The Best Free Annotated Bibliography Templates to Get Started Now
7 min read
Published on: Feb 28, 2023
Last updated on: Oct 28, 2024
7 min read
Published on: Feb 28, 2023
Last updated on: Oct 28, 2024
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Looking for an easy way to get started on your annotated bibliography research?
Save yourself the hassle and check out these free templates!
Now, with this simple guide, we’ll show you how easy it is to start writing your own annotated bibliography.
So stop scrambling around in a sea of notes and references—it's time for some relief!
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An annotated bibliography lists citations to books, articles, and other sources.
Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.
They are sometimes used to provide a literature review on a particular subject, summarizing the findings of several authors. Annotations can evaluate the quality of the work. They can suggest its relevance to the research being conducted and indicate its possible uses for the project.
The extent of the annotation should depend on the purpose and scope of the project.
Check out our extensive blog on how to write a perfect annotated bibliography!
Let’s explore the components of annotation and how they can help make your research paper shine!
The most important part of any annotation is an evaluation of the work itself. This includes a summary of the main points or arguments presented in the source material.
Annotations also include a description of any arguments or findings mentioned in the source material.
This should include any relevant facts or statistics from the work, as well as any claims made by its authors.
When writing an annotation, it is also important to include information about who wrote it.
Finally, annotations should explain how each source will help support your argument or thesis statement.
Whatever your purpose, there are several types of annotations that can help you in your studies.
Let’s look at four types of annotations and how they can be used while studying.
An indicative or descriptive annotation summarizes the main points of a text without offering any analysis or opinion.
It typically includes the author’s name, title, and publication information as well as key ideas from the text.
For example,if you were annotating an essay about gun control, you might include statements such as
“The author argues that stricter gun laws are needed to reduce gun violence” and “The author suggests that background checks should be mandatory for all gun purchases.”
This type of annotation is similar to indicative or descriptive annotation but goes into more detail.
In addition to summarizing, an informative or summary annotation may also provide some analysis or evaluation of those points.
For instance, if you were annotating an article about poverty in America, you could include summaries like
“The author claims that poverty is caused by structural issues in society” along with comments like “The author effectively uses statistics and examples to support his argument.”
Evaluation annotations provide more than just a summary. They offer opinions about the quality of a text’s ideas and arguments.
Check out this video to learn more about evaluation annotations!
They may also comment on the structure of the piece
For example
“This essay is organized very clearly”
or its use of language
“The author uses vivid language throughout this piece".
If you are reading an article about climate change, for instance, your evaluation annotation might read something like
“Although there are some flaws in the author's logic, overall this article presents a convincing case for immediate action on climate change."
As its name implies, combination annotations combine elements from two or more other types of annotations into one note.
For example,
If you are reading an essay on immigration reform, your combination annotation may summarize certain points.
Creating an annotated bibliography can be a tedious task. Fortunately, CollegeEssay.org has developed several free annotated bibliography templates to make the process easier!
Our templates are designed to help you quickly and easily organize your source material.
So without further ado, let's dive into these templates!
This template is specifically designed to help you format your annotated bibliography according to the (APA) 7th Edition style guide.
APA 7th Edition Annotated Bibliography Template
1. Article
Author last name, First Initial. Second Initial. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Annotation: Here the annotation should summarize the main argument or purpose of the article in one to two sentences. |
2. Book
Author last name, First Initial. Second Initial. (year). Title of book. Place of publication: Publisher name. Annotation: Here the annotation should summarize the main argument or purpose of the book in one to two sentences. |
3. Chapter in an Edited Book
Author last name, First Initial. Second Initial. (year). Title of chapter. In Editor's First Initial. Second Initial. Last name (Ed.), Title of book (pages of chapter). Place of publication: Publisher name Annotation: Here the annotation should summarize the main argument or purpose of the chapter in one to two sentences. |
4. Website
Author last name, First Initial. Second Initial. (year, month day). Title of webpage. Retrieved from URL Annotation: Here the annotation should summarize the main argument or purpose of the website in one to two sentences. |
5. Journal Article (online)
Author last name, First Initial. Second Initial. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers. doi or Retrieved from URL Annotation: Here the annotation should summarize the main argument or purpose of the journal article in one to two sentences. |
Check these free downloadable templates to get an easy start on your annotated bibliography.
This template is specifically designed to help you format your annotated bibliography according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style guide.
This template is specifically designed to help you format your annotated bibliography according to the Chicago Style guide.
Whether you’re using APA, MLA or Chicago style, CollegeEssay.org has you covered!
Download our free templates today and get started on your annotated bibliography in no time!
This template is designed to help guide you in creating an annotated bibliography that provides a critical assessment of each source. It also includes space for additional notes and reflections.
Writing an annotated bibliography can seem daunting, but with templates from CollegeEssay.org, it doesn't have to be!
Download our templates and get started right away!
If you are looking for an essay writer to help you with creating an annotated bibliography, consider CollegeEssay.org.
Our annotated bibliography writing service is best for comprehensive and reliable assistance in developing your project.
With our top essay writing service, you can be sure that your research paper is well-researched and properly cited.
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An annotated bibliography typically consists of three components:
Writing an annotated bibliography requires you to select relevant sources, evaluate their content and compose a concise annotation for each source.
To ensure accuracy and consistency in your annotations, it is important to use the appropriate style guide (e.g. APA, MLA or Chicago).
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For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.
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