Writing Assignment #1 Critical Annotated Bibliography of Five Sources Summary of assignment Task: In this assignment you will write a list of at least 5 sources in alphabetical order in APA format. In addition, each reference will be followed by a short analytical summary of 150-200 words. At the end of the short summary, you will include a sentence or two that critically analyzes the source and that mentions distinctive features about the article and why it may or may not be useful for you in pursuing more research. Length: Each annotation should be 150-200 words. Format: APA Sources: Five sources, all of which you will find through UMGCs OneSearch o All of your articles should be from scholarly journals or credible trade journals. They should not be from popular journals. Strategies in Selecting a Topic for your Annotated Bibliography You may select a topic of your choice. However, when selecting a topic, keep in mind that it should be a topic on which a number of studies or scholarly articles have been published. Examples of topics students have chosen in the past or that would be workable for this assignment are the following: The impact of the Internet on research methods of students and plagiarism in student papers The impact of The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act on primary school education. The impact of mobile devices on cybersecurity Overall, in considering a topic, you might consider your major, topics that will be covered in future classes you plan to take at UMGC, and your interests. For example, please examine the following ideas: If your major is criminal justice, you might consider researching the different types of CSI effects that have been explored in the literature or researching what studies have noted about body cameras for law enforcement officials. If your major is psychology, you might consider researching counseling strategies, consumer behavior in online shopping, decision-making in upper-management positions, etc. If your major is history, you might consider researching theories on the Civil War, studies on labor patterns in the United States, an aspect of military history, etc. If your major is social science, you might consider researching community responses to health care threats, co-parenting patterns after divorce, etc. If your major is cybersecurity, you might consider researching different studies that analyze the training of employees on cyber issues or researching the Agile and Waterfall methods of project development. Whatever topic you consider, keep in mind that it should be a topic on which a number of studies or scholarly articles have been published. You will conduct all or most of your research using UMGCs OneSearch function in finding scholarly articles or articles from credible trade journals. Approach This assignment will be an analytical/critical annotated bibliography. The difference between the descriptive/informative annotated bibliography and the analytical/critical annotated bibliography is explained in the following video: The transcript is at: Moreover, the following website from UMGCs Information and Library Services provides more information on how to complete this assignment Critical thinking and A.I. for this assignment When creating an annotated bibliography, its important to read and think critically about your sources to ensure that your work is accurate, thoughtful, and useful. First, careful reading helps you fully understand the sources main arguments, evidence, and conclusions, which prevents misrepresentation. Critical thinking also allows you to evaluate a sources credibility by considering the authors credentials, the quality of the evidence, and how current or relevant the information is. In addition, it helps you recognize any bias or perspective the author may bring, which is essential for using the source appropriately and fairly. Another key reason for critical engagement is determining the sources relevance to your specific research question; not every source on your general topic will support your goals. By thinking deeply about your sources, youre also better able to make connections between them, identify patterns or gaps in the research, and build a strong foundation for your own argument. Finally, the process of writing an annotation requires more than just summarizingit involves evaluating and reflecting on how the source fits into your project. All of this is only possible if youve read and analyzed your materials with care and attention. If you plan to use a Large Language Model, or A.I., please use the following information to guide your use: 1. Use AI as a support tool, not a replacement for your own thinking and writing. AI can help summarize or explain sources, but your synthesisthe combining of ideas and your own analysisshould be your work. 2. Always read and understand your sources yourself. Dont rely on AI to tell you what a source says. Use it to clarify language or check your interpretation but engage directly with each source. 3. Avoid having AI generate your annotations. Its okay to ask for help brainstorming or organizing, but writing entire sections with AI and submitting them as your own is plagiarism. 4. Cite AI if it contributed to your thinking. When using AI to help generate ideas, summaries, or outlines, acknowledge that in a note or comment. Example: “I used ChatGPT to help brainstorm connections among my sources, but all analysis and writing are my own.” 5. Check AI-generated content against your sources. AI can hallucinate (make things up) or misrepresent information. Always verify any summaries or facts it provides. 6. Do not fabricate sources or citations with AI. Generating fake quotes, authors, or studies is academic dishonesty. Submitting the assignment: You will submit an initial draft of the essay to the assignment folder. The first draft will not be graded. The instructor will provide comments to it. After receiving comments from the instructor, you will submit a revised draft to the same assignment folder. The final draft will be graded. APA Style The paper should be formatted in APA style. The link APA 7th edition example student paper from Week 3 will be a helpful resource. In summary, you should observe the following: Use one-inch margins. Double space. Use size 12 Times New Roman font. Include a running head. Include page numbers. Include a title page. Include a References page on which you list the articles in APA style Include working links to all sources, or copies of pdfs of all sources Include acknowledgment of any AI/LLM use. Describe how the tool was used. Helpful Resources and Websites The following are some links to sample Annotated Bibliographies. Some of them give examples in APA format. You may want to observe these examples and perhaps model your work after them. A variety of samples from The University of North Carolina Writing Center, including these specific examples of APA-style annotations. You can find that at the following page: Some instruction from Cornell University. The website also provides more information on the process of writing an annotated bibliography. You can find that at the following page: Some instruction from East Carolina University. You can find it at the following page: &p=98192 PS: My major is in Homeland Security would like my assignment to focus on it
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