Research Proposal Assignment

Nathaniel Meals

GSW 1120

14 March 2018

Research Proposal Assignment:

Some helpful hints on the annotated bibliography

When composing entries for your annotated bibliography, consider the following:

evaluate authority or background of author

comment on intended audience

compare or contrast this work w/ a previously cited entry

explain how this source sheds light on your research topic

Additionally, there are two possible analytical approaches you can follow as you detail the specifics of a given source:

Informative Approach

present thesis

neutral summary/synopsis of source

outline the main arguments used to defend thesis

highlight any controversial/exceptional evidence

state conclusion

Evaluative Approach

present thesis

assess source’s strengths/weaknesses

explain why this source is interesting to you or helpful

list what kind of and how much information is provided

evaluate usefulness: How do you anticipate this source contributing to your research paper?

These approaches need not be mutually exclusive. I recommend blending the informative and evaluative. Begin with the informative. Objectively explain the source’s thesis. Then summarize the source, paying special attention to its main arguments. Following this, transition into an evaluative examination in which you assess the source’s strengths and weaknesses, using specific information to verify your assessment. Finally, consider the source’s overall helpfulness and usefulness to your research project.Sample Annotated Bib. Entry:

Larson, N., Hannan, P. J., Fulkerson, J. A., Laska, M. N., Eisenberg, M. E., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2014). Secular trends in fast-food restaurant use among adolescents and maternal caregivers from 1999 to 2010. American journal of public health, 104(5), 62-69.

Within this article, the authors researched the effects that fast food and food made outside of the home can be traced to increased weight as well as poor nutrition. They also found by families eating together, the adolescents within the family tend to have healthier lifestyles. This research fits with the idea of my research topic as Americans are becoming more reliant of fast food with larger portion sizes rather than home cooked meals with smaller portion sizes, which is an important aspect to Europeans. This will support the argument that smaller portion sizes are beneficial.