Writing the Annotated APA Bibliography (Davis)
Step 1: APA requires a cover page and an abstract page. See A Writer’s Reference 9th edition (APA-5, pages 479-494) for instructions on how to prepare these two pages, as well as other conventions for writing in APA style.
Note: Your bibliography will NOT include a page of References because the bibliographical information for both articles precedes the summary paragraph in the Annotated Bibliography.
Step 2: Write an Abstract (Introduction) to your Annotated Bibliography (see page 484). The abstract should be one paragraph in length and include the following: explain the topic that is the focus of the sources in your annotated bibliography; provide basic background information surrounding the topic of research to help further explain the issue/if needed; and, identify the main components of your sources annotations (what information you found valuable with regard to your research topic).[unique_solution]
Step 3: Create the Content of the Annotated Bibliography by following these instructions:
*Your articles should be listed beginning with the bibliographical entry and alphabetized according to authors’ last names.
*First, include the source’s information written as you would in a Reference page: author’s last name, first initial. (year of publication). Journal Name, Volume number; issue number, page numbers. Doi
(See A Writer’s Reference, 9th edition, APA Section -pages 463 (13c) and 465 for article accessed through database.)
*Second, write a one-paragraph summary of the source below the bibliographical entry that explains the following: the purpose of the source; the research topic and specific question(s) the author(s) was/were exploring; the methods that were used to explore the topic/questions; the major research findings and/or argument; significance of the findings for the field (What does the research contribute to the knowledge and/or practices for the discipline?)