annotated bibliography example in apa format

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - APA Style (7th Edition)

What is an annotation, how is an annotation different from an abstract, what is an annotated bibliography, types of annotated bibliographies, descriptive or informative, analytical or critical, to get started.

An annotation is more than just a brief summary of an article, book, website, or other type of publication. An annotation should give enough information to make a reader decide whether to read the complete work. In other words, if the reader were exploring the same topic as you, is this material useful and if so, why?

While an abstract also summarizes an article, book, website, or other type of publication, it is purely descriptive. Although annotations can be descriptive, they also include distinctive features about an item. Annotations can be evaluative and critical as we will see when we look at the two major types of annotations.

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (like a reference list). It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation, usually 100–200 words in length.

Depending on the assignment, an annotated bibliography might have different purposes:

• Provide a literature review on a particular subject
• Help to formulate a thesis on a subject
• Demonstrate the research you have performed on a particular subject
• Provide examples of major sources of information available on a topic
• Describe items that other researchers may find of interest on a topic

There are two major types of annotated bibliographies:

A descriptive or informative annotated bibliography describes or summarizes a source as does an abstract; it describes why the source is useful for researching a particular topic or question and its distinctive features. In addition, it describes the author's main arguments and conclusions without evaluating what the author says or concludes.

For example:

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulties many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a legal nurse consulting business. Pointing out issues of work-life balance, as well as the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, the author offers their personal experience as a learning tool. The process of becoming an entrepreneur is not often discussed in relation to nursing, and rarely delves into only the first year of starting a new business. Time management, maintaining an existing job, decision-making, and knowing yourself in order to market yourself are discussed with some detail. The author goes on to describe how important both the nursing professional community will be to a new business, and the importance of mentorship as both the mentee and mentor in individual success that can be found through professional connections. The article’s focus on practical advice for nurses seeking to start their own business does not detract from the advice about universal struggles of entrepreneurship makes this an article of interest to a wide-ranging audience.

An analytical or critical annotation not only summarizes the material, it analyzes what is being said. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of what is presented as well as describing the applicability of the author's conclusions to the research being conducted.

Analytical or critical annotations will most likely be required when writing for a college-level course.

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulty many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a nurse consulting business. While the article focuses on issues of work-life balance, the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, marketing, and other business issues the author’s offer of only their personal experience is brief with few or no alternative solutions provided. There is no mention throughout the article of making use of other research about starting a new business and being successful. While relying on the anecdotal advice for their list of issues, the author does reference other business resources such as the Small Business Administration to help with business planning and professional organizations that can help with mentorships. The article is a good resource for those wanting to start their own legal nurse consulting business, a good first advice article even. However, entrepreneurs should also use more business research studies focused on starting a new business, with strategies against known or expected pitfalls and issues new businesses face, and for help on topics the author did not touch in this abbreviated list of lessons learned.

Now you are ready to begin writing your own annotated bibliography.

• Choose your sources - Before writing your annotated bibliography, you must choose your sources. This involves doing research much like for any other project. Locate records to materials that may apply to your topic.
• Review the items - Then review the actual items and choose those that provide a wide variety of perspectives on your topic. Article abstracts are helpful in this process.
• The purpose of the work
• A summary of its content
• Information about the author(s)
• For what type of audience the work is written
• Its relevance to the topic
• Any special or unique features about the material
• Research methodology
• The strengths, weaknesses or biases in the material

Annotated bibliographies may be arranged alphabetically or chronologically, check with your instructor to see what he or she prefers.

Please see the  APA Examples page  for more information on citing in APA style.

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An  annotated bibliography  is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a References page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.

Basic Tips on Formatting

• Start with the same format as a regular References list.
• The first line of the citation starts at the left margin and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches (hanging indent).
• The annotation begins on a new line and is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.
• Entries are double-spaced with no extra lines between entries.
• If the annotation consists of more than one paragraph, indent the first line of each successive paragraph an additional 0.5 inches.
• Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me).

Sample Evaluative Annotation

Maak, T. (2007). Responsible leadership, stakeholder engagement, and the emergence of social capital.  Journal of Business Ethics ,  74 , 329-343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9510-5

This article focuses on the role of social capital in responsible leadership. It looks at both the social networks that a leader builds within an organization, and the links that a leader creates with external stakeholders. Maak’s main aim with this article seems to be to persuade people of the importance of continued research into the abilities that a leader requires and how they can be acquired. The focus on the world of multinational business means that for readers outside this world many of the conclusions seem rather obvious (be part of the solution not part of the problem). In spite of this, the article provides useful background information on the topic of responsible leadership and definitions of social capital which are relevant to an analysis of a public servant.

Useful Links for Annotated Bibliographies

The formatting of annotated bibliographies can vary. The University Libraries recommend the format exhibited in the examples below, but if you are still unsure what format to use, ask your professor. 

• Includes a sample of one APA annotation (from the Purdue OWL).
• A guide covering the basics of writing an annotated bibliography.
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Annotated Bibliography

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American Psychological Association (APA) Annotations

Creating an annotated bibliography in APA style

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  7th edition (APA Manual) is kept behind the iDesk on the First Floor.

This example is based on the APA style guide, but your instructor might give you other formatting instructions . 

General guidelines

Some annotations are merely descriptive , summarizing the authors' qualifications, research methods, and arguments. 

Many annotations evaluate the quality of scholarship in a book or article.  You might want to consider the logic of authors' arguments, and the quality of their evidence.  Your findings can be positive, negative, or mixed.

Your professor might also want you to explain why the source is relevant to your assignment. 

Sample Page: APA-formatted annotated bibliography

Rules! rules! rules!

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) states the following formatting rules:

• The text and the reference list should be double-spaced.
• Numbering starts on the title page, at the top right of the page.
• Reference list entries must have a hanging indent (to do this in Microsoft Word 2003, click Format, then Paragraph, then Special, and choose Hanging).
• There should be 1 inch (2.54 cm) margins all around (top, bottom, left, and right) on each page.
• Use Times Roman font, or a similar serif font.
• Each paragraph should be indented.

More Sample Annotations

Cornell University Library offers these instructions on preparing an annotated bibliography.

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Information on Annotated Bibliographies can be found in Section 9.51 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.)

• Title page, page numbers, font style and size, etc. See Format basics
• Alphabetical with hanging indents etc. See Citations: references
• The annotation - the notes you have about the source - appear in a new paragraph below its reference entry, indented 0.5 inches from the left margin
• Annotated bibliography example To use as a template, open the document with Word, replace the text with your own but keep the formatting intact.
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Creating an Annotated Bibliography

• What is an Annotated Bibliography

Writing an Annotation

Formatting an annotated bibliography.

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Components of an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is an APA reference list that includes a brief summary and analysis -- the annotation --  under the reference entry.  

An annotated bibliography includes:

• APA Title page
• Pages are numbered beginning with title page
• References centered and bolded at top of page
• Entries listed in alphabetical order
• Annotations begin under its associated reference
• Annotations are indented 0.5 inches from the left margin
• The entire document is double spaced; no extra space between entries

Example of an annotated bibliography entry:

An  an n otated bibliography is composed of the full APA reference for a source followed by notes and commentary about that so urce. T he word  “annotate” means “critical or explanatory notes” and the word “bibliography” means “a list of sources”.  Annotation s are meant to be critical in addition to being descriptive.

Annotations are generally between five to seven sentences in length and appear directly under the APA reference.  The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inch from the left margin and lines up with the hanging indent of the APA reference.

Use the question prompts below as a guide when writing annotations:

• 2 to 4 sentences to  summarize   the main idea(s) of the source.

     - What are the main arguments?

     - What is the point of this book/article?

     - What topics are covered?

• 1 or 2 sentences to  assess   and  evaluate   the source.

     - How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?

     - Is this information reliable? current?

     - Is the author credible? have the background to write on this topic?

     - Is the source objective or biased?

• 1 or 2 sentences to  reflect   on the source.

     - Was this source helpful to you?

     - How can you use this source for your research project?

     - Has it changed how you think about your topic?

• a title page, and
• the annotated bibliography which begins on its own page with the word References bolded and centered at the top of the page.

Each entry begins with an APA reference for the resource with the annotation appearing directly beneath. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

Entries are listed in alphabetical order. The entire document is typed on one of the six approved font styles and sizes and is double spaced.  There is no additional space between entires.

Consider using Academic Writer or NoodleTools to create and format your annotated bibliography.  

APA Citation Style Resources and Tools

Apa academic writer.

Use the tools in the  References tab to create APA references for the resources in your annotated bibliography.  The form includes a text box for your annotation.  You can create your title page and assemble your annotated bibliography in the Write tab in this authoritative resource.

Academic Writer is a digital library of quick APA guides and tutorials: - Learn - view videos and tutorials, test your APA knowledge with quizzes, and view sample papers, references, tables, and figures. - Reference - view tutorials, search APA dictionaries, develop research ideas, plan and track your research, and manage your references. - Write - use templates to write papers (includes step-by-step help), and work on saved papers. (Must create a personal account to use.)

Create and format your annotated bibliography in NoodleTools .  Find information on how to create an account, create APA references, and creating and formatting an annotated bibliography in the NoodleTools Guide.

• NoodleTools Guide

This video below provides an overview of how to create an annotated bibliography including evaluating resources, writing annotations, creating APA references, and formatting the final document in the APA style. 

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Below is an example of an annotated bibliography. The annotated bibliography allows your professor to see the sources you will use in your final research paper. It shows that you have planned ahead by conducting research and gave thought to the information you will need to write a complete research paper. The annotations may summarize or evaluate the sources used. The references need to follow the APA rules for citations. The title page of your annotated bibliography follows the same rules as an APA research paper.

• Example APA Annotated Bibliography Remember, always follow your professor's instructions when creating an annotated bibliography.
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APA 7th Edition Citation Guide Annotated Bibliographies

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of the sources used to research a topic, where each citation is followed by a short paragraph (~150 words) that informs the reader of the source's relevance, accuracy, and quality. These annotations are a great place to summarize each source for your readers and tell them why that source was useful to you, or even why it was not.

Annotated Bibliography Example:

Duarte, F., & Ratti, C. (2018). The impact of autonomous vehicles on cities: A review.  Journal of Urban Technology, 25 (4), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2018.1493883 Duarte and Ratti, researchers at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná and MIT, respectively, argue that the adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs) represents an opportunity to embrace urban transformation. Cities were designed to incorporate the rise of the automobile, and the authors urge city planners, administrators, policymakers, and engineers to use the major technological advancements in AVs to rethink how cities are designed. The article poses crucial questions (such as will AVs lead to more or fewer cars on the road, how will AVs affect parking, and how AVs impact urban sprawl) that will be essential considerations as cities begin to grapple with the advances in AVs and how to best implement change to improve urban life. Overall it was a thoughtful and insightful piece covering the history of vehicles influencing city planning and how the future might be impacted by AVs.

Creating Annotated Bibliographies

Use the following guides to create an APA-formatted Annotated Bibliography.

Always use the specifications determined by your instructor in addition to these guidelines.

• How to Prepare The Annotated Bibliography Tips on creating an annotated bibliography from Cornell University Library.
• Annotated Bibliography This site from the Writing Center at The University of Wisconsin-Madison describes the different types of annotated bibliographies and what should be included in them (Indicative, Informative, Evaluative, Combination).
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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

• The Annotated Bibliography
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Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.

Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.

Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

Critically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see How to Critically Analyze Information Sources . For information on the author's background and views, ask at the reference desk for help finding appropriate biographical reference materials and book review sources.

Choosing the Correct Citation Style

Check with your instructor to find out which style is preferred for your class. Online citation guides for both the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) styles are linked from the Library's Citation Management page .

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

The following example uses APA style ( Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition, 2019) for the journal citation:

Waite, L., Goldschneider, F., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51 (4), 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

This example uses MLA style ( MLA Handbook , 9th edition, 2021) for the journal citation. For additional annotation guidance from MLA, see 5.132: Annotated Bibliographies .

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults." American Sociological Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

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APA 7th Edition Guide: Annotated Bibliography

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of references to books, articles, or other items consulted during the research process, while an Annotation is a note of explan ation and evaluation of a particular item being referenced. Therefore, an Annotated Bibliography is a list of references that include an explanatory note below each reference that summarizes and provides an evaluation of the content of the reference.

What is the Benefit of Writing an Annotated Bibliography?

The process of writing an annotated bibliography provides a structured process to learn about a research topic. It causes you to read the available research (also referred to as the literature) more closely as you develop a better understanding of the topic, related issues, and current trends. Time spent writing an annotated bibliography will help you develop a well thought out thesis statement or develop a literature review.

What should an Annotation Include?

A well-written annotation consists of three parts:

• Summary – includes the main points, arguments, and topics covered in the reference being annotated.
• Evaluation – assesses the quality of the source compared to other sources in the bibliography. It may also be important to note the goal, reliability, and objectivity of the reference being annotated.
• Reflection – How does this reference change your understanding of the topic? How will you use the reference in your research? How does the reference affect your thesis? If you do not intend to use the reference in your work then briefly explain why.

How should an Entry to an Annotated Bibliography be Formatted?

Below is an example of how to format a reference and annotation:

GENERAL FORM: Author’s Last Name, Initials, & 2nd Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Title 

of Journal , volume number (issue), page range. doi: xxx.xxxxx

This is an example of an annotation of a scholarly article. The annotation should be 200 to 300 words

long and include a Summary of the main points, arguments, and topics covered in the reference. Then

you should Evaluate the quality of the source compared to other sources in the bibliography. Your

evaluation may include notes on the goal, reliability, and objectivity of the reference being annotated. 

Then you will want to include a Reflection that covers how the content of the reference changed your

understanding of the topic. How you intend to use the reference in your research? How does the

reference affect your thesis? If you do not intend to use the reference in your work then briefly explain

why. Once you finish writing your annotation go to the next double-spaced line and enter the next entry

of your annotated bibliography .

Hatnik, L., Calloway, S., Joy, N., Owen, F. A., & Constantine, G. A. (2017). Leadership creativity as social

action and transformation: A case study. International Journal of Leadership Studies , 14(3), 72-78.

doi:11.1702/jls.21719

This article presents a case study that addresses the difficulty students have in connecting class content

with real-life social problems. As a potential solution for this problem, students enrolled in a university

course on social, global, and environmental issues worked on a creative project with a charity that aids

women leaving incarceration. The course coupled this community work with class readings, discussions,

and guest speakers, leading students to have a deeper learning experience that also benefited the

target community. While the case study’s conclusions provide potentially helpful information, the authors

neglect to provide any hard evidence for the assumed difficulty in connecting class content to real-life

problems. Furthermore, the authors admit at one point that a few students doubted various aspects of

the class, but this group is not addressed in the conclusions section of the article. Despite a few

shortcomings, the case study does provide a useful strategy that can help young leaders gain real-world

experience which can be adapted to the high school setting I am researching.

How Should an Annotated Bibliography be Formatted using APA 7 th  edition

The format of an annotated bibliography follows the same format as any APA paper.

• Include a title page [See Title Page Setup ]
• Page numbers will begin on the title page and on each page of the annotated bibliography
• Font style and size are the same as any other APA paper [See General Formatting ]
• The order of the references should be in alphabetical order by the lead author’s last name [See Reference Page ]
• Each reference should be formatted in hanging indent paragraph formatting
• The annotation portion should be lined up with the hanging portion of the reference (see the example below)

​ An example of an Annotated Bibliography

Create your own Annotated Bibliography by Downloading this  Annotated Bibliography Template

Download the Annotated Bibliography Format Guide

For information on how to effectively write an annotated bibliography entry go to: 

UNT Dallas Writing Lab Annotated Bibliography

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• What Is an Annotated Bibliography? | Examples & Format

What Is an Annotated Bibliography? | Examples & Format

Published on March 9, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2022.

An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that includes a short descriptive text (an annotation) for each source. It may be assigned as part of the research process for a paper , or as an individual assignment to gather and read relevant sources on a topic.

Scribbr’s free Citation Generator allows you to easily create and manage your annotated bibliography in APA or MLA style. To generate a perfectly formatted annotated bibliography, select the source type, fill out the relevant fields, and add your annotation.

An example of an annotated source is shown below:

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Table of contents

Annotated bibliography format: apa, mla, chicago, how to write an annotated bibliography, descriptive annotation example, evaluative annotation example, reflective annotation example, finding sources for your annotated bibliography, frequently asked questions about annotated bibliographies.

Make sure your annotated bibliography is formatted according to the guidelines of the style guide you’re working with. Three common styles are covered below:

In APA Style , both the reference entry and the annotation should be double-spaced and left-aligned.

The reference entry itself should have a hanging indent . The annotation follows on the next line, and the whole annotation should be indented to match the hanging indent. The first line of any additional paragraphs should be indented an additional time.

In an MLA style annotated bibliography , the Works Cited entry and the annotation are both double-spaced and left-aligned.

The Works Cited entry has a hanging indent. The annotation itself is indented 1 inch (twice as far as the hanging indent). If there are two or more paragraphs in the annotation, the first line of each paragraph is indented an additional half-inch, but not if there is only one paragraph.

Chicago style

In a  Chicago style annotated bibliography , the bibliography entry itself should be single-spaced and feature a hanging indent.

The annotation should be indented, double-spaced, and left-aligned. The first line of any additional paragraphs should be indented an additional time.

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For each source, start by writing (or generating ) a full reference entry that gives the author, title, date, and other information. The annotated bibliography format varies based on the citation style you’re using.

The annotations themselves are usually between 50 and 200 words in length, typically formatted as a single paragraph. This can vary depending on the word count of the assignment, the relative length and importance of different sources, and the number of sources you include.

Consider the instructions you’ve been given or consult your instructor to determine what kind of annotations they’re looking for:

• Descriptive annotations : When the assignment is just about gathering and summarizing information, focus on the key arguments and methods of each source.
• Evaluative annotations : When the assignment is about evaluating the sources , you should also assess the validity and effectiveness of these arguments and methods.
• Reflective annotations : When the assignment is part of a larger research process, you need to consider the relevance and usefulness of the sources to your own research.

These specific terms won’t necessarily be used. The important thing is to understand the purpose of your assignment and pick the approach that matches it best. Interactive examples of the different styles of annotation are shown below.

A descriptive annotation summarizes the approach and arguments of a source in an objective way, without attempting to assess their validity.

In this way, it resembles an abstract , but you should never just copy text from a source’s abstract, as this would be considered plagiarism . You’ll naturally cover similar ground, but you should also consider whether the abstract omits any important points from the full text.

The interactive example shown below describes an article about the relationship between business regulations and CO 2 emissions.

Rieger, A. (2019). Doing business and increasing emissions? An exploratory analysis of the impact of business regulation on CO 2 emissions. Human Ecology Review , 25 (1), 69–86. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26964340

An evaluative annotation also describes the content of a source, but it goes on to evaluate elements like the validity of the source’s arguments and the appropriateness of its methods .

For example, the following annotation describes, and evaluates the effectiveness of, a book about the history of Western philosophy.

Kenny, A. (2010). A new history of Western philosophy: In four parts . Oxford University Press.

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A reflective annotation is similar to an evaluative one, but it focuses on the source’s usefulness or relevance to your own research.

Reflective annotations are often required when the point is to gather sources for a future research project, or to assess how they were used in a project you already completed.

The annotation below assesses the usefulness of a particular article for the author’s own research in the field of media studies.

Manovich, Lev. (2009). The practice of everyday (media) life: From mass consumption to mass cultural production? Critical Inquiry , 35 (2), 319–331. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/596645

Manovich’s article assesses the shift from a consumption-based media culture (in which media content is produced by a small number of professionals and consumed by a mass audience) to a production-based media culture (in which this mass audience is just as active in producing content as in consuming it). He is skeptical of some of the claims made about this cultural shift; specifically, he argues that the shift towards user-made content must be regarded as more reliant upon commercial media production than it is typically acknowledged to be. However, he regards web 2.0 as an exciting ongoing development for art and media production, citing its innovation and unpredictability.

The article is outdated in certain ways (it dates from 2009, before the launch of Instagram, to give just one example). Nevertheless, its critical engagement with the possibilities opened up for media production by the growth of social media is valuable in a general sense, and its conceptualization of these changes frequently applies just as well to more current social media platforms as it does to Myspace. Conceptually, I intend to draw on this article in my own analysis of the social dynamics of Twitter and Instagram.

Before you can write your annotations, you’ll need to find sources . If the annotated bibliography is part of the research process for a paper, your sources will be those you consult and cite as you prepare the paper. Otherwise, your assignment and your choice of topic will guide you in what kind of sources to look for.

Make sure that you’ve clearly defined your topic , and then consider what keywords are relevant to it, including variants of the terms. Use these keywords to search databases (e.g., Google Scholar ), using Boolean operators to refine your search.

Sources can include journal articles, books, and other source types , depending on the scope of the assignment. Read the abstracts or blurbs of the sources you find to see whether they’re relevant, and try exploring their bibliographies to discover more. If a particular source keeps showing up, it’s probably important.

Once you’ve selected an appropriate range of sources, read through them, taking notes that you can use to build up your annotations. You may even prefer to write your annotations as you go, while each source is fresh in your mind.

An annotated bibliography is an assignment where you collect sources on a specific topic and write an annotation for each source. An annotation is a short text that describes and sometimes evaluates the source.

Any credible sources on your topic can be included in an annotated bibliography . The exact sources you cover will vary depending on the assignment, but you should usually focus on collecting journal articles and scholarly books . When in doubt, utilize the CRAAP test !

Each annotation in an annotated bibliography is usually between 50 and 200 words long. Longer annotations may be divided into paragraphs .

The content of the annotation varies according to your assignment. An annotation can be descriptive, meaning it just describes the source objectively; evaluative, meaning it assesses its usefulness; or reflective, meaning it explains how the source will be used in your own research .

A source annotation in an annotated bibliography fulfills a similar purpose to an abstract : they’re both intended to summarize the approach and key points of a source.

However, an annotation may also evaluate the source , discussing the validity and effectiveness of its arguments. Even if your annotation is purely descriptive , you may have a different perspective on the source from the author and highlight different key points.

You should never just copy text from the abstract for your annotation, as doing so constitutes plagiarism .

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Creating an Annotated Bibliography in APA Style

Definitions.

A bibliography is a list of source material, cited in whatever citation style you're required to use in a specific course.

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation.

Put the two together and you have an Annotated Bibliography !

An annotated bibliography is an organizational tool . an annotated bibliography....

• Is an alphabetical list of all of your source material
• Includes sources you may or may not use in your research
• Summarizes each resource so you can remember what it's about
• Can include any type of resource unless specified in the assignment instructions (For an overview of the types of resources you can find through our library, view our description of resource types on our Evaluating Sources guide .)

Why must you do an Annotated Bibliography?

• If you're utilizing print resources through the library, you may not be able to renew items. How will you remember what the resource was about if you have to send it back?
• If you're utilizing electronic resources, nothing online is permanent. How will you find the resource again if it disappears?
• In larger projects, every resource starts to look the same. An Annotated Bibliography can save you time by reminding you of what you've already found.

What types of resources are used?

An Annotated Bibliography can include any type of resource unless otherwise specified by the assignment. This can include (but is not limited to):

• Scholarly materials
• Government documents

Annotated Bibliographies can be a great resource for students before they write other types of assignments, like literature reviews . 

There are TWO PARTS to each entry in an Annotated Bibliography. They are:

• The citation of the resource , in whatever citation style you're required to use.
• The annotation describing the contents of the resource and how it may or may not contribute to your research.

Be sure to carefully read over the assignment instructions when you're asked to compose an Annotated Bibliography, and reach out to your professor with any questions!

Citation Help

Consult your course style guide to confirm the accuracy of your citation. 

You can also...

• View our guide for  APA Style Help .
• Consult resources like Academic Writer  or  Grammarly .

Skimming Sources

Focus on key areas of a text to learn enough so that you can write a strong annotation. This includes:

• Abstracts, prefaces, and summaries
• Paragraph headings
• Charts/graphs/images and their captions
• Introduction paragraph(s)
• Conclusion paragraph(s)
• Sources/References/Bibliography

These areas will provide you with enough information to determine the topic, arguments, and conclusions drawn from any research presented.

Writing Annotations

A strong annotation will have three main parts:

Length requirements can vary from a few sentences to a single paragraph or a full page. Be sure to verify length requirements with your professor and/or through the assignment instructions.

When writing the summary, ask yourself:

• What topics are covered in the resource?
• What are the main arguments?
• What are the main conclusions drawn from the resource?

When writing the assessment, ask yourself:

• Is the source useful?
• How does it compare to your other resources?
• Is there bias present?
• Is the source reliable?

Our guide for Evaluating Your Sources can help you assess your research material.

When writing the reflection, ask yourself:

• How does the source fit into your research?
• How might the source support your argument?
• Did the source change your mind about the topic?

Sample APA Style citation with annotation:

Bell, C., & Holder, M. (2019, January/February). The Interrelationship between Race, Social Norms, and Dietary Behaviors among College-attending

Women. American Journal of Health Behavior , 43 (1), 23-36.

This article examines a study conducted to compare racial identity and dietary habits of women on college campuses. The findings of the

study found that women with perceived differences and social/family norms were more likely to develop unhealthy dietary habits in college,

most specifically related to fruit and vegetable consumption. This resource is useful because it examines self-perception of race and how that

can impact behavior in ways that influence one's health in the future.

View a full example in APA Style:

• Annotated Bibliography Example- APA Style A full Annotated Bibliography formatted in APA Style. Users, please verify that formatting matches your course style guide's requirements.
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APA Annotated Bibliography: Formatting Rules, Template & Examples

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An APA annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic, formatted according to the American Psychological Association (APA) style. Each citation is followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph, known as the annotation. 

Writing an APA annotated bibliography can take time for early career researchers or Ph.D. students. However, if you know how to manage it, you will benefit from working on your dissertation or literature review. Undoubtedly, you will be glad you are experienced in bibliography writing. 

To make you professional in creating an annotated bibliography in APA style , we gathered all you needed to know in this blog. 

Here you can learn how to format an annotated bibliography in APA style 7th edition. We also share examples of annotated bibliography in APA format, which can help with your work. We hope this guide will greatly assist researchers and students writing a dissertation or thesis . Stay with StudyCrumb annotated bibliography writing service for actionable tips!

What Is an Annotated Bibliography in APA?

APA annotated bibliography is a summary of an article, book, dissertation or other scholarly text on a specific topic. APA format annotated bibliography includes a reference entry with a short explanation about the source. It may outline the key points and help readers understand if they need to read the full text. 

When creating an annotated bibliography in APA style, it is important to follow the standardized formatting guidelines and provide concise yet informative annotations for each source. In a nutshell, this is a form of note organization for a specific topic. This is how you will structure your short description of the academic text you use for your work.

Purpose of APA Annotated Bibliography

Another important point is to delineate the purpose of the bibliography in APA 7th edition. Why do you need to make this list of resources with notes if you can use abstracts prepared by authors? However, this is a tricky question. You need to ensure that in a month, year, or five years you will look at your notes and paper descriptions and will remember what this text is about. That is why you need to create APA style annotated bibliography by yourself and not rely on an author or other students. 

Don’t forget that we also offer proficient assistance with academic works. You can pay for college papers at StudyCrumb and get your annotated bibliography done according to all standards.

APA Annotated Bibliography Example

As you already know, APA annotation is an organized list of sources for a specific topic that includes the reference and a short summary of the text. APA style of formatting is one of the most frequently used for social science in the US. It defines specific order and punctuation for the source, author, and type of publication. What is the best way to understand how to organize your sources? 

Here are some examples of annotations in APA format to make it clear how to write your own.

What Are APA Annotations?

APA annotations are brief summaries and evaluations of sources that accompany each specific citation. Annotations offer a quick overview of material used in a research paper. They serve to achieve the following goals:

• Provide a concise description of each source, including its main argument, methodology, and conclusions.
• Evaluate the relevance of literature to the research topic and identify any limitations or biases.
• Organize scholar’s thoughts and identify any gaps or inconsistencies in existing research.
• Explain how sources will be used in current research (e.g., supporting a specific argument or providing background information).
• Help readers understand the significance of sources and their contribution to the field of study.

According to APA 7th edition requirements, each annotation should be around 150-200 words long. This is enough space to offer a concise, yet, to-the-point description.

APA Annotation Example

The best way to understand the principles of creating a short description is to learn from the sample APA annotated bibliography our experts collected. It will be a difference between annotations for an article or book chapter. But in any case, your text should delineate key points and be easy to read and understand, even for people who are not in your field.

That is why we have various options to explore for any purpose. Here you can find examples to use in your writing.

How to Format an Annotated Bibliography in APA 7th Edition?

If you think creating a bibliography formatted according to APA style 7th edition is a huge challenge, you are mistaken. We are quite sure that with our guide it will be a piece of cake for anyone. Let’s have a detailed explanation of this process and go step-by-step through writing and formatting annotations. 

Here is the guide on what to consider when you create an APA bibliography:

• Locate a page number in the header in the upper right corner.
• Include an APA running head for professional versions only.
• Use 1-inch margins.
• Double space the entire document.
• Justify your text to the left side.
• Center the title " Annotated Bibliography " at the top of the page.
• List a reference for each source first and format it according to APA style.
• Indent the entire annotation 0.5 inches from the left margin.
• If your annotation is more than 1 paragraph, indent the 2nd and any subsequent paragraphs an additional 0.5 inches (1 inch total).
• Do not add extra spaces between a citation and an annotation or between multiple annotations.

APA format for annotated bibliography is based on common rules. You can find a lot of resources that use AI to help you with this task. However, if you get basic principles, you will be free to do any type of annotation formatting without any help. 

Also, it will be great to check the latest updates of the APA style guide. Even if you think that there is no big difference between the 7th and 6th editions. It is better to double-check before submitting your final document.

Example of Annotated Bibliography in APA Format

Creating a sample annotated bibliography APA requires knowledge of basic formatting rules. The annotation includes a reference to sources. To format it accordingly, you need to analyze the type of source, authors, and type of journal or book where it was published. 

You can use our APA guide to check the requirements of formatting or look at the annotated bibliography example in APA 7th edition we have.

Sample APA Annotated Bibliography Template

Another great way to ensure that your work is done well is to use an APA style annotated bibliography template. First, choose the one that uses the same source type as you. It can be a citation of a journal article, book chapter, or online page. Next, open a Word document and insert your text, applying the same margins and spaces as in the template. 

Moreover, to create an APA annotated bibliography, you also need to follow guidelines for your specific field. 

Creating Citations for APA 7th Annotated Bibliography

Bibliography with annotations includes two important parts — source citation and brief work overview. After you format a text using samples and templates we share with you, you will need to check your reference.

APA citation for an annotated bibliography depends on the sources you are using. Formatting for a journal article, book chapter, the whole book, or a thesis of a dissertation will use different rules. For example, if you are citing a journal article, you need to put its authors first, the year of publication, the title of the article, dates, and pages. However, this order for citing a book will differ. 

That is why we advise checking examples for each citation type. 

Citation for a Book Annotation Example in APA

>> Learn more: How to Cite a Book APA

Citation for a Journal Annotation Example in APA

>> Read more: How to Cite an Article in APA

Citation for a Website Annotation Example in APA

>> Learn more: How to Cite a Website in APA

Where to Find Sources for APA 7th Edition Annotated Bibliography?

Writing APA 7th edition annotated bibliography is different from creating abstracts. Your descriptions for a bibliography should be critical or underline findings from the text that is important for your research. For an abstract, you will summarize your own article. However, for annotation, you will mainly work with other sources on your topic. 

Where can you find those sources?

• University e-library
• Google Scholar
• Field research journals, like JSTOR
• Platforms like Researchgate , where you can subscribe for your topic of interest
• Subscription for scientific publications. (For example, Yale University has a newsletter with the latest publications on various topics.)
• Following authors that work in your field
• Check conferences on your topic.

In most cases, researchers work with sources all the time and use different tools to manage them. For example, it can be Zotero for organizing links. You may also add annotations to this platform and use keywords search when you need to find a source for your work.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography in APA Format?

As mentioned before, the most important step in creating an annotated bibliography in APA style is to identify its purpose. It may summarize key findings from your source, analyze weaknesses of the research, or provide a brief description of it.  

APA annotated bibliography format is guided by a Manual, which you can find in open sources. However, before you jump into formatting, you need to go through a few steps.

• Define your source. Ensure the text's validity and author's authority. It should be academic work, not fiction.
• Carefully read the text. You may start with an abstract, as it provides a research summary. But for the analytical notes, you need to go deeper into the source.
• Create a citation. Provide full information on each source including its author, publication date, title and publisher.
• Write an annotation. Choose a type of text you need for your work, and then write a 200-word summary or analysis.
• Double-check formatting requirements. Ensure that you have an appropriate type, margins, and double space.

Also, you may focus on what to include in the bibliography. Here is what you need to check:

• Information about the authors
• Audience you are writing for
• If a source is relevant to your topic
• What unique data your source has
• Research methodology of this specific work
• Key findings you need to underline for your topic.

Creating Descriptive Annotations

This is the most common type of annotation. But what does it look like in practice? Descriptive annotation summarizes your source, defines essential findings, underlines limitations, and makes a general overview of the research. You also need to include a short explanation of how this source is related to your work. It will be helpful in case you will come to these notes in years and will try to remember their relevance. 

This type of text also focuses on arguments that can be useful for your studies in the same area.

Example of Descriptive Annotation in APA Style

Creating Evaluative Annotations

Evaluation or analytical APA annotated bibliography citation goes deeper into the paper and provides not only the overview but also defines weaknesses of the research. It can point to limitations or specific approaches in the methodology used for this study. Working with this type of annotation can take more time and is usually used by college students. 

You need to be clear with the purpose of your writing with this type of assignment. In most cases, this annotation will be used in the future while composing the literature review section. Or you may need to come back to this paper later and know what to focus on.

Example of Evaluative Annotation in APA Format

How to Arrange an APA Annotated Bibliography?

The next important question is how to arrange an APA annotated bibliography and if you need a title page for it. There are a few approaches for arrangement — it can be sorted alphabetically by authors’ second names. It is the most common approach and a rule for the APA manual . Feel free to use our tool to arrange your sources alphabetically.

However, you may find that some bibliographies are sorted by year of publishing. It makes sense in some cases. For example, when you are looking into historical changes in theory or research.

Common Mistakes in APA Style Annotated Bibliography

There is no doubt that creating a bibliography is not a big deal. But every time students start working on this assignment, they have a bunch of similar mistakes. When you submit such assignments, every mistake in formatting or writing style can affect your final grade. 

Here are common errors you may have in your bibliography:

• Errors in reference formatting. You need to follow the rules for each type of source you are using for your bibliography. In any case, it should include authors, title, publication date, and source of publishing.
• Annotation is too long. There is no need to write a few pages of summary for an article or book. You need to have only one paragraph with key points.
• Not enough research. Often students read only the abstract or introduction and try to make an annotation based on it. You need to do proper research before summarizing or analyzing specific texts.

Checklist for APA Format Annotated Bibliography

One of the common assignments for students in a master's or Ph.D. program is to write an annotated bibliography in APA style. With our guide, this task is easy to complete. You may also use our checklist before you start your assignments.

Final Thoughts on APA Annotated Bibliography

If you are a student or early career researcher, there is no way you won’t write APA annotations. In most cases, it will be one of the assignments, but also it can be used to organize your reference library for future research. In this blog, we have outlined how to write an APA annotated bibliography and make it clean and clear. 

We have also defined common mistakes to avoid while working with your summary and provided a checklist to help you with this kind of work. We also mentioned how to organize references and what to put on the cover page of your bibliography. Hopefully, this blog will become a valuable guide for advanced assignments and science work. Check our articles if you want to find more insights. From tips on how to write an APA abstract to guidelines on APA methods section , you are sure to find valuable resources in our blog.

If you still have troubles with writing annotations or formatting, feel free to check out our paper writing services . We provide top-quality content within a given deadline!

FAQ About Annotated Bibliographies in APA Format

1. what goes in an annotated bibliography in apa 7th edition.

APA annotated bibliography looks like a list of references. However, after each source, it includes one paragraph of annotation. It can be a short summary — descriptive annotation. Or it can be an analytical paragraph to underline key points, limitations, methodology, or findings. The 7th APA Manual defines key requirements for text formatting and references.

2. How long should an annotated bibliography be?

There are no strict rules on the length of the annotation. However, it is a short form of text, and it can not be written in a few pages. In most cases, it will be one paragraph of annotated text and a reference. The common length is 200-300 words. But shorter annotations often work better, as they synthesize the most valuable insights.

3. Is there a title page in APA annotated bibliography?

Yes, such a bibliography includes a title page that should be formatted based on the APA 7th Manual requirements. You also need to include your name, university, and course. However, some professors may have specific requirements for the cover page of your annotation. It is always a good idea to double-check your task.

4. Should an APA annotated bibliography be double-spaced?

The answer is yes. APA annotation should be written with double space and use Times New Roman or another easy-to-read type. Also, the APA style requires specific margins and formatting for the reference list. But if you are uncertain about double space, you can check the latest APA Manual or use our samples.

5. Should I indent an APA annotated bibliography?

APA annotated bibliography is the most common type of assignment. It is also often used by researchers and students to organize the sources they read or work with. It is much easier to find the article you need if you already have a short summary or one paragraph with key findings. 

6. Do APA annotated bibliographies have to be in alphabetical order?

We would say that this is the common rule to have your annotations in alphabetical order. In some cases, it is possible to organize it by the year of publication. But it works only if you are writing about historical changes in a research topic. If you don’t have specific requirements, go with alphabetical order of sources for your annotations.

7. Does APA annotated bibliography have a reference page?

A lot of people think that annotated bibliography is the same as a reference list and can be used instead of it. However, it is two different types of assignments. In other words, an annotated bibliography is a combination of references and a short description of this source. That is why you do not need a separate reference list for annotation.

8. Does an annotated bibliography replace a reference page?

An annotated bibliography is a separate document, and it does not replace a reference page. It is another type of document you may need for your research. Annotations often look like a reference list, but they include not only the source citation but also its description.

Emma Flores knows all about formatting standards. She shares with StudyCrumb readers tips on creating academic papers that will meet high-quality standards.

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• checkbox I have understood my task and read the assignment and grading policy carefully.
• checkbox I defined the topic of my research.
• checkbox I found good sources to include in my annotation.
• checkbox I have read a text and made all necessary notes.
• checkbox I wrote references to my sources and one paragraph of a short summary or critical points for my future research.
• checkbox I checked the formatting correspondence with APA 7th edition guidelines.
• checkbox I have proofread my annotation.

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Annotated Bibliographies

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This handout provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS.

Definitions

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.).

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

For more help, see our handout on paraphrasing sources.

For more help, see our handouts on evaluating resources .

• Reflect : Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor.

Why should I write an annotated bibliography?

To learn about your topic : Writing an annotated bibliography is excellent preparation for a research project. Just collecting sources for a bibliography is useful, but when you have to write annotations for each source, you're forced to read each source more carefully. You begin to read more critically instead of just collecting information. At the professional level, annotated bibliographies allow you to see what has been done in the literature and where your own research or scholarship can fit. To help you formulate a thesis: Every good research paper is an argument. The purpose of research is to state and support a thesis. So, a very important part of research is developing a thesis that is debatable, interesting, and current. Writing an annotated bibliography can help you gain a good perspective on what is being said about your topic. By reading and responding to a variety of sources on a topic, you'll start to see what the issues are, what people are arguing about, and you'll then be able to develop your own point of view.

To help other researchers : Extensive and scholarly annotated bibliographies are sometimes published. They provide a comprehensive overview of everything important that has been and is being said about that topic. You may not ever get your annotated bibliography published, but as a researcher, you might want to look for one that has been published about your topic.

The format of an annotated bibliography can vary, so if you're doing one for a class, it's important to ask for specific guidelines.

The bibliographic information : Generally, though, the bibliographic information of the source (the title, author, publisher, date, etc.) is written in either MLA or APA format. For more help with formatting, see our MLA handout . For APA, go here: APA handout .

The annotations: The annotations for each source are written in paragraph form. The lengths of the annotations can vary significantly from a couple of sentences to a couple of pages. The length will depend on the purpose. If you're just writing summaries of your sources, the annotations may not be very long. However, if you are writing an extensive analysis of each source, you'll need more space.

You can focus your annotations for your own needs. A few sentences of general summary followed by several sentences of how you can fit the work into your larger paper or project can serve you well when you go to draft.

Holman Library

• Library Instruction

Research Guide: Citations

• APA Annotated Bibliography Example
• Citing Sources
• Quick Overview
• Plagiarism & Academic Honesty This link opens in a new window
• APA Citation Style Overview
• In-Text Citations - APA
• ARTICLES - APA Reference List
• BOOKS - APA Reference List
• ONLINE SOURCES - APA Reference List
• OTHER SOURCES - APA Reference List
• APA Formatted Paper Example
• APA Verbal/Speech Citations Example
• APA Images and Visual Presentations Citations Example
• MLA Citation Style Overview
• In-Text Citations - MLA
• ARTICLES - MLA Works Cited
• BOOKS - MLA Works Cited
• ONLINE SOURCES - MLA Works Cited
• OTHER SOURCES - MLA Works Cited
• MLA Formatted Paper Example
• MLA Annotated Bibliography Example
• MLA Verbal/Speech Citation Example
• MLA Images and Visual Presentations Citations Example
• Other Citation Styles
• Citation Generator (NoodleTools)
• Synthesizing Sources
• Get Help & Citation Workshops

APA Annotated Bibliographies

• Example APA Annotated Bibliography
• Additional Examples & Explanations from Other Websites
• APA Guidelines for Annotated Bibliographies

Scott, D. (1999). Camp William Penn's black soldiers in blue.  America's Civil War ., 12(4), 44-50.

       After the Emancipation Proclamation, may free black slaves enlisted in the Union Army at Camp William Penn. This journal article provides an overview of their training at the Camp, the racism they experienced from the community and their bravery during battle. It gives detailed examples of discrimination the soldiers faced from the Philadelphia citizens as well as from some of their own commanding officers. The theme running through the article is that while black troops were an important part of the military, they faced significant racism even as they attempted to fight for the northern cause.      I chose this source because it discusses the conditions of the largest training facility for ex-slave soldiers and so provides one basis by which to judge the treatment of black soldiers during the Civil War. It is helpful because it depicts discrimination faced by the soldiers and gives them a voice, even including some quotes from the soldiers. This source was unique in that it described the citizen reaction to having black soldiers in their midst. It helped shape my argument because it shows that racism existed not only in the South, but also in the North and within the military, proving that African American soldiers faced an uphill struggle even as they assisted the Union's victory.

(note that the above annotation should be completely double-spaced)

• Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): Annotated Bibliographies Need more information or an example of what an annotation looks like? Check out the info from Purdue's Online Writing Lab.
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): Annotated Bibliography Samples Need more information or an example of what an annotation looks like? Check out the info from Purdue's Online Writing Lab.
• Cornell University Library: How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography

APA-specific guidelines for annotated bibliographies:

(from section 9.51 of the APA Manual)

1.Instructors generally set the content requirements (number of references to include, length and focus of each annotation...etc.)

2. Format and order references in alphabetical order, the same as you would order entries in a References list

3. Double-space the entire annotated bibliography

4. Each annotation should begin an new paragraph below its reference entry.  Indent the entire annotation .5 inches (a "hanging indent") from the left margin. Do not further indent the first line of the annotation

5.If the annotation spans multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of the second paragraph and any subsequent paragraphs an additional .5 inches

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Definitions.

A Bibliography is a list of the sources you used to research your topic.

An Annotated Bibliography includes a citation and a short summary/analysis (called an “annotation”) for each source. 

Follow your instructor's specific guidelines for the length and content of your annotated bibliography.

A common structure for the annotation is:

Summary: Include answers to some of these questions:

• what type of source is this? (book, article…etc.)
• what is this source about? – a brief summary
• what topic(s) does it cover?  how extensive is its coverage?
• what are its main arguments or themes?

Analysis: Include answers to some of these questions:

• why did you choose this source?
• in what ways is it an authoritative and credible source for your purposes?
• how is it helpful for your project or how does it shape your argument?
• how does it fit in with the rest of your research?

Quick Guide - APA

Quick guide - apa citation style, automatic citation generator, noodletools.

Access online tutorials using the links below:

• NoodleTools Quick Start Guide
• NoodleTools How-To Guide
• Video Tutorial: NoodleTools (length=10:02)
• NoodleTools: Importing Citations from Library Databases
• << Previous: APA Formatted Paper Example
• Next: APA Verbal/Speech Citations Example >>
• Last Updated: Apr 1, 2024 7:36 PM
• URL: https://libguides.greenriver.edu/citations

APA 7th Edition Style Guide

• Changes/updates
• The Concise APA Handbook: APA 7th Edition
• Article Examples
• Book Examples
• Internet Resources and Other Examples
• Media Examples
• Finding the DOI
• APA Reference Quick Guide
• Legal Cases
• Sample Annotated Student Paper
• Annotated Bibliography
• Handouts and Guides

Sample Annotated Paper - APA Style 7th Edition

• Annotated Student Sample Paper
• Annotated Professional Sample Paper
• Sample Student Paper (no annotations)
• << Previous: Statutes
• Next: Annotated Bibliography >>
• Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 5:21 PM
• URL: https://libguides.eku.edu/apastyleguide

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CMP-125 (Kranzler, Spring 2024)

• Assignment: Paper 5
• How to: Annotated Bibliography in RefWorks
• Assignment: Paper 3
• Search Tips
• Identify Types of Publications
• Evaluate Internet Resources
• Search for Reliable Articles
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Citing Sources
• Create a Hanging Indent
• **More Citation Help This link opens in a new window
• **Get Research Help This link opens in a new window

Annotated Bibliographies in Refworks

Yes! You can use Refworks to make annotated bibliographies with both MLA and APA citation styles. Follow the steps and off we go!

1.  Select the citation that you need to add the annotation to. 

2.  Click on the editing pen in the upper right of the page to add your annotation to the citation. 

3.  Write your annotation paragraph in the Abstract field, deleting anything there if it is not already clear. Don't forget to SAVE it on the bottom!

4.  Check the boxes of your annotated citations, then click Create Bibliography . 

For MLA, choose MLA 8th edition - Annotated with abstract

For APA, choose  APA 7th - Sentence casing, DOI:empty, Annotated

5. Enjoy your annotated bibliography!

• << Previous: Assignment: Paper 5
• Next: Assignment: Paper 3 >>
• Last Updated: Apr 5, 2024 1:05 PM
• URL: https://guides.rider.edu/kranzler-cmp-125

MLA Citation Style 9th Edition: Annotated Bib.

• Core Elements
• Audio Materials
• Books & eBooks
• Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
• Government Documents
• Images, Infographics, Maps, Charts, & Tables
• Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Oral Communication)
• Journal Articles
• Magazine Articles
• Newspaper Articles
• Personal Communications (including emails and interviews)
• Religious Works
• Social Media
• Theses & Dissertations
• Websites (including documents/PDFs posted on websites)
• Works in Another Language / Translations
• No Author/Date/Etc.
• Sample Paper
• Annotated Bib.

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Useful Links for Annotated Bibliographies

• Annotated Bibliographies Overview of purpose and form of annotated bibliographies from the Purdue OWL.
• Writing an Annotated Bibliography Overview and examples from the University of Guelph.
• Writing an Annotated Bibliography Definition, tips, and examples from the University of Toronto.

Annotations

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Reference page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.

Types of Annotations

 A summary annotation describes the source by answering the following questions: who wrote the document, what the document discusses, when and where was the document written, why was the document produced, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description. 

 An evaluative annotation includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project. The focus is on description and evaluation.

Annotated Bibliographies: How-To Guide

• MLA Annotated Bibliography Template

Sample Entry

London, Herbert. “Five Myths of the Television Age.” Television Quarterly , vol. 10, no. 1, Mar. 1982, pp. 81-69.

Herbert London, the Dean of Journalism at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five commonly believed ideas. He uses specific examples of events seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to illustrate his points. His examples have been selected to contradict such truisms as: “seeing is believing”; “a picture is worth a thousand words”; and “satisfaction is its own reward.” London uses logical arguments to support his ideas which are his personal opinion. He does not refer to any previous works on the topic. London’s style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader. The article clearly illustrates London’s points, but does not explore their implications leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.

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• Next: More Help >>
• Last Updated: Apr 5, 2024 4:43 PM
• URL: https://libguides.msubillings.edu/mla9

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Book Citations / Learn how to cite “The things they carried” by Tim O’Brien

Learn how to cite “The things they carried” by Tim O’Brien

Learn how to create in-text citations and a full citation/reference/note for The things they carried by Tim O’Brien using the examples below. The things they carried  is cited in 14 different citation styles, including MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, APA, ACS, and many others.

If you are looking for additional help, try the EasyBib citation generator .

Popular Citation Styles

Here are The things they carried citations for five popular citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago (notes-bibliography), Chicago (author-date), and Harvard style.

Additional Styles

Here are The things they carried citations for 14 popular citation styles including Turabian style, the American Medical Association (AMA) style, the Council of Science Editors (CSE) style, IEEE, and more.

Find citation guides for additional books linked here .

Popular Book Citations

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