LS 2201 - Handout  2                                                       THE TERM PROJECT                                                    I.  Purpose       The term project is not a research paper but a 14-item bibliography of sources       containing information for a research paper, perhaps in another class.  The project is       an annotated bibliography that demonstrates skills learned in achievement of the        course goal.  The assigned exercises are the practical machinery to assist you along       the way by providing experience in the application of the library's resources to real       needs and in developing independent learning skills. II.  Topic Selection       Students are allowed to choose their own topic.   Topics should be focused and chosen       on the basis of personal interest as well as potential benefit in other courses.  The topic       must be approved by the instructor before moving ahead, and no two students may       use the same topic. III. Content Requirements        A. Preface.  This is a paragraph with its own heading at the front of the bibliography                (single-spaced on a separate page) which describes the purpose, scope, and  audience.             It must include a thesis statement that explains what it is you intend to show, prove, argue             for, etc. and where the focus will be.  For stylistic reasons, first-person English should              not be used.        B. Entries.             1. Required Categories and Number of Entries                 a.  Two books                 b.  Two popular magazine articles                 c.  Two scholarly journal articles                 d.  Two newspaper articles                 e.  Two reference sources                 f.   Two government publications  (U.S. federal)                 g.  Two other sources                     (Must be different from any of the above.  Examples include such items as                     videocassettes, essays, Internet documents, or personal interviews)                 SPECIAL NOTE:  As students finish the 8 assignments, they will be able                 to collect the library items necessary to fill all of these categories.             2. Annotations                               Each citation must be annotated.  Each annotation must be no longer than one brief                 paragraph and contain BOTH an evaluative as well as a descriptive component.                 Sources should be well chosen in supporting the thesis.  Correct English is to be                 used and first-person English avoided.        C. Cards.  One set of cards is required for each entry.             1. Bibliography Card                 The purpose of a bib card is to record the citation of an information source as                 accurately as possible according to MLA format.  The top left corner of the                 card should be used to record bits of information to help retrieve the item again if                 needed, and could include such things as call number, library or collection name,                 name of a successful search engine, a successful database, or even successful                 keywords used.  Each bib card should show something in this corner.                             2. Note Card                   Should contain a summary of findings from your personal examination of the item as                 well as findings from the evaluative aids which you used.  These notes constitute the                 raw material for your annotations.            NOTE 1:   Cards may be handwritten because they merely serve as your work cards.            NOTE 2:   Your bib cards must be separate from your note cards.  In other words,                               both sides of one card may not be used in place of the two separate cards.            NOTE 3:    Please put your cards in the same order as the categories are listed in                               section III.B.1 above.  The top of each note card should state some                               information for linking it to the corresponding bib card.  This could be the                               author's last name and the first few words of the item's title. IV.  Form Requirements        A. Organization and Layout             1. A heading for the preface and each of the seven categories specified in Section III.B.                 The categories are to be listed in the same order as in Section III.B.                 The entries are to be grouped by category and listed under each category in                 alphabetical order by author (or by title if no author is known).             2. Preface, single-spaced on a separate page at the front of the bibliography             3. Consistency (the same format, print size, line spacing, etc. throughout).                          B. Bibliographic Form             1. Use the MLA guide for citing all information sources             2. Use Handout 6 for MLA examples             3. Use hanging indentations             4. Single space within each citation, annotation, and the preface             5. Double space between separate entries and between a citation and its annotation        C. Presentation             1. Bibliography and preface must be typewritten or computer-printed.  Overall                 appearance is neat.             2. Please submit your work in a folder, preferably one with a pocket on the flap to                 hold your cards.  Use a rubber band around your cards.   V.  Grading             The project is evaluated according to adherence to the specified requirements, with             the parts of the project weighted as follows:                                                Content 60%                      Form 40%                                                 Preface 10%                  Organization 10%                                                 Entries 30%                   Bib Form 20%                                                 Cards 20%                    Presentation 10%               Deadline:  The project is due by the final exam hour.