Activity 1: What are the parts of an annotated bibliography?

Instructions: Read the example below and then talk with a classmate to answer the
discussion questions.

Jaynes, J. (1976). The origin of consciousness in the breakdown of the

bicameral mind.
Boston:Houghton Mifflin.

Written for scholars, Jaynes argues that humans before the second
millennium B.C. (2000 BCE through 1001) were schizophrenic and lacked
subjective consciousness; people instead had a bicameral, or divided,
mind. Bicameral Man operated as an automaton through powerful
hallucinations which came from the right hemisphere into the left
hemisphere as auditory commands or visions (perceived as “gods”)
through the anterior commissure connecting both parts of the brain.
Through an analysis of Greek literature, scientific studies, and great leaps
of faith in theorizing, Jaynes makes the case that the bicameral mind is
responsible for religion, worship of idols, and funerary customs (among
other things), and that consciousness only emerged through the
development of language and civilization. After reading this, part of me
said: this is farfetched!, while another part of me said: hey, who said
that? Heavy scientific evidence is lacking. For example, Jaynes believes
hypnosis exists and proves the existence of remnants of the Bicameral
Mind, while the Amazing Randi, the magician, does not (and science
hasn’t conclusively proved it either). Julian Jaynes (1920-1997) was an
American psychologist, educated at Yale University, McGill University and
Harvard University.

Note: I made this one to use as an example. Check with your professor for assignment details, such as word length,
components of the annotation, citation style, number of required citations, and source type requirements. -Mr.
Morales/UTEP Librarian

Discussion Questions:
What are the main components of an annotated bibliography?
What is the usefulness of an annotated bibliography? (Who benefits?)

Activity 2: Describing the Anatomy of a Annotated Bibliography

Instructions: Compare and contrast the examples below. What would you say are the
main components of an annotated bibliography? How are abstracts, book reviews,
literature reviews, and annotated bibliographies different?
An Annotated Bibliography of LGBTQ Rhetorics.
SCHOLARLY ARTICLE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Note: Scroll down to Section 1 to see the annotated bibliography.
 Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality.
BOOK REVIEW- Long
Parallel Universes
SCHOLARLY ARTICLE ABSTRACT
Vampires, werewolves, and zombies, oh, my!
BOOK REVIEWS- short
Identifying the prevailing images in library and information science profession: is the landscape changing?
LITERATURE REVIEW

Activity 3:
Instructions: Now that you know what the parts of an annotated bibliography are, try
your hand at creating an annotated bibliography for the following article. Due to time
constraints, limit your product to four sentences maximum, three minimum.

Randi, J. (2002). How to Talk to the Dead. Skeptic, 9(3), 9. Retrieved from: http://0-
search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=7278730&site=eds-
live&scope=site
Alternate Activity
Instructions: Read over the various annotated bibliography (made-up) examples below. Then
answer the questions for each one.
Example #1:
Jaynes, J. (1976). The origin of consciousness in the breakdown of the bicameral mind. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
Written for scholars, Jaynes argues that humans before the second millennium B.C. (2000
BCE through 1001) were schizophrenic and lacked subjective consciousness; people
instead had a bicameral, or divided, mind. Bicameral Man operated as an automaton
through powerful hallucinations which came from the right hemisphere into the left
hemisphere as auditory commands or visions (perceived as “gods”) through the anterior
commissure connecting both parts of the brain. Through an analysis of Greek literature,
scientific studies, and great leaps of faith in theorizing, Jaynes makes the case that the
bicameral mind is responsible for religion, worship of idols, and funerary customs (among
other things), and that consciousness only emerged through the development of language
and civilization.
Questions:
1. Are all the annotated bibliography parts accounted for?
2. What would you change (add or subtract) to make this a more effective annotated bibliography?
Example #2:
The reign of terror: a collection of authentic narratives of the horrors committed by the revolutionary
government of France under Marat and Robespierre, written by eye-witnesses of the scenes.
Translated from the French. Interspersed with biographical notices of prominent characters, and
curious anecdotes illustrative of a period without its parallel in history. (1898). London: Leonard
Smithers, 1898. Vol. I & II.
This is essential primary source material for anyone interested in everyday life under the
Terror, where patriotism raised to hysteria made mass murderers out of “common” people;
the smallest gesture (such as the clothing you wore, the vocabulary you used, etc.) could
betray you as an enemy of the people; anyone (e.g, a carpenter neighbor) could bring up
suspicions against you and separate you from your liberty (and perhaps even your life). This
author disagrees with one of the central arguments made by the editors, that those who
lived to tell where saved by Providential intervention. Whether taken literally or as a manner
of speaking, it nevertheless casts a veil of bias over those True Believers not saved for
 posterity, or history (with a capital H), as somehow deserving their fate. This is relevant for
anyone who is interested in the secular aspects of the question of “banality of evil” or “why
do good people do bad thing?” It also proves that the terror was not just State-sponsored
bureaucratic tyranny, but that everyday people participated in extemporaneous judgement
and executions (being accused or in the presence of the accused was enough proof of
evidence). This source is useful towards adding first-hand accounts to this author's analysis
of the French Revolution, lending evidential weight to the secondary and tertiary sources
listed in this annotated bibliography.
Questions:
1. Are all the annotated bibliography parts accounted for?
2. What would you change (add or subtract) to make this a more effective annotated bibliography?
Example #3:
Meryman, R. (1996). Andrew Wyeth: a secret life. United States of America: HarperCollins Pubs.
This book, a biography of American realist painter Andrew Wyeth, presents the subject to a
general audience in an accessible way, through insights into various aspects of his life
(childhood, artist father, wife, neighbors), and of course the work (although not widely
known- perhaps due to art market tastes- Wyeth has made some iconic images, perhaps
most famously Christina’s World). This is a useful source. The author is knowledgeable and
well-qualified (and therefore a very authoritative source on this subject). The author of this
paper chose this as a main reference source to inform my paper on the creation process of
this artist's work. This added useful details to my informational paper on why and how artists
create works of art.
Questions:
1. Are all the annotated bibliography parts accounted for?
2. What would you change (add or subtract) to make this a more effective annotated bibliography?