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Writing Annotated bibliography in APA Format

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Written by Sarina Jones
Posted: January 22, 2021
Last update date: July 4, 2024
7 min read

When a student is assigned to write a paper, they are also supposed to provide a list of sources that have been used. Regardless of the type of academic assignment you have, making a list of references mentioning the sources used in your paper is a must. All college and university students should know how to write an annotated bibliography in APA format. The American Psychological Association style is used when preparing papers in social sciences.

You can use online services such as Papersowl to create an annotated bibliography in APA format. With us, you can be sure that your annotated bibliography will meet the highest standards and be ready for submission.

What Is an Annotated Bibliography in APA Format?

An APA annotated bibliography is a list of sources. It includes descriptions that you use in your research paper, especially in your literature review. It includes books, journal articles, and Internet resources for your thesis. You need to describe the main concepts of your sources in this list.

Many students find it challenging to create an annotated bibliography. This is why they hire an essay writing service to help them. The service adds annotations to their works cited page, especially for their thesis assignment. It’s important to ensure that your annotated bibliography follows the correct formatting. This is especially if the bibliography is in an APA annotation.

To write a high-quality APA reference list, it is necessary to be analytical. This helps prove your skills while evaluating different pieces of information. The main goal of writing an annotation is to help the reader understand how a certain book or any other publication can help them when writing an APA research paper format on the same topic.

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How is An Annotation Different From An Abstract

An annotation is different from an abstract in several ways. It would help to keep that in mind while creating an annotated bibliography.

An annotation is a summary of a source, such as a book or an article, that provides information about the reference’s content, scope, and purpose. An entire annotation may also include a critical evaluation of the source. In contrast, an abstract is a summary of a research paper or highlights the main points that the article focuses on.

An annotation provides a general overview of a source and its significance. It’s a list of citations for all the references used throughout the article and other sources. At the same time, an abstract is a more detailed summary of a specific piece of research.

Types of Annotated Bibliographies

There are several different types of annotated bibliographies, some of which are:

  • Summary Annotations: In this type of bibliography, summaries are added for each. This includes a reference entry, the author’s main arguments, and conclusions.
  • Descriptive Annotations: This type of annotated bibliography includes the content of the source.
  • Evaluation Annotations: This annotation includes a critical evaluation of the source. It consists of the strengths and weaknesses of the topic as well as the relevance to the research topic.
  • Combination Annotations: This annotated bibliography combines brief summary description and evaluation annotations.
  • Comparative Annotations: This annotated bibliography compares and contrasts any two sources.
  • Multimedia Annotations: This type of annotated bibliography includes multimedia as sources. The sources can be videos, podcasts, and websites.

Annotated Bibliography Guide

This guide will provide an overview of creating an annotated bibliography as per the APA guidelines.

What Should An Annotation Include?

Here are the specific components that an APA annotated bibliography should include:

  • Citation: Begin the annotated bibliography entry with a complete citation of the source, formatted in APA style.
  • Summary: Evaluate the overview of the source’s content, highlighting the main arguments or ideas. Also, check if the information is reliable. How does it compare to the other researchers?
  • Evaluation: Test the strengths and weaknesses of the references. Consider factors such as its relevance to your research topic and the article’s focus.
  • Reflection: Finally, reflect on how the citation relates to your project. Also, note how it might contribute to understanding the subject or inform your research. Please note that the first line of an APA annotated bibliography entry should have a regular indent. While the subsequent lines should have a hanging indent of 0.5 inches.
    Follow the same format for the entire annotation page for the perfect annotated bibliography.

How to Format an APA Annotation Bibliography?

Formatting is one of the most daunting tasks. When formatting an annotated bibliography in APA style, include a title page. The title page should state “Annotated Bibliography” and arrange sources alphabetically. Also, use hanging indent, provide a full APA citation for each source, and compose a brief annotation.

Also, ensure that annotations are double-spaced for each entry. Also, note that you should format with proper capitalization under APA guidelines.

Creating Your Citation in APA

An APA citation includes the author’s last name, the publication year, the work’s title, and the publication information. The publication information can be about the publisher or journal name. Also, APA requires you to include a reference list at the end of your paper with all the sources you cited within the text.

You should format your citations in APA style to avoid plagiarism and show professionalism and attention to detail. This will help you write a perfect annotation.

Where to Find APA Research Sources?

APA references are in various places. This includes academic library databases such as JSTOR, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost. Google Scholar is also a great research resource for searching the literature for your APA reference list.

Government websites like the CDC and NIH provide data and statistics. At the same time, w2 professional organizations within your field publish journals on their websites.

Further Guidelines for APA Annotated Bibliography

An AAPA (American Association of Physical Anthropologists) annotated bibliography is in alphabetical order. Annotated bibliographies are organized in alphabetical order. This is per the author’s last name or by the first word of the citation if there is no author. This allows readers to locate and reference specific sources within the bibliography.

The annotated bibliography is in alphabetical order, and the text should be double-spaced. The length of an APA annotated bibliography can vary. It depends on the specific requirements of the research project.

When creating an annotated bibliography, include all the sources you used as references. A full annotation should evaluate the source in up to one paragraph.

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7 Guidelines for Annotated Bibliography

Writing an annotated bibliography list in APA can take much time and effort. That’s why some students prefer to let annotated bibliography writing services. Write it for them. If you follow the annotated bibliography tips below, you can make it less time-consuming and more effective.

  • Summarize the source: You should explain in your own words what this source is about. You can also mention if you find the source helpful.
  • Provide in-depth analysis: You must ask whether the author has reached their goal.
  • Test the reference: In the annotation paragraph, you should define whether the source is helpful for your research.
  • Check with your professor to see if you need to include the following three elements: summary, analysis, and evaluation. Some professors may not need to analyze or evaluate each entry. Determine if you need to do this or not.
  • You do not need extra spacing when writing an annotation after the citation.
  • Ensure the paragraph of your complete annotation in APA formatting is 200 words at most. It should not be more than one paragraph.
  • Provide a critical analysis of the references, avoiding the evaluation of the author’s conclusions. Additionally, one should consider the evidence used to support the argument. It should also note the implications of the author’s views. It is also important to consider other interpretations of the evidence. Also, include alternative explanations in the annotated bibliography. Writing your argumentative essay based on this source could involve exploring the author’s arguments’ implications and evaluating the validity of all critical annotations. Moreover, it could also include examining alternative interpretations and explanations of the evidence.

Example of an Annotated Bibliography in APA

You may be assigned to develop your own annotated bibliography in APA as a separate task. Especially when analyzing different literary works or as a part of another paper where you add the references at the end. If you have never written an annotated bibliography in APA guidelines, you should learn what it is. You should also note how it differs from each entry’s standard list of works cited. For example, if it’s single-spaced or double-spaced.

Before you begin writing your APA bibliography, examining some examples of APA bibliographies is a good idea. An example can help you understand how to write an annotated bibliography following APA guidelines.

Additionally, suppose you need help to complete your custom assignment. In that case, you may find helpful resources online to guide you in creating an APA annotated bibliography or where you can get APA papers for sale. Here we discuss several examples of an annotated bibliography for your reference. You can note these for your research project.

Insights into Human Behavior

Myers, D. (1971). Social Psychology. Hope College Holland, Michigan with Jean M.Twenge San Diego State University.

The book presents the standards of social behaviour. It reviews various theories and hypotheses, along with many experiments. This book is strictly scientific and human. It includes plenty of facts and intriguing information.

It describes the fundamental principles of social thinking, influence, and behaviour. It includes a variety of experiments, as well as recent research.

Weinshenk, S. (2013). How to Get People to Do Stuff: Master the Art and Science of Persuasion and Motivation. New Riders.

Our psyche works by certain laws. Those aware of them can “force” people to do what they need. As Susan Weinschenk showed in her book, this is easy. You need to understand what motivates people and be able to apply this knowledge the right way. The author of “Laws of Influence,” Susan Weinschenk, is a famous American psychologist. She specializes in behavioural psychology.

The book provides an invaluable resource for students and APA paper writers. It presents the latest achievements in the field of neurology and the human brain. It also has tips on applying the acquired knowledge in business and everyday life. Weinschenk goes beyond simply listing the main motivators of human behaviour. She explains how to use them to get concrete results. She also gives different behaviour strategies for each psychological law. This provides a valuable resource for APA paper writers.

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