Annotations can be descriptive or critical (evaluative), or a combination of both.
Scroll down the page for various examples of citation styles or click on the menu to the left.
An annotated bibliography is an APA reference list that includes a brief summary and analysis - the annotation - under the reference entry (citation). See the "Descriptive Annotation in APA Format" section below.
An annotated bibliography includes:
The descriptive annotation below both summarizes and assesses the article in the citation. It provides a brief summary of the author's project in the article, covering the main points of the work.
Note: If the citation extends beyond one line, the second line is indented and double-spaced.
London, H. (1982). Five myths of the television age. Television quarterly 10 (1) 81-89.
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 doesn't refer to any previous works on the topic. London's style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader.
For information on formatting APA citations, consult APA Style Guide, 7th ed.
A critical annotation: evaluates the source, is usually longer, explains why the source is valuable (or not), and notes the weak and strong points of the source.
Note: If the citation extends beyond one line the second line is indented and double-spaced.
London, H. (1982). Five myths of the television age. Television quarterly 10, 1, 81-89.
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 doesn't refer to any previous works on the topic; however, for a different point of view, one should refer to Joseph Patterson's "Television is Truth" (cited below). 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.
For information on formatting APA citations, consult APA Style Guide, 7th ed..
A descriptive annotation states what the source is, who created it, how long it is, and summarizes the contents.
Fortin, Francois. Sports: The Complete Visual Reference. Firefly Books, 2001.
Designed as a reference book for sports enthusiasts, coaches, players, and students interested in
the rules, techniques, equipment, and history of 127 mainstream and extreme sports. Entries include
racket, equestrian, nautical, and motor sports. Thousands of diagrams, illustrations, and photographs
are the backbone of the book. The detailed table of contents and accurate index facilitate access.
For information on formatting MLA citations, consult the MLA 9th Edition (2021) Style Guide.
A critical annotation evaluates the source, is usually longer, explains why the source is valuable (or not) , and notes the weak and strong points of the source.
Myers, Walter Dean. The Greatest: Muhammad Ali. Scholastic Press, 2001.
An introduction to Ali’s life from his childhood to the present day, focusing on his career and the
controversies surrounding him. Myers interweaves fight sequences with the boxer’s life story
and the political events and issues of the day. He reports on the brutality of the sport and
documents the toll it has taken on its many stars. Ample black-and-white photographs of the
subject in and out of the ring illustrate the book. Covering Ali is a daunting task, especially
since dozens of books and hundreds of articles have been written about him in the last 40 years.
Fortunately, readers have an award-winning author, one with the perspective of being a young
African American in Harlem during the height of the boxer’s fame, to tell his story. Myers’s
writing flows while describing the boxing action and the legend’s larger-than-life story.
For information on formatting MLA citations, consult the MLA 9th Edition (2021) Style Guide.
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