Evaluating Information with BEAM

As you write an Annotated Bibliography, you often are trying to answer questions to help you Cite, Summarize, Assess, and Reflect on your information resources. (See our Annotated Bibliography guide for more info)

BEAM is especially helpful when writing the Summary and Reflection portions of the annotation.

Summary:

• What is it about?
• What topics are covered?
• What are the main arguments? Argument
• What claims are the authors making? Argument
• What types of evidence are they using to support these claims? Exhibit
  • Did they do original research?
  • Did they review the research of others?

Reflection:

• How can you use this resource in your research project?
• Why did you choose this information resource?
• How can other researchers use it? Can it help with:
  • Providing background information on a topic Background
  • Supporting or refuting an argument you are making Argument
  • Demonstrating a point  Exhibit

For Example, this annotation:

This study provides theories and suggestions for integrating information literacy instruction into classes. Crary used a quantitative survey to study the collaboration between secondary and middle-grade subject teachers and their school librarians, using Fullan's 2007 Change Theory. Crary found that the biggest impediment to collaboration was the time needed. This study can be applied to both secondary and higher education classrooms and demonstrates the importance of professional development in teaching classroom instructors information literacy skills.