If you want to write a great annotation and to know what does an APA style annotated bibliography look like, you can find an explanation with an example below. The main purpose of such annotations is to connect the source with your research question in academic writing. Follow these tips to format annotated bibliography in the APA style.
1. What Is Annotated Bibliography?
Actually, it is a list of references with a summary of each source and an explanation of its relation to your research. In other words, it is a list of annotations of articles or other sources.
It is important to format sources in references and in the text following one style and show their relevance to the topic. In fact, annotated bibliography is a review of sources that will be used for further research to support its results or findings. An annotation is the analysis of one source, its main points and applicability to research. It does not require an introduction with a thesis statement and formal conclusion, but only concluding sentences.
2. Example: What Does an APA style Annotated Bibliography Look Like?
Below, there is an example of annotated bibliography in the APA style for the topic “Testing for Tuberculosis.”
Testing for Tuberculosis
First, you should include the source formatted in APA and indented, as in the example:
First, Henderson, M., & Howard, S. (2017). Screening for latent tuberculosis in UK health care workers. Occupational Medicine, 67(8), 641-643. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqx119
Start writing with a short summary of the article and author’s authority confirmation. Add about the target audience. Then show how you will apply the article to your research or how it relates to it and can be used to support your findings. You can also include comparison with other articles.
Overall, consider including the following sentences:
- An introductory sentence presenting the topic and research question of the source,
- Methods used by the researchers,
- Summary of the main results for quantitative research and findings in case of qualitative research,
- Evaluation whether the source is credible,
- Authors’ authority and expertise,
- Analysis of the level of evidence in the study,
- The relation of the study to your research question: how its evidence can support your research?
- Overall, add source strengths and weaknesses.
3. How Many Words Should You Include?
Annotations are usually between 150 and 250 words. They are short and should focus on summary, evaluation, and a link to research. Therefore, several sentences would suffice.
Writing annotated bibliography can help you:
- Find relevant sources for a literature review and your research,
- Gather findings and results that can serve as evidence to study your research question,
- Understand your research topic deeper.
Since it is a reference list with annotations they should appear in alphabetical order. Each paragraph with an annotation should be indented.
Key Takeaways
When creating annotated bibliography, take the following 3 steps:
- A short summary of the article or other source,
- Evaluation of the credibility of the source and authors,
- A link of the source to the research question.
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Updated on May 16, 2025
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