A bibliography, or works cited page, is a page that follows a research essay that lists all sources that were used to create the essay. Each sources is listed alphabetically using proper MLA citation. Bibliographies are crucial, as they show that you have done the required research work and that you have given credit to the work of others that you have used and cited.
BUT NOT ALL RESEARCH ENDS IN AN ESSAY.
SO HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR CITATION LEGIT?
Annotated bibliographies are used to list sources for non-essay research projects, such as presentations or experiments. An annotated bibliography is similar to a regular bibliography, but each bolded citation is followed by a short paragraph, which has three parts:
SUMMARY: Give a brief summary (under five sentences) of the source, including any main ideas or arguments.
CONTRIBUTION: How did this contribute to your research? Was it very useful or only good for a couple facts? Easy to read? Hard to read? What inquiry questions did it answer?
CREDIBILITY: Why is the source credible? Is it a primary or secondary source? Did you find any bias? Do you agree with the author’s argument or observations?
CONTRIBUTION: How did this contribute to your research? Was it very useful or only good for a couple facts? Easy to read? Hard to read? What inquiry questions did it answer?
CREDIBILITY: Why is the source credible? Is it a primary or secondary source? Did you find any bias? Do you agree with the author’s argument or observations?
Just like a works cited page, your citations should be in alphabetical order, with the title of your topic at the top and an MLA header. Below is an example of an annotated bibliography (Note: the sample follows MLA style).
Annotated Bibliography: The Beat Subculture
“The Beatnik Generation.” Voices of East Anglia. Voices of East Anglia, 2011.
This article summarize the Beat generation, how it started, and the legacy it has on today. The article goes into great depth and uses several photographs and illustrations from the period. This secondary source is the one I used the most for my outline information. Voice of East Anglia is a blog on different eras of fashion and subculture that is professionally funded and fact-checked, so I know it is a credible source.
Bukowski, Charles. Post Office (1971). Ecco, 2002.
Post Office is an autobiographical novel about Bukowski’s life working at the Post Office. Written in 1971, this was Bukowski’s first novel and summarized many of his ideas on how the Beat Generation was still around, fighting against government institutions and looking for meaning. This primary source gives great insight on what the life of this Beat legend was like during the 1950s and 1960s, though it wasn’t the most contributive source. As Bukowski was one of the most well-known Beat poets, I know this source is credible.
Crezo, Adrienne. “26 Beatnik Slang Words and Phrases We Should All Start Using." Mental Floss. Felix Dennis, 14 September 2012.
This article from Mental Floss lists twenty-six words in Beatnik lingo and what they mean. While this isn’t the most contributive source, it was easy to read and listed the Beat lingo better than any other site I’ve found, which I can use in presenting. As Mental Floss is one of the top-read and cited internet magazines, I know that this is a credible secondary source.
Dylan, Bob. “Masters of War.” The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Colombia, 1963.
Dylan’s song is about how he hates the people who create the wars that kill young men. A reaction to World War II, he tells the makers of war that they “aren’t worth the blood in your veins” and that he “hope that you die/and your death will come soon.” Like most folk songs, it is just Dylan’s vocals and an acoustic guitar. This primary source really helped me understand out the antiwar sentiments of the Beats were angrier and more intense than those of later hippies. I know the source is credible because every secondary source I’ve read has mentioned Bob Dylan as a Beat artist.
Ginsberg, Allen. “Howl” (1956). Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, accessed 14 February 2013.
Ginsberg’s “Howl” is considered one of the most important poems of the Beat generation. “Howl,” originally published in 1955, starts with his anger toward World War II killing so many of his peers, and then discusses his experiences in the Beat community. Almost every stanza reveals the Beat culture in detail, including their drug use and instances of homosexuality; these scenes are so descriptive that Ginsberg was put on trial for obscenity. This primary source provides an insider’s look into the Beat culture, and while it is a bit biased in favor of the Beats, it still portrays their activities and values in a way that contributes much to understanding their culture.
- - - . Kaddish (1956). Arion Press, 1992.
“Kaddish” is a long-form poem that describes Ginsberg’s reaction to the death of his father. He finds himself saying the traditional Jewish prayer for his father, caught between the idea of doubting his faith while embracing its practices. This primary source really shows the conflict the Beats had between wanting to be religious and disliking religious institutions. I know it is credible because Ginsberg is one of the most well-known Beat poets; though it is a bit hard to read, it is mired in the Beat style.
Holmes, John Clellon. “This is the Beat Generation.” The New York Times Magazine, 16 November 1952: 10-22.
Holmes’ article describes the Beat generation to national readers in print for the first time. He compares the Beats to the Lost Generation, and criticizes them for their drug use and lack of caring. This primary source contributed to my research by showing me how the mainstream society of the 1950s saw the Beats. While it is credible source and shows how Beats were seen by others, it is biased against the Beats and describes them as a bad influence.
“How to Look Like a Stereotypical Beatnik.” WikiHow. Mediawiki, 2008.
This article shows the usual style trappings of the Beat: what clothes they wear, the popular activities, etc. It also demonstrates that there is still a desire to dress and act like a Beat. Though this secondary source isn’t the most credible (being from a wiki), all of the details in it are supported by more credible sources I’ve found. The advantage it has over those other sources is that it is more visual and thus easier to read.
Kerouac, Jack. On the Road (1957). Viking, 1997.
On the Road details Kerouac’s journeys through the American West in the late 1940s. Kerouac talks about his search for identity, and expresses the Beat ideals of distrusting mainstream society and sharing resources as a community. The book highlights Beat pastimes, like going to jazz clubs and traveling to abandoned places. This contributed to my research by showing me what Beat culture was like through Keruoac’s eyes. This primary source is considered “the Beat Bible” that inspired tons of teens to join the Beats. The source is very credible; though Kerouac changes character names, On the Road is a true story.
Village Sunday: Bohemian Life in Greenwich Village, New York. Directed and written by Stewart Wilensky, narrated by Jean Shepherd. Independently produced, 1960. YouTube.
“Village Sunday” is a 1963 documentary by Stewart Wilensky showing the Beats living in Greenwich Village in New York City. The documentary shows how the Beats spend their Sundays talking and reading in the park, making music, and reading poetry. This primary source is credible, as it was shot by an objective filmmaker and does not say if the Beat are good or bad but merely describes them. While the source did not contribute too much new information, it did illustrate many ideas about the Beats I found in other sources.
Wilentz, Sean. “Penetrating Aether: The Beat Generation and Allen Ginsberg’s America.” The New Yorker. Conde Nast, 16 August 2010.
This article, from the book Bob Dylan in America, explores the connection between the Beat poets and Bob Dylan. Both Dylan and the Beats were inspired by Woody Guthrie, and as they both became popular at the same time, Dylan fell into the Beat attitude. Dylan loved the poetry of Ginsberg (later becoming his friend) and based some of his songs off Kerouac’s On the Road. This secondary source is credible because it comes from a published, fully researched book, and the article contributes to my understanding of Dylan as a Beat.
This article summarize the Beat generation, how it started, and the legacy it has on today. The article goes into great depth and uses several photographs and illustrations from the period. This secondary source is the one I used the most for my outline information. Voice of East Anglia is a blog on different eras of fashion and subculture that is professionally funded and fact-checked, so I know it is a credible source.
Bukowski, Charles. Post Office (1971). Ecco, 2002.
Post Office is an autobiographical novel about Bukowski’s life working at the Post Office. Written in 1971, this was Bukowski’s first novel and summarized many of his ideas on how the Beat Generation was still around, fighting against government institutions and looking for meaning. This primary source gives great insight on what the life of this Beat legend was like during the 1950s and 1960s, though it wasn’t the most contributive source. As Bukowski was one of the most well-known Beat poets, I know this source is credible.
Crezo, Adrienne. “26 Beatnik Slang Words and Phrases We Should All Start Using." Mental Floss. Felix Dennis, 14 September 2012.
This article from Mental Floss lists twenty-six words in Beatnik lingo and what they mean. While this isn’t the most contributive source, it was easy to read and listed the Beat lingo better than any other site I’ve found, which I can use in presenting. As Mental Floss is one of the top-read and cited internet magazines, I know that this is a credible secondary source.
Dylan, Bob. “Masters of War.” The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Colombia, 1963.
Dylan’s song is about how he hates the people who create the wars that kill young men. A reaction to World War II, he tells the makers of war that they “aren’t worth the blood in your veins” and that he “hope that you die/and your death will come soon.” Like most folk songs, it is just Dylan’s vocals and an acoustic guitar. This primary source really helped me understand out the antiwar sentiments of the Beats were angrier and more intense than those of later hippies. I know the source is credible because every secondary source I’ve read has mentioned Bob Dylan as a Beat artist.
Ginsberg, Allen. “Howl” (1956). Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, accessed 14 February 2013.
Ginsberg’s “Howl” is considered one of the most important poems of the Beat generation. “Howl,” originally published in 1955, starts with his anger toward World War II killing so many of his peers, and then discusses his experiences in the Beat community. Almost every stanza reveals the Beat culture in detail, including their drug use and instances of homosexuality; these scenes are so descriptive that Ginsberg was put on trial for obscenity. This primary source provides an insider’s look into the Beat culture, and while it is a bit biased in favor of the Beats, it still portrays their activities and values in a way that contributes much to understanding their culture.
- - - . Kaddish (1956). Arion Press, 1992.
“Kaddish” is a long-form poem that describes Ginsberg’s reaction to the death of his father. He finds himself saying the traditional Jewish prayer for his father, caught between the idea of doubting his faith while embracing its practices. This primary source really shows the conflict the Beats had between wanting to be religious and disliking religious institutions. I know it is credible because Ginsberg is one of the most well-known Beat poets; though it is a bit hard to read, it is mired in the Beat style.
Holmes, John Clellon. “This is the Beat Generation.” The New York Times Magazine, 16 November 1952: 10-22.
Holmes’ article describes the Beat generation to national readers in print for the first time. He compares the Beats to the Lost Generation, and criticizes them for their drug use and lack of caring. This primary source contributed to my research by showing me how the mainstream society of the 1950s saw the Beats. While it is credible source and shows how Beats were seen by others, it is biased against the Beats and describes them as a bad influence.
“How to Look Like a Stereotypical Beatnik.” WikiHow. Mediawiki, 2008.
This article shows the usual style trappings of the Beat: what clothes they wear, the popular activities, etc. It also demonstrates that there is still a desire to dress and act like a Beat. Though this secondary source isn’t the most credible (being from a wiki), all of the details in it are supported by more credible sources I’ve found. The advantage it has over those other sources is that it is more visual and thus easier to read.
Kerouac, Jack. On the Road (1957). Viking, 1997.
On the Road details Kerouac’s journeys through the American West in the late 1940s. Kerouac talks about his search for identity, and expresses the Beat ideals of distrusting mainstream society and sharing resources as a community. The book highlights Beat pastimes, like going to jazz clubs and traveling to abandoned places. This contributed to my research by showing me what Beat culture was like through Keruoac’s eyes. This primary source is considered “the Beat Bible” that inspired tons of teens to join the Beats. The source is very credible; though Kerouac changes character names, On the Road is a true story.
Village Sunday: Bohemian Life in Greenwich Village, New York. Directed and written by Stewart Wilensky, narrated by Jean Shepherd. Independently produced, 1960. YouTube.
“Village Sunday” is a 1963 documentary by Stewart Wilensky showing the Beats living in Greenwich Village in New York City. The documentary shows how the Beats spend their Sundays talking and reading in the park, making music, and reading poetry. This primary source is credible, as it was shot by an objective filmmaker and does not say if the Beat are good or bad but merely describes them. While the source did not contribute too much new information, it did illustrate many ideas about the Beats I found in other sources.
Wilentz, Sean. “Penetrating Aether: The Beat Generation and Allen Ginsberg’s America.” The New Yorker. Conde Nast, 16 August 2010.
This article, from the book Bob Dylan in America, explores the connection between the Beat poets and Bob Dylan. Both Dylan and the Beats were inspired by Woody Guthrie, and as they both became popular at the same time, Dylan fell into the Beat attitude. Dylan loved the poetry of Ginsberg (later becoming his friend) and based some of his songs off Kerouac’s On the Road. This secondary source is credible because it comes from a published, fully researched book, and the article contributes to my understanding of Dylan as a Beat.