Cathy A.
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An Essential Guide to Writing an Annotated Bibliography APA Style

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Published on: Feb 28, 2023

Last updated on: Mar 21, 2023

Annotated Bibliography APA

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Are you a student struggling to keep up with your annotations? 

As a student, juggling a job, family responsibilities, and classes can be tough. When you add having to write an annotated bibliography assignment on top of that, it can feel impossible.

Well, don't be intimidated! With this easy-to-follow guide, you'll be able to craft an excellent APA-style annotated bibliography in no time. In this blog, we will cover the basics of an annotated bibliography, offer tips, and provide you with a few examples.

Let's get started!

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources—books, articles, websites, etc.—that you've used for researching your paper or project. It provides a brief description and evaluation of the source material and its relevance to your topic. 

In addition, it also helps other researchers understand how you used the source material in your research.

APA Style Annotated Bibliography

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is the most common format used for annotated bibliographies. This style is used by many disciplines, including the social sciences. 

Components of an Annotated

Bibliography APA 7th Edition
When writing an annotated bibliography in APA 7th edition, there are a few components that you should include. These components include the following:

Title Page: Your annotated bibliography should include an APA-formatted title page. 
Pages Numbered: All the pages in your annotated bibliography should be numbered beginning with the title page. 
Reference List: An APA formatted reference list should begin on its own page. All references should be centered and bolded at the top of the page.
Entries Listed Alphabetically: All entries in your annotated bibliography should be listed in alphabetical order. 
Annotations: Annotations for each reference should begin under its associated reference and be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.
Double Spacing: The entire document should be double-spaced, with no extra space between entries. 

Here is an example of an annotated bibliography in APA 7th edition format:

Reference:

Dishman, R. K., McIver, K. L., Dowda, M., Saunders, R. P., & Pate, R. R. (2019). Self-efficacy, beliefs, and goals: Moderation of declining physical activity during adolescence. Health Psychology, 38(6), 483-493. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000734

Annotation:

The study by Dishman et al. (2019) found that self-efficacy plays an important role in physical activity levels among adolescents. It was demonstrated that having a high level of self-efficacy could help reduce the effects of perceived barriers and negative environmental influences on physical activity goals. The authors used an objective measure of physical activity, as well as self-reports of social–cognitive beliefs and physical activity goals to examine the effects of self-efficacy. Results from the study showed that participants with higher levels of self-efficacy were more likely to have higher physical activity goals, even when faced with perceived barriers and negative environmental influences. Furthermore, these findings suggest that interventions targeting self-efficacy may be effective in encouraging physical activity among adolescents, which could have important implications for health promotion. Overall, this study provides evidence that self-efficacy plays a critical role in physical activity and should be considered when designing interventions to increase physical activity among young people.

Expert Tip

If you're on the hunt for annotated bibliography topics, this blog is full of creative ideas to inspire your search.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography APA 7th Edition?

Writing an annotated bibliography in APA 7th edition format is fairly simple. Here are the steps you'll need to take:

1. Gather your sources: Before beginning, make sure that you have all of your source material gathered and ready to go. This includes books, articles, websites, and any other materials that you may need to include.

2. Review the item: Once you have all of your sources, take the time to review each item. Choose those that provide a wide variety of perspectives on your topic. Article abstracts are helpful in this process.

3. Write the citation and annotation: When writing your annotation, the complete citation should always come first and the annotation follows. Depending on the type of annotated bibliography you are writing, you will want to include some or all of the following:

• The purpose of the work 
• A summary of its content 
• Information about the author 
• For what type of audience the work is written 
• Its relevance to the topic 
• Any special or unique features 
• Any strengths or weaknesses 
• Your assessment of the work 

4. Review and edit: Once you have finished writing your annotations, take the time to review them for accuracy and clarity. 

And there you have it! Now you know how to write an annotated bibliography in APA 7th edition format. With a little practice, you'll be able to craft excellent annotated bibliographies in no time. 

Searching for a simplified guide to creating an Annotated Bibliography using the APA format? Check out this incredible video for step-by-step instructions on how to create a correctly formatted bibliography.

APA Annotated Bibliography Formatting Guidelines

Here are some formatting guidelines to keep in mind when writing your annotated bibliography: 

Page Margins: Use 1-inch page margins on all sides. 
Line Spacing: The entire page should be double-spaced. 
Title Page: Title your page, “Annotated Bibliography”. Center and bold it. 
Reference List: Left-align references and indent any line extending past the first by a ½ inch from the left margin. Be sure to organize your listings alphabetically according to the initial word of each reference.
Annotations: Insert annotations and indent them half an inch from the left margin.
Page Numbers: Include a page number in the upper right corner of each page.

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Reference:

Johnson, R. C., & Allen, T. D. (2013). Examining the links between employed mothers’ work characteristics, physical activity, and child health. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 148- 157. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030460 

Annotation:

The authors created a process model to investigate relationships between job/work demands, physical activity, and health among employed mothers and their children. Using data from a multi-wave, nationwide study containing information on 359 mother–child dyads, the authors investigated how both strain-based (job control and role ambiguity) and time-based (work hours) job demands relate to child health via child modeling of mothers’ physical activity. The results showed that, when controlling for individual and family characteristics, employed mothers with higher strain-based and time-based job demands exercised less and their children were also in poorer health due to decreased physical activity. This study provides evidence that strain-based and time-based job demands can have negative impacts on both mother and child physical activity, ultimately resulting in poorer health outcomes for the child. 

For a more comprehensive understanding, please view the attached PDF below.

Examples of Annotated Bibliography APA 

Examples are a great way to get an idea of what a properly formatted annotated bibliography looks like. They also provide an opportunity for you to practice writing annotations. 

Annotated bibliography APA Sample 

Here are a few examples of what an annotated bibliography in APA 7th edition format looks like:


Annotated Bibliography APA 7th Edition Template

The template is a helpful way to ensure that you have included all the necessary components of your bibliography. Here is a template for an APA 7th edition annotated bibliography: 

Click on the PDF attachment below to get the APA annotated bibliography template.

Title Page For Annotated Bibliography APA

The title page in APA 7th edition should include your name, the title of your paper, and any necessary course information. Here is an example of a title page for an annotated bibliography: 


Expert Tip

Need more inspiration for your Bibliography? We've compiled additional helpful annotated bibliography examples - just follow this link!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 3 parts of an annotated bibliography APA?

The three parts of an annotated bibliography in APA style are as follows:

  • Title
  • Annotation
  • Citation

How long should an APA annotated bibliography be?

For an APA annotated bibliography, it is recommended to include three to six sentences of approximately 150 words in total.

Cathy A.

WRITTEN BY

Cathy A., Marketing, Law

Cathy has been a trusted source of high-quality writing for more than five years. With her in-depth knowledge of mass communication from her Master's degree, she always produces work that meets the needs of her clients. In fact, they often leave her 5-star reviews for being an outstanding writer who is very passionate about their craft.

Cathy has been a trusted source of high-quality writing for more than five years. With her in-depth knowledge of mass communication from her Master's degree, she always produces work that meets the needs of her clients. In fact, they often leave her 5-star reviews for being an outstanding writer who is very passionate about their craft.

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