Posted: February 7th, 2016

How does a literature review differ from a typical research paper? What techniques should you use to summarize and synthesize an entire reference source into a single paragraph annotation?

Scenario: In your Professional Writing course, the instructor has assigned a major research paper on a subject of your choice. The first phase of the assignment is to conduct a literature review, and create an annotated bibliography of the sources you intend to use in writing the paper.

After exploring the sub-tabs about Annotated Bibliography How-tos and Literature Reviews, please answer these questions:

How does a literature review differ from a typical research paper?
What techniques should you use to summarize and synthesize an entire reference source into a single paragraph annotation?
How should you assess and reflect on the entries in your annotated bibliography?

Critical Thinking Question
Do you believe creating an annotated bibliography for a research project will speed up or slow down the project, overall? Be sure to clearly state the reasons for your opinion.