Overview
For this assignment your group will submit a summary of 12-15 research sources that provide the relevant background knowledge to inform your research project (i.e., the literature review).
The main purpose of your research project is to create new knowledge to address the problem and research questions you specify in your proposal. But the justification for creating this new knowledge through a new research project is based on the limits or shortcomings of what we already know. Therefore, you need to justify your new research project within the context of what is already known about your topic—and thus what more we need to learn. This comes from reviewing previous research/literature and identifying relevant gaps and/or unanswered questions that your project will address.
Your annotated bibliography should list the full citation for each of your research sources in bold font, followed by a 200-300-word single-spaced, non-bold font annotation that summarizes the main ideas of the research source and explains how it contributes to your research project (see sample annotations below for ).
Your group should submit one annotated bibliography and everyone will get the same grade based on the following criteria:
- Minimum number of research sources [10 pts]
12-15 sources
- Relevance and value of research sources [15 pts]
Clearly related to your research context, topic, problem, questions, and conceptual framework - Complete and accurate citations of research sources [10 pts]
Any format is permitted—APA, MLA, etc.—just be consistent and thorough...but don't just copy and paste hyperlinks!
- Relevant and insightful annotations [15 pts]
Useful summary of the material and a brief explanation of how it contributes to your research - Quality writing & formatting [10 pts]
Single-spaced, citations numbered, citations have bold font and annotations have non-bold font, proper grammar, spelling, etc.
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SAMPLE ANNOTATIONS
(1) Pace, J. L., & Hemmings, A. (2007). Understanding Authority in Classrooms: A Review of Theory, Ideology, and Research. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 4-27. DOI: 10.3102/003465430298489
The main idea of this article is that classroom authority between teachers and students is both essential and not fully understood. Drawing on social theory, educational ideology, and qualitative research, the authors examine how authority operates in classroom settings. They identify several kinds of authority—traditional, charismatic, legal-rational, professional, and moral—and argue that teachers typically draw on a blend of these forms in practice. The article also emphasizes that authority is necessary for effective classroom functioning. However, Pace and Hemmings stress that authority is not fixed; rather, it is “a social construction that is built, taken apart, and rebuilt by teachers and students." This means that students and teachers share expectations, norms, and values that shape how authority is enacted, and that these dynamics are always contextual and relational.
This article is relevant to our research project because it helps us better understand the hierarchy created by authority and power relationships in college classrooms. In order to analyze how classroom environments and learning experiences are influenced by professor–student ideologies, it is important to first understand the kinds of authority professors hold and how they use it. The theoretical and empirical background offered in this article provides a foundation for our key concepts of power structure and fairness. While the article focuses on reviewing and critiquing prior research and theory, our group will apply these ideas in our qualitative study of college classes. For example, we will explore whether the different types of authority identified by Pace and Hemmings appear in interview stories, focus groups, and classroom observations.
(2) Weaver, R. R., & Qi, J. (2005). Classroom organization and participation: college students’ perceptions. Journal of Higher Education, 76(5), 570-601. DOI: 10.1080/00221546.2005.11772299
The main idea of this article is that student classroom participation has significant value because it promotes critical thinking and improves information retention. However, the authors note that student participation in college classes is generally low, with only a small group of students regularly contributing while professors dominate most interaction. They argue that the formal structure of the college classroom may actually discourage participation. Other factors influencing participation include class size, age, gender ratios, faculty authority and expertise, faculty–student interaction, and fear of criticism. The article also highlights informal influences such as fear of peer judgment and para-participation, where students are engaged mentally but do not speak. Weaver and Qi ultimately frame the classroom as a social organization whose structures shape participation patterns.
This article is relevant to our research project because we are interested in how student participation influences the overall classroom environment and learning experience. Understanding the dynamics that encourage or inhibit participation will help us analyze how professor–student relationships shape classroom interaction. The background provided by Weaver and Qi identifies key structural and relational factors that may affect students’ willingness to speak up in class. Our research seeks to build on this work by examining whether these same factors remain relevant for students at CU Boulder and by identifying additional influences on participation. In particular, we will explore how perceptions of faculty authority, interaction styles, and classroom norms shape students’ behavior and whether these contribute to or hinder an effective and fair learning environment.