Let’s search for a source to practice our annotated bibliographies using Western Libraries’ catalogue! Here we have chosen Chelsea Vowel’s Indigenous Writes to use as a general sample annotated bibliography that you might create during one of the many courses offered at Western University:

Citation

Vowel, C. (2016). Dirty water, dirty secrets. Indigenous writes : a guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit issues in Canada (pp. 249-258). Highwater Press.

Concise description of source content

This book offers a collection of essays and curated sources that encompass Indigenous issues in Canada within several thematic topics, such as relationship terminology, culture and identity, stereotype busting, state violence, and treaties.

Author’s argument

Vowel, a Métis-author, explores in the chapter “Dirty water, dirty secrets” the water access crises for Indigenous Peoples on-reserve in Canada, citing the human-rights violation that has been happening for extreme amounts of time.

Critical assessment of source

This essay provides an overview of water insecurity in First Nations communities, with how water advisories may not accurately capture lack of water services on-reserve, or if there are advisories in place, how they can capture the extreme length of time unsafe conditions are left in these communities.

Source relevance to personal research

This book is relevant to [my] research in exploring Canadian provincial policies regarding Indigenous issues, as although Indigenous issues are of federal concern, water safety are regulated and accountable by provincial and territorial governments. Gaps that can be further explored are what supports should be supplied by the provincial government based on input and authority from Indigenous Peoples, such as funds and human-resources to support lacking water treatment systems.