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Choose one of four plays to become experts on throughout the remainder of the course: Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, Titus Andronicus, or Much Ado About Nothing.
Using MLA format, compile an annotated bibliography of important or interesting critical works related to the selected play. This bibliography will form the basis for your lists of works cited for the Play Expert Paper, which is due by the end of Module 8.
The bibliography can include both print and electronic sources, but needs at least five books or articles that have been found through GCU’s eLibrary.
IMPORTANT NOTE: General encyclopedias (like the online Encyclopedia Britannica or Wikipedia) and “general notes” websites (e.g., Cliff’s Notes) should never be used as direct sources for academic papers. They may be useful tools for an orientation to a topic, but usually contain common knowledge or sometimes questionable information. They can, however, direct you to more specific sources.
An annotated bibliography includes the properly formatted entry for the work, followed by a one-paragraph description of its contents. The paragraph should stress the source’s specific relevance to the play that the student has chosen to become an expert on, as well as provide a succinct explanation of the author’s argument and its importance to the study of Shakespeare.
This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.
Below is an example of one annotated bibliography entry. Note that it is provided in MLA format.
Sample Annotated Bibliography:
Cohen, Walter. “Intro to Love’s Labour’s Lost.” The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Edition. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt et al. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2008. 767-773.
Cohen argues that Love’s Labour’s Lost is a play in which the “wooing and wedding” have “broader social implications” (767). He suggests that the play’s recent resurgence in popularity is due to its use of puns, class and gender issues. This introduction will be useful as evidence for a feminist reading of the play. Cohen’s work assists in a contemporary reading of the play, while still incorporating useful context.
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