Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography Guide (APA 7th Edition)
This guide explains how to prepare an Annotated Bibliography in APA 7th Edition format for assignments at Vector Technology Institute (VTI). It includes formatting rules, the main types of annotations, examples, and links to trusted open access databases you can use to find scholarly sources.
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of scholarly references formatted in APA style, where each citation is followed by a short paragraph (the annotation). Most annotations are 150–200 words and do three key things:
- Summarize what the source is about
- Evaluate the quality/credibility of the source
- Explain relevance to your research question/topic
Annotated bibliographies are commonly used to show you can locate credible academic sources, understand them, and connect them to your research topic.
APA 7th Edition Formatting Rules
- Title the page: Annotated Bibliography
- Double-space the entire document (including citations and annotations)
- Use 1-inch margins
- Use a hanging indent (0.5 inch) for each reference entry
- Alphabetize entries by the first author’s last name
- Start the annotation on a new line under the citation
- Write the annotation in your own words (do not copy/paste abstracts)
Where to Find Scholarly Articles (Open Access)
Use these trusted open access tools (from the VTI Open Access Master List) to locate peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and research reports:
- Google Scholar – Broad academic search engine for peer-reviewed articles.
- BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine) – Multidisciplinary open access repository search.
- DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) – Peer-reviewed open access journals.
- IEEE Access – Open access engineering and technology research.
- JOSS (Journal of Open Source Software) – Software engineering and computing research.
- OpenAlex – Research discovery and metadata platform.
- OpenAIRE – Open research outputs from repositories and projects.
For open textbooks and background sources:
Types of Annotated Bibliographies (APA 7th Edition)
Not all annotations are written the same way. The type required depends on your assignment, research goal, or instructor’s expectations. Below are the three main types used in academic research at VTI.
1. Descriptive Annotated Bibliography
Definition: A descriptive annotation summarizes the main argument, scope, and purpose of the source without evaluating it.
When it is used:
- Literature overviews
- Background research assignments
- Early-stage research planning
How useful is it?
Very useful for understanding what sources are about, but it does not assess credibility or quality. Best for mapping research areas.
APA Example (Descriptive):
Williams, R. T. (2022). Blockchain applications in supply chain management. Journal of Emerging Technologies, 18(2), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jet.2022.xxxx
This article discusses how blockchain technology improves transparency and traceability in global supply chains. The author explains distributed ledger systems, smart contracts, and examples from logistics and retail contexts. The paper focuses on common implementation approaches and summarizes adoption trends across industries.
2. Evaluative (Analytical) Annotated Bibliography
Definition: An evaluative annotation summarizes the source and critically assesses its credibility, strengths, limitations, and overall research quality.
When it is used:
- Research papers
- Capstone projects
- Literature reviews
- Graduate-level assignments
How useful is it?
Extremely useful for academic research. It demonstrates critical thinking and helps justify why a source is credible and appropriate to use.
APA Example (Evaluative):
Johnson, L. M., & Patel, S. (2023). Machine learning models for cybersecurity threat detection. IEEE Access, 11, 11234–11250. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ieeeaccess.2023.xxxxx
This peer-reviewed study evaluates several machine learning approaches for detecting network intrusions. The authors use established datasets and report performance metrics with clear validation, which strengthens reliability. However, the research is primarily focused on large enterprise environments and may not fully generalize to smaller networks without additional testing. Overall, the source is highly credible and will support the methodology and justification for using ML-based threat detection in a cybersecurity project.
3. Reflective Annotated Bibliography
Definition: A reflective annotation summarizes the source and explains how it relates to your research process, argument, or learning development.
When it is used:
- Research proposals
- Project-based learning
- Portfolio assignments
- Independent studies
How useful is it?
Very useful for showing research growth and how sources shaped your topic or approach. It’s strong evidence of learning and research reflection.
APA Example (Reflective):
Garcia, D. A. (2021). Ethical challenges in artificial intelligence systems. Technology Ethics Review, 9(1), 12–29. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ter.2021.xxxx
This article reviews ethical risks associated with bias in AI decision-making systems. It helped clarify how unfair outcomes can appear in automated screening and recommendation tools. After reviewing this source, I refined my research focus to examine fairness metrics and bias mitigation techniques in model development. The concepts in this article provide a strong ethical foundation that will shape the analysis section of my project.
Quick Comparison
- Descriptive: Explains what the source says (summary only).
- Evaluative: Explains what the source says and judges quality/credibility.
- Reflective: Explains what the source says and how it affects your research decisions.
Tip: If your instructor does not specify a type, evaluative annotations are generally preferred for academic work at VTI.
How to Write a Strong Annotation (150–200 Words)
Use this simple structure to write clear, high-quality annotations:
- 1–2 sentences: What is the topic and purpose of the source?
- 2–4 sentences: What are the main arguments, methods, or results?
- 1–3 sentences: Evaluate credibility (author expertise, journal quality, evidence, limitations).
- 1–2 sentences: Explain how it supports your research question or project.
Annotation Writing Checklist
- Did you summarize the main argument accurately?
- Did you evaluate credibility (peer-reviewed? author? evidence?)
- Did you explain how the source supports your research?
- Is your annotation 150–200 words (or as assigned)?
- Is your citation formatted correctly in APA 7?
- Did you avoid copying the abstract word-for-word?
Download: APA 7 Annotated Bibliography Template
Use the VTI template to format your citations and write consistent annotations:
