Reference no: EM132524374

Instructions

For this assignment, you must research an area of specialization using the NCU library. Begin by locating 10 articles that include some form of empirical research within the past 5 years. Look for articles with a clearly identified problem, some kind of testing or data collection, and results that are analyzed and presented. It's a good idea to collect articles of a similar subject matter.

Part 1

Using the 10 collected articles, write an annotated bibliography that examines the most current publications on a research topic. An annotated bibliography is a collection of annotations that provides a brief account of the available research on a given topic. While creating an annotation for a single article helps you think deeply about that article, creating an annotated bibliography with multiple annotations helps you gain a good perspective on what's currently being published about a research topic.

The annotations in your annotated bibliography should indicate you have selected a range of materials related to your topic and that you have critically read and thought about the content in each article. You absolutely must be able to identify the key points of each article. If you can't easily do this, then the article probably doesn't support your topic very well and should not be included in the research effort.

Annotated Bibliography Guidelines

When creating an annotated bibliography based on APA style, the annotated bibliography should consist of two elements: the citation in APA style and the annotation. The length of each annotation in the annotated bibliography should be approximately 1 to 3 paragraphs. Each annotation should include these items:

Summary: Summarize the article by indicating the main arguments, the purpose of the article, and the covered topics. Be sure the summary answers the following questions: If someone asked what this article is about, what would you say? What type of research was conducted? What were the results?

Assessment: After summarizing the article, you must evaluate the quality of the article. Is the author a credible source? Is the information reliable? Is the content biased or objective? Is the research valid? Were there any limitations?

Reflection: Once you've summarized and assessed the article, you need to add a statement relating the item to your research topic. Think about how the article fits into your research. How does the article support your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Formatting

The annotation should immediately follow the citation on the next line, without an additional paragraph return. Double spacing is used throughout the document. The entire annotation should be indented 1 inch from the left. Only the author's last name in the citation is flush left.

Part 2

For the second part of this assignment, schedule a 15-minute video conference with your instructor to discuss your research topic and your favorite article from your annotated bibliography. Be ready to answer questions about the selected article and related articles presented in your annotated bibliography. You should be able to compare and contrast your favorite article with other research in its field, improvements that could be made to the article, and research that has been built upon that research since it was published.