An example of annotated bibliography (APA style)

Annotated bibliography

Forsyth, M. (2014). The elements of eloquence: Secrets of the perfect turn of phrase. Penguin

Books.

The author, Mark Forsyth, examines the rhetorical devices used in the English language,

analyzing the patterns and formats that create memorable quotes. He traces the history of

rhetoric to the Ancient Greeks, and provides an abridged timeline, following their use and

evolution through to modern day. The author also explores the broader subject of

persuasion and maps out the role that the figures of rhetoric play in it. In all, he examines

over thirty devices, dissecting notable passages and phrases from pop music, the plays of

William Shakespeare, the Bible, and more to explore the figures of rhetoric at work

within each of them. Thorough definitions accompany this examination of structure to

demonstrate how these formulas have been used to generate famously memorable

expressions as well as how to reproduce their effects.

Some tips on how to write an annotated bibliography:

Annotations are brief paragraph summaries of your source and may include details about how
you plan to use the information in your paper, or the quality of information in your source. Take
these steps:

1. Read through the source.

2. Consider these points:
  Identify the main thesis theme of the source then consider how you would summarize the
article and its purpose in one sentence.
 Evaluate the source. Is the author(s) qualified? Is the source and its arguments credible?
Well-written? Why or why not?
 How does the source relate to your paper?
3. Write your annotation based on the above steps. Choose only the points that would most help
you or your reader gain an understanding of the source and its significance.

Here are writing tips:

1. Avoid describing every event, statistic, or detail that occurs in your source.
2. Focus on details that are relevant to your topic or your paper. Help the reader understand why
the source was selected and is importance.
3. Think about how the information impacts your perspective, how it contributes to your topic,
and the effect on your overall paper.

Formatting guidelines:

 Use 1-inch page margins on all sides.

 The entire page should be double-spaced.
 Title your page, “Annotated Bibliography”. Center and bold it.
 Left-align references. If a reference runs over more than one line, any line(s) that comes
after the first should be indented a ½ inch from the left margin.
 Organize your references alphabetically by the first word in the reference. (See further
details in this APA Reference Page guide).
 Add the annotations on the line right after their corresponding reference.
 Indent annotations ½ inch from the left margin.
 Include a page number in the upper right corner; if this is a professional paper, it should
be a running head.
 Indent the entire annotated paragraph at ½ of an inch. When done correctly, the left edge
of the annotated paragraph will look entirely straight, as in the first example below.
 If there are multiple paragraphs, follow step one but use a second 0.5-inch indention on
the second and following paragraphs.
 Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt.
 Length of each annotation: around 150 words

Source:
https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/apa-format/annotated-bibliography-format-
apa/#annotation-example
Also check these page for further guidelines:
https://www.bibliography.com/apa/developing-an-apa-annotated-bibliography/
https://libguides.umgc.edu/annotated-bibliography-apa