Category: Cultural Studies

AFAS 302: AFRICANA STUDIES RESEARCH APPROACHES
Annotated Bibliography Assignment Guidelines
Assignment objectives
The primary objective of this assignment is to give you further understanding and appreciation of the scholarship on your research topic.
A companion objective is to provide you an understanding of the aspects of your research topic that have not been covered by the existing scholarship. This knowledge will help you to refine your research objective.
An annotated bibliography has two parts: bibliography and annotation.
A bibliography is a list works that have been consulted, used, or quoted in the course of researching a topic, investigating a problem or an issue, and in the overall process of producing another academic work. These reference materials could be books, book chapters, journal articles, internet materials, primary sources, secondary sources, etc. Each entry or work on the list must include a full bibliographic information on the material. For a book, this will include: author, title, publisher, place of publication, and date of publication. For a journal article, the full bibliographic information must include: author, title, volume, number, year, and page numbers (first and last) for the article. The documentation style must follow the MLA format.
An annotation is a synopsis of each entry on the bibliography list. This synopsis will begin with a general summary of the entry that centers on the thesis or the major argument of the work. Following this is the contribution of that work to the scholarship on and our general understanding of that topic. Each annotation should be between three and five sentences long and placed below its entry.
Your annotated bibliography should have no less than FIFTEEN academic sources. Consult with a Reference Librarian if you are unsure of what an academic source is.
Formatting:
Your name and Course Number must appear on the top left corner of the first page.
Assignment must be Times New Roman font, 12-point font size, one inch margins all around, and double-spaced.
Assignment file must be submitted as a Word Document.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your Annotated Bibliography easily!

Step 1: Understand the Assignment Requirements

Your annotated bibliography must include:
15 academic sources (books, journal articles, primary/secondary sources).
MLA format for citations.
Each source should have an annotation (3-5 sentences long).
Annotations must include:

• Summary of the source (thesis or main argument).
• Contribution to the research topic.
• How it enhances understanding of the topic.

Step 2: Find and Select Your Sources

• Use Google Scholar, JSTOR, PubMed, or your university library to find peer-reviewed sources.
• Focus on books, journal articles, and reliable academic sources.
• Keep track of each source’s author, title, publisher, publication date, and page numbers for proper MLA citation.

Step 3: Structure Your Annotated Bibliography

Each entry should follow this format:

MLA Citation (Hanging Indent Format)
Author(s). Title of the Book/Article. Publisher/Journal Name, Year, Page Numbers.

Annotation (3-5 sentences)
Summarize the source’s main argument or thesis.
Explain its contribution to the field.
Describe how it enhances your research.

Example Entry:

Smith, John. The Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture. Oxford University Press, 2020.

This book explores how climate change affects food production worldwide. The author argues that rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns threaten food security. Smith provides extensive data from global case studies, making this an essential source for understanding environmental challenges in agriculture.

Step 4: Format Your Bibliography in MLA Style

Use hanging indents (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
Alphabetize sources by the author’s last name.
Double-space the entire document.

Step 5: Edit and Finalize

Check MLA formatting for citations.
Ensure annotations are concise, clear, and insightful.
Proofread for grammar and clarity.

Final Step: Submit Your Work

• Review your bibliography to ensure all 15 sources are included.
• Submit before the deadline according to course instructions.

Now you’re ready to create a well-structured annotated bibliography with confidence!

AFAS 302: AFRICANA STUDIES RESEARCH APPROACHES
Literature Review Assignment Guidelines
Assignment objectives
Literature Review and this assignment have three objectives
Help you and understand the existing body of work on your topic.
Help you identify the gaps in the existing body of knowledge on your topic (areas or issues begging for attention from researchers/scholars).
Help you identify and carve out an area that you can focus on for your research.
Content and Organization
See Slides 11-14 on the Literature Review lecture (PowerPoint)
The review must be written in essay format with clearly defined introduction, main body, and conclusion.
Formatting:
Your name, Course Number, and Assignment #3: Literature Review must all appear on the top left corner of the first page or on your title page.
Use the approved Research title (from Assignment #1) as the title of your essay. This title must be centered and underlined.
Assignment must be submitted in Times New Roman font, 12-point font size, one inch margins all around, and double-spaced.
Literature review must be four pages long (no more, no less). This length requirement excludes the title page (not required but may be used) and the works cited page (on a separate page). All pages must be numbered.
The review essay must include references to a minimum of FIFTEEN academic works (Journal articles and/or books).
List of works on the “Works Cited” page must be numbered.
The list of works must be arranged in alphabetical order using the authors’ last names
Use the MLA style of documentation for your in-text citations.
Assignment must be submitted as a Word Document.
Violation of any of these guidelines will be penalized.

Students can choose a topic of interest in any HRM area covered in the course. Given the point of view taken in HRM591, the paper should reflect one of the course objectives or one of the course’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. One consideration is how the chosen topic has changed to meet the challenges presented by a technology-driven global economy. Research should trace the historical roots of the subject and how technology, globalization, and other strategic forces have shaped its changes. The paper length should be a minimum of ten to twelve pages— not including title and reference page(s)—and comply with all formatting and APA style standards. In addition to the course objectives and knowledge, skills, and abilities provided, the following ideas are included.
The role of social media in organizations today and their use by human resources
The role of employee retention as a strategy to enhance performance and productivity
The role of total rewards in motivating staff performance
Employment law issues in the 21st century, primarily focusing on the new economy just now developing
The evolving role of staff performance from bureaucratic performance appraisal to comprehensive performance management
The role of labor and unions in the 21st century
Measuring HR through predictive analytics
Line/HR partnerships
Most of the best-known academic and popular journals will provide acceptable content. Primary among them are some of the following journals and publications.
People & Strategy(formerly Human Resource Planning)
Harvard Business Review
Human Resource Management
Academy of Management Journals(various titles included)
Journal of Labor Economics
Human Resource Management Review
Personnel Psychology
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Journal of Management
Sloan Management Review
California Management Review
Administrative Sciences Quarterly
This paper should reflect the collective efforts of the entire course content and the strategic evolution of HRM from a marginalized area of practice to one that assumes a position within management that is reflective of the potential role that effective workforce planning and development can play. Students’ research should defend why their chosen topics matter to senior management and the cost and benefit justifications required to support that position.

Instructions
“Voting is the most important way that a person can participate in politics in the United States.” Respond to this statement in a 500-word essay. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement. Be sure to clearly state your position and then defend your position with explanations that include examples which help support your points.

The presentation briefly describes the paper’s purpose, provides a summary of the research and conclusions, and briefly discusses how the researched topic could benefit the organization and the people that serve the company. It should have at least eight to ten slides—not including title or reference slides—and audio is required.
CategoryPoints%Description
Documentation and Formatting57% It has proper references according to APA guidelines.
Organization and Cohesiveness57% It is presented in a cohesive manner that flows from stated assumptions.
Editing57% It is spell-checked for meaning as well as accuracy.
Content5578%The presentation briefly described the paper’s purpose, provided a summary of the research and conclusions, and briefly discussed how the researched topic could benefit the organization and the people that serve the company. It should have at least eight to ten slides, not including title or reference slides. Audio quality is clear.
Total 100%

Instructions
“Voting is the most important way that a person can participate in politics in the United States.” Respond to this statement in a 500-word essay. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement. Be sure to clearly state your position and then defend your position with explanations that include examples which help support your points.

The presentation briefly describes the paper’s purpose, provides a summary of the research and conclusions, and briefly discusses how the researched topic could benefit the organization and the people that serve the company. It should have at least eight to ten slides—not including title or reference slides—and audio is required.
CategoryPoints%Description
Documentation and Formatting57% It has proper references according to APA guidelines.
Organization and Cohesiveness57% It is presented in a cohesive manner that flows from stated assumptions.
Editing57% It is spell-checked for meaning as well as accuracy.
Content5578%The presentation briefly described the paper’s purpose, provided a summary of the research and conclusions, and briefly discussed how the researched topic could benefit the organization and the people that serve the company. It should have at least eight to ten slides, not including title or reference slides. Audio quality is clear.
Total 100%

Instructions
“Voting is the most important way that a person can participate in politics in the United States.” Respond to this statement in a 500-word essay. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement. Be sure to clearly state your position and then defend your position with explanations that include examples which help support your points.

The presentation briefly describes the paper’s purpose, provides a summary of the research and conclusions, and briefly discusses how the researched topic could benefit the organization and the people that serve the company. It should have at least eight to ten slides—not including title or reference slides—and audio is required.
CategoryPoints%Description
Documentation and Formatting57% It has proper references according to APA guidelines.
Organization and Cohesiveness57% It is presented in a cohesive manner that flows from stated assumptions.
Editing57% It is spell-checked for meaning as well as accuracy.
Content5578%The presentation briefly described the paper’s purpose, provided a summary of the research and conclusions, and briefly discussed how the researched topic could benefit the organization and the people that serve the company. It should have at least eight to ten slides, not including title or reference slides. Audio quality is clear.
Total 100%

Instructions
“Voting is the most important way that a person can participate in politics in the United States.” Respond to this statement in a 500-word essay. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement. Be sure to clearly state your position and then defend your position with explanations that include examples which help support your points.