An annotated bibliography example needs more than a source list: each entry pairs a full citation with a 100-to-150-word annotation that summarizes, evaluates, and connects the source to your argument. The six-source list below runs in full in both APA 7 and MLA 9, so you can see exactly what changes between styles and what stays the same.
annotated bibliography example
Annotated Bibliography Example: One Source List in APA 7 and MLA 9, Annotated
Composite sample written by GradeDraft for this page. It is not a client's paper or a graded student paper, and its six sources are invented examples built to demonstrate format, not references to real studies — never cite them. It is one of all writing samples GradeDraft publishes.
On this page
- About this sample: level, style guide, length
- The full annotated bibliography (APA 7)
- The same list in MLA 9
- The same source, annotated in APA 7, MLA 9 and Chicago
- Summary, evaluative and reflective annotations
- Annotated bibliography format: the rules that cost marks
- Annotated bibliography template you can copy
- How to use this sample without copying it
- Have one written to your own brief
About this sample: level, style guide, length
- 01
- Undergraduate, general education
- 02
- APA 7 and MLA 9 (Chicago shown for one entry)
- 03
- about 830 words per style, plus a copyable template
- 04
- the GradeDraft research paper desk
No PDF version of this sample exists; the full text runs on the page below.
The full annotated bibliography (APA 7)
Six composite entries on one topic, student study habits, each with a full APA 7 citation and a 100-to-150-word annotation.
Annotated bibliography — APA 7 (composite entries)
Martinez, A. R., & Cho, S. Y. (2022). Sleep deprivation and academic performance in undergraduate students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(3), 512–528. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
This composite study surveyed 412 undergraduates at three universities and found that fewer than six hours of nightly sleep corresponded with a 0.4-point drop in self-reported GPA. The authors controlled for course load and part-time employment, so the gap was not simply a sign that busier students slept less. That multi-campus sample and its two controls were the study's main strength. Its main limitation was measurement: sleep and GPA were both self-reported over a single semester, which limited how far the finding could generalize, and a survey of this kind shows an association, not a cause. The source supplies the paper's central statistic and supports its argument that sleep deserves attention alongside study hours.
Whitfield, J. K., & Osei, D. (2021). Longhand versus laptop note-taking and retention in lecture-based courses. Journal of Undergraduate Learning Research, 9(2), 88–104. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
This composite study compared longhand and laptop note-taking across six lecture-based courses and reported stronger next-day recall among students who took notes by hand. The authors attributed the difference to slower, more selective transcription rather than to handwriting itself, a distinction the abstract alone does not make clear. That explanation was the study's main strength, because it pointed to a habit a student can practice on paper or on a screen: choosing and rephrasing instead of copying. Its limitation was scale, since the small sample came from a single campus and recall was tested only once. The source supports the paper's claim that how students study matters as much as how long, and it lets the paper recommend a technique rather than a device.
Nakamura, R. (2020). Procrastination, time management, and semester GPA among first-year college students. College Study Behavior Quarterly, 6(1), 22–39. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
This composite study tracked procrastination and time-management habits among 260 first-year students and found that self-reported procrastination predicted lower semester GPA more strongly than total study hours did. Measuring both habits in the same students was the study's main strength, because it let the author test which one mattered more instead of assuming that effort explains grades. The correlational design was its main limitation: the direction of the relationship could not be confirmed, since poor time management could lower grades or falling behind could cause more procrastination. The finding supports treating time management as a distinct variable from raw effort, and it marks one claim the paper should word as an association, not a cause.
Farrow, L. M., & Delgado, P. (2023). Phone notifications and sustained attention during self-directed study sessions. Journal of Undergraduate Learning Research, 11(4), 301–317. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
This composite study measured sustained attention during self-directed study sessions with phone notifications on and off, and found a measurable drop in task-switching cost when notifications were silenced. Because the effect held across two subject areas, it was unlikely to be an artifact of one course, and that replication was the study's main strength. Its main limitation was duration: each student was tested in one session, so the study did not show whether the benefit lasted or faded once a silent phone became routine. The source gives the paper a concrete, low-cost habit to recommend, and it ties the argument about attention to a change a student can make before a study session starts.
Okafor, C., & Lindqvist, S. (2019). Test anxiety and performance on timed versus untimed assessments. College Study Behavior Quarterly, 5(3), 145–162. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
This composite study compared performance on timed and untimed versions of the same assessment among students who scored high on a test-anxiety inventory, and found that the gap between the two conditions widened as anxiety scores rose. The within-subject design, in which each student took both versions, controlled for individual ability and was the study's main strength. The sample skewed toward one discipline, which the authors flagged as a boundary on how far the result could generalize. For the study-habits paper, the finding shows that test conditions, not only preparation, shape performance, and it supports a section asking whether timed testing measures mastery or measures anxiety tolerance instead.
Bianchi, T. (2022). Spaced review scheduling and long-term retention in an introductory statistics course. Journal of Undergraduate Learning Research, 10(1), 41–58. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
This composite study compared a spaced review schedule with massed review before a cumulative exam in an introductory statistics course, and found higher retention at a four-week follow-up in the spaced condition. Both groups studied for the same total time, which was the study's main strength: it separated the effect of scheduling from the effect of simply studying more. The study covered one course and one exam, so whether the effect would hold in other subjects remained untested. The source gives the paper its strongest evidence that when students study can matter as much as how long they study, and it supplies a schedule the paper can recommend without asking students to add hours.
Margin noteNote: Hanging indent starts at the second line of the citation; the DOI closes the entry, standard for APA 7.
The same list in MLA 9
The same six entries below, converted to MLA 9 works-cited format and present tense — see how APA, MLA and Chicago differ for the full comparison beyond just these two styles.
Annotated bibliography — MLA 9 (same composite entries)
Martinez, Alicia R., and Soo Y. Cho. "Sleep Deprivation and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Students." Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 114, no. 3, 2022, pp. 512-28, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
This composite study surveys 412 undergraduates at three universities and finds that fewer than six hours of nightly sleep corresponds with a 0.4-point drop in self-reported GPA. The authors control for course load and part-time employment, so the gap is not simply a sign that busier students sleep less. That multi-campus sample and its two controls are the study's main strength. Its main limitation is measurement: sleep and GPA are both self-reported over a single semester, which limits how far the finding generalizes, and a survey of this kind shows an association, not a cause. The source supplies the paper's central statistic and supports its argument that sleep deserves attention alongside study hours.
Whitfield, Jordan K., and David Osei. "Longhand versus Laptop Note-Taking and Retention in Lecture-Based Courses." Journal of Undergraduate Learning Research, vol. 9, no. 2, 2021, pp. 88-104, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
This composite study compares longhand and laptop note-taking across six lecture-based courses and reports stronger next-day recall among students who take notes by hand. The authors attribute the difference to slower, more selective transcription rather than to handwriting itself, a distinction the abstract alone does not make clear. That explanation is the study's main strength, because it points to a habit a student can practice on paper or on a screen: choosing and rephrasing instead of copying. Its limitation is scale, since the small sample comes from a single campus and recall is tested only once. The source supports the paper's claim that how students study matters as much as how long, and it lets the paper recommend a technique rather than a device.
Nakamura, Rina. "Procrastination, Time Management, and Semester GPA among First-Year College Students." College Study Behavior Quarterly, vol. 6, no. 1, 2020, pp. 22-39, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
This composite study tracks procrastination and time-management habits among 260 first-year students and finds that self-reported procrastination predicts lower semester GPA more strongly than total study hours do. Measuring both habits in the same students is the study's main strength, because it lets the author test which one matters more instead of assuming that effort explains grades. The correlational design is its main limitation: the direction of the relationship cannot be confirmed, since poor time management could lower grades or falling behind could cause more procrastination. The finding supports treating time management as a distinct variable from raw effort, and it marks one claim the paper should word as an association, not a cause.
Farrow, Lena M., and Paulo Delgado. "Phone Notifications and Sustained Attention during Self-Directed Study Sessions." Journal of Undergraduate Learning Research, vol. 11, no. 4, 2023, pp. 301-17, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
This composite study measures sustained attention during self-directed study sessions with phone notifications on and off, and finds a measurable drop in task-switching cost when notifications are silenced. Because the effect holds across two subject areas, it is unlikely to be an artifact of one course, and that replication is the study's main strength. Its main limitation is duration: each student is tested in one session, so the study does not show whether the benefit lasts or fades once a silent phone becomes routine. The source gives the paper a concrete, low-cost habit to recommend, and it ties the argument about attention to a change a student can make before a study session starts.
Okafor, Chidinma, and Sara Lindqvist. "Test Anxiety and Performance on Timed versus Untimed Assessments." College Study Behavior Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 3, 2019, pp. 145-62, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
This composite study compares performance on timed and untimed versions of the same assessment among students who score high on a test-anxiety inventory, and finds that the gap between the two conditions widens as anxiety scores rise. The within-subject design, in which each student takes both versions, controls for individual ability and is the study's main strength. The sample skews toward one discipline, which the authors flag as a boundary on how far the result generalizes. For the study-habits paper, the finding shows that test conditions, not only preparation, shape performance, and it supports a section asking whether timed testing measures mastery or measures anxiety tolerance instead.
Bianchi, Teresa. "Spaced Review Scheduling and Long-Term Retention in an Introductory Statistics Course." Journal of Undergraduate Learning Research, vol. 10, no. 1, 2022, pp. 41-58, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
This composite study compares a spaced review schedule with massed review before a cumulative exam in an introductory statistics course, and finds higher retention at a four-week follow-up in the spaced condition. Both groups study for the same total time, which is the study's main strength: it separates the effect of scheduling from the effect of simply studying more. The study covers one course and one exam, so whether the effect would hold in other subjects remains untested. The source gives the paper its strongest evidence that when students study can matter as much as how long they study, and it supplies a schedule the paper can recommend without asking students to add hours.
Margin noteNote: MLA 9 closes each entry with the DOI when the source has one, as APA 7 does. MLA convention writes the annotation in present tense ("the authors argue," "this study finds"), treating the text as a standing document rather than a completed event.
The same source, annotated in APA 7, MLA 9 and Chicago
The Martinez and Cho entry above (composite, entry 1) shows exactly what changes between styles and what does not when the same source is annotated three different ways.
APA 7: reference format and past-tense summary convention
APA 7 places the year immediately after the authors and closes with a DOI. The annotation itself is written in past tense ("the authors found") because APA treats the study as a completed, dated event.
MLA 9: works-cited format and present-tense convention
MLA 9 leads with the author, then the article title in quotation marks, then the container journal in italics, and ends the entry with the DOI when the source has one (a URL only when there is no DOI). MLA convention writes the annotation in present tense ("the authors argue"), treating the text as a standing document.
Chicago notes-bibliography: what changes in the entry
Chicago's bibliography entry inverts only the first author's name, as MLA does, and sets the volume, issue and year as 114, no. 3 (2022), followed by a colon and the page range. Like APA 7 and MLA 9, it ends with the DOI when the source has one. To see a full reference list in context rather than one isolated entry, the sample papers show a complete list built entry by entry.
| Style | Citation line | Annotation tense |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | Martinez, A. R., & Cho, S. Y. (2022). Sleep deprivation and academic performance in undergraduate students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(3), 512–528. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx | Past ("the authors found") |
| MLA 9 | Martinez, Alicia R., and Soo Y. Cho. "Sleep Deprivation and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Students." Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 114, no. 3, 2022, pp. 512-28, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. | Present ("the authors argue") |
| Chicago (notes-bib.) | Martinez, Alicia R., and Soo Y. Cho. "Sleep Deprivation and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Students." Journal of Educational Psychology 114, no. 3 (2022): 512–28. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. | Either; follow your instructor |
Summary, evaluative and reflective annotations
Every entry can do one of three jobs — descriptive (what the source says), evaluative (whether it holds up), or reflective (how it serves your paper) — and the wording your instructor uses in the assignment brief tells you which.
Descriptive: what the source says
A descriptive annotation reports the study's question, method, and finding without judging it: "Martinez and Cho surveyed 412 undergraduates and found a link between short sleep and lower GPA."
Evaluative: whether it holds up
An evaluative annotation adds a judgment on method or scope: "The 412-student sample is a strength, but a single self-reported sleep measure per semester is a real limitation."
Reflective: how it serves your paper
A reflective annotation states the source's job in your argument: "This source gives the paper its central statistic, the 0.4-point GPA cost of short sleep, and anchors the case for a study-habits section that covers more than hours studied."
One source, three annotation modes
| Mode | Same source, written for that mode |
|---|---|
| Descriptive | "Martinez and Cho (2022) surveyed 412 undergraduates and found that fewer than six hours of sleep correlated with a 0.4-point GPA drop." |
| Evaluative | "The 412-student, three-university sample is a strength, but self-reported sleep data over one semester limits how far the finding generalizes." |
| Reflective | "This source supplies the paper's key statistic and directly supports the argument that sleep deserves its own section in any study-habits paper." |
Annotated bibliography format: the rules that cost marks
Annotated bibliography format: the rules that cost marks
Annotated bibliography template you can copy
[Citation — full reference in your assigned style, hanging indent, alphabetized by author surname]
[Descriptive — 1-2 sentences: what the source investigates and what it finds]
[Evaluative — 1-2 sentences: one strength and one limitation of the method or scope]
[Relevance — 1 sentence: how this source supports your specific argument or paper]How to use this sample without copying it
If the assignment eventually grows into a full review, turning annotations into a literature review is the natural next step, using each entry's evaluative and relevance notes as the seeds of your synthesis.
Have one written to your own brief
Once your own source list is ready, or if you need one built from a reading list or a topic, an annotated bibliography built from your own sources is priced per entry, not per page. If the annotated list is step one of a larger project, the literature review that follows, written for you picks up from exactly where this list leaves off.
Send your source list, or your topic if you need sources found, and your citation style. GradeDraft's research paper desk prices it back within two hours.
Get my annotated bibliography writtenFAQ
Questions about this sample
Replies within 2 hours, 8 am–11 pm ET, 7 days a week
01How many sentences should an annotated bibliography be?
Most annotations run four to six sentences, or 100 to 200 words: one or two describing the source, one or two evaluating its method or scope, and one connecting it to your paper. Follow your assignment's own stated length if it gives one; the range above is the common default when it doesn't.
02What is the difference between an annotated bibliography and a literature review?
An annotated bibliography treats each source in its own separate entry, summarized and evaluated on its own. A literature review built from sources like these instead groups sources by theme and synthesizes several of them inside a single paragraph, then states what the existing research hasn't answered yet. Listing sources one after another, even with a short summary each, is the most common way a literature review draft reads as a bibliography instead.
03Does an annotated bibliography need a title page?
Follow your citation style's own formatting rules: APA 7 and Chicago typically expect a title page, while MLA 9 uses a heading block on the first page instead. Confirm your instructor's template before submitting, since course-specific formatting often overrides the general style-guide default.
04Should the annotation be in the past or present tense?
It depends on the citation style. APA convention favors past tense ("the authors found"), treating the study as a completed, dated event. MLA convention favors present tense ("the authors argue"), treating the source as a standing text. Chicago allows either, so follow whichever your program or instructor specifies.