reference & in-text citation for borrowing content from a Web page; pp. 1, 3-7, 9, 33 for general rules; & pp. 35 – 38 for sample essay & References
Bring your textbooks to class as an aide for a possible quiz question about the readings.
HOW TO Write an Annotation, Which Evaluates an Internet Source
Annotations consist of 3-4 sentences, which are indented immediately below a Reference. The sentences summarize and evaluate briefly the cited source. Annotated references in a list are sometimes called an “annotated bibliography.”
In your annotations you will evaluate the sources on the Internet, which you use in describing characteristics of your career specializations. At least two of the following criteria for evaluating sources should appear in the sentences in which you evaluate each source. You can use a synonym for a criterion in your annotations. For example “un-biased” and “neutral” are synonyms for “Objectivity.” For example, the following sample evaluations mean the same thing –
“The Occupational Outlook Handbook is un-biased, because it is a government publication”; or
“The Occupational Outlook Handbook is objective, because it is a .gov site.”
The meaning of each of the five criteria for evaluation are provided, below.
Accuracy:
One or more individual authors (exclude webmasters) and a sponsor can be identified and contacted.
References, citations, or other documentation of evidence are available through which a reader can verify claims made in a
source.
A check of independent sources, such as database articles, supports the claims and facts made by the site under
evaluation.
Authoritativeness:
The credentials of the Web site’s author and his/her affiliation are identified. Or the backgrounds of members of a sponsoring
organization are provided. Or the expertise of the sponsoring organization is acknowledged easily by looking at other sites.
The Web domain of the source shows one of the following: .gov for a government publication; .org for a professional
association or organization; or .edu for an educational institution.
Objectivity:
The purpose of the site is stated, as well as any bias.
The content consists mostly of facts and descriptions, or an argument is presented with a fair representation of different points
of view.
No advertising and commercial sponsors are associated with a Web site in a way that could influence the content.
Currency: The source shows a recent copyright and/or revision date.
Coverage:The scope of the discussed topic is adequate in regard to the site’s purpose.
The links cross-reference a variety of sources for additional information.
The links cross-reference a variety of sources for additional information.
The source does not restrict access through fee requirements, copyright restrictions, or special registration and affiliation.
