Annotated bibliography template APA

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography Template APA

A bibliography is a list of articles, books, films and other works on a particular topic. An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that includes a summary for each of the entries. In such bibliography, individual citations are followed by a short descriptive paragraph, the annotation. The annotation is designed to inform the reader of the quality, accuracy, and relevance of the sources cited.

Although such bibliography is employed to maintain an account of all books on a particular topic along with their concise descriptions, it is not abstract. Annotations differ from abstracts. Abstracts are descriptive summaries mostly found in periodical indexes or at the beginning of scholarly works. Annotations are both critical and descriptive. Suhc bibliography is helpful in informing readers about the importance of a book.

Preparing a bibliography requires intellectual skills such as succinct analysis, concise exposition, and informed library research. Firstly, you would need to find and record citations to documents, books, and periodicals that may contain vital information or useful ideas on your topic. After which you would need to review the items then select the ones that provide detailed information on your topic. Next, you would need to write a concise and brief annotation that captures the scope and central theme of the book.

Also, you would need to add one or two sentences that evaluate the background of the author, the intended audience, how the book/article compares with another you have previously cited or how it illuminates your bibliography topic.

The length of each annotation is defined by the specific instructions guiding a particular assignment. It usually ranges from a few sentences to a hundred and fifty or two hundred words. Just like an abstract, each annotation should not be more than a paragraph long.

Guidelines in Creating an Annotated Bibliography

When creating an annotated bibliography based on the APA style, things to know include:

1. It comprises of dual elements:
   • Citation in most recent APA style format
   • Annotation
2. Citation precedes annotation: annotation (concise and critical description) follows citation on the next line. Double spacing is used throughout.
3. Annotations are different from abstracts. They are not only descriptive, they are critical so there should be several sentences summarizing key ideas or points. You should also include your own comments assessing the quality of the item or a statement of how the item relates to your research topic.
4. For a longer annotated bibliography, you should divide your writing into sections and topics.
5. Use hanging indents for citations (the first line of each citation should start at the left margin). Subsequent lines should be indented four spaces.
6. At the end of each citation, use the Return Key to drop down to the next line.

Creating an APA bibliography is no easy task. This is because it requires in-depth research into each book, its author, as well as other details. Researching these details as well as the task of documenting can be cumbersome. This is where the APA annotated bibliography template comes into play. Although the annotated APA bibliography template does not replace the need for research, it is helpful in alleviating your workload and reducing the time invested.

Annotated Bibliography APA Format

An annotated bibliography based on the APA format consists of citations of articles, books, periodicals, Google docs, and other materials. The citation information comprises of the author, year of publishing, the title of the work cited, publisher information, an outline of the book or a short summary of the work cited in a hundred and fifty to two hundred words.

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Annotated bibliography template APA