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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography (With Examples)

An annotated bibliography is a citation plus a short paragraph that summarises and assesses each source. Here's how to write one, the three types of annotation, and a full APA example.

By The Corroba Team · July 6, 2026

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources where each citation is followed by a short paragraph — the annotation — that summarises the source and explains why it matters. It's a common assignment because it forces you to actually read and evaluate your sources instead of collecting them at the last minute.

The two parts of every entry

Each entry has exactly two pieces:

  1. The citation — a full reference in your assigned style (APA, MLA, Chicago…), formatted exactly as it would appear in a normal reference list.
  2. The annotation — a paragraph (usually 100–200 words) directly below it, indented, describing and assessing the source.

Three kinds of annotation

Check your assignment for which one is expected — most ask for a blend of the first two:

  • Summary (descriptive). What is the source about? What are its main arguments and conclusions?
  • Evaluative (critical). How reliable is it — what are its strengths, biases, or limitations, and how authoritative is the author?
  • Reflective. How does this source fit your project — what will you use it for?

How to write one, step by step

  1. Build the citation first, in your required style.
  2. Read the source and note its thesis, method, and main findings.
  3. In three to six sentences: summarise it, assess its credibility, and say how you'll use it.
  4. Repeat for each source, then sort the whole list alphabetically by the author's last name — just like a reference list.

A full example (APA 7th)

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Kahneman, a Nobel laureate in economics, distinguishes two modes of thought: fast, intuitive “System 1” and slow, deliberate “System 2.” Drawing on decades of experiments, he shows how cognitive biases systematically distort judgement. The book is written for a general audience, so it favours illustrative anecdotes over statistical detail — a limitation for rigorous use — but its core studies are peer-reviewed and widely replicated. I'll use it to frame the section on decision-making biases and to point readers toward the original studies it summarises.

Notice the shape: a normal APA reference, then an indented paragraph that summarises, evaluates, and reflects — all three.

Formatting tips

  • Double-space the whole thing and use a hanging indent on each citation, exactly like a references page.
  • Indent the annotation so it sits under the citation, not level with the author's name.
  • Order entries alphabetically unless you're told to group them by theme.
  • Get the citation itself right first — an annotation can't rescue a wrong reference.

FAQ

How long should each annotation be? Usually one paragraph, 100–200 words — but follow your assignment's stated length.

Is it written in the first person? The reflective part often is (“I'll use this to…”); the summary stays neutral. Check your instructor's preference.

Does it replace a reference list? No — it's a standalone document, though it uses the same citations.

Build the citations in seconds

Get every reference right before you annotate it: the Corroba citation generator builds accurate APA, MLA and Chicago citations from a link, DOI, or ISBN — then you just add your paragraph under each.