A Simple Guide to Write an Annotated Bibliography - A Complete Guide

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Thinking of going to your friend’s place and asking him to write my essay for me because this time your instructor asked you to write an annotated bibliography essay?

But what if next time again you are asked to write the same essay?

I think that’s not a good idea. However, I have the best solution to your problem. This solution is durable and will not only help you write annotated bibliography but will also enhance your writing skills. The solution to your problem is to learn how to write an annotated bibliography and below you will find a simple guide that will guide you in writing it.

An annotated bibliography involves a list of sources or citations like research papers, books, articles, etc. It usually follows a style format such as APA, AMA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, etc. In an annotated bibliography sources relevant to the topic are cited and a summary of around 150 words is written with each cited source. For example, if the topic is related to technological evolution then 5 to 6 sources will be cited and a summary of each cited source will be written in the annotated bibliography. Where the cited sources must be relevant to the topic i.e. technological evolution. Students often confuse abstract with an annotated bibliography as they both involve descriptive summary. Yeah, an annotated bibliography is also a descriptive summary but here the author’s view regarding a study is highlighted in the summary, and the annotations while being descriptive are critical as well at the same time which makes it different from an abstract.

When it comes to the purpose of writing an annotated bibliography, we see that there is not a single purpose associated with an annotated bibliography. Rather an annotated bibliography has multiple purposes. Such as:

1. Provides research work performed by different authors previously on the current topic.
2. Provides theories and examples from different literature studies.
3. Highlights the key works done by the author in a specific source which helps readers get an idea of that specific work without studying the whole paper or book.
4. Performs detailed research on any specific topic provided.

Writing an annotated bibliography is very easy when you know how to do it. Two basic things need to be followed while writing an annotated bibliography. The first one is the 4 step procedure that helps you write annotated bibliography and the second one is the format that you will use for your bibliography.

Writing an annotated bibliography

Four steps from a paper writing service need to be followed while writing an annotated bibliography. These steps are mentioned below:

1. Study the topic and research for the topic. After researching, pick the best sources to include in your annotated bibliography.
2. After selecting the sources, review and highlight the main elements from each source.
3. Write down the citation.
4. Write down the summary or annotation for each citation. The annotation for each citation should be 150 words. Include the basic elements and the actual work done by the author in your summary.

Format for an annotated bibliography

Numerous style formats are available such as APA, MLA, AMA, Chicago, Harvard, etc. you can choose one from the above-mentioned formats according to your interest. Follow the format for citations and for formatting the document. To help students and new writers, sample formats are available online. Students can download these samples and take help from them while writing an annotated bibliography. Moreover, students or new writers can also consult and take assistance from professional writers. An essay writer can help you in this regard. Get help from an essay writing service and start writing, with time you will learn to write outstanding annotated bibliography essays.