A research paper can have an annotated bibliography, but an annotated bibliography can’t be a research paper. Get it? If you don’t, this annotated bibliography vs research paper guide will help you to understand the connection between the two.
For many students, the first obstacle faced when confronting an assignment is to find out what you have been asked to write.
Professors aren’t exactly known for their clear and direct instructions, which can leave you confused. That’s why Help for Assessment is here to set things right and help you understand:
- What is an annotated bibliography?
- What is a research paper?
- What is the difference between a research paper and an annotated bibliography?
- The connection between Annotated Bibliography and Research Paper.
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What is a Research Paper?
A research paper is a detailed analysis of a subject seeking to develop or prove a single argument, and often contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the process.
It presents the author(s) point of view and is backed by extensive research, data, and credible academic sources.
If you are imagining a pile of books and journals, a ton of library experiments, and red eyes from long nights, you’re right.
A research paper is everything you believe it to be, and more. When writing a research paper, you first start by identifying a subject topic.
You may or may not have a particular topic that you want to present at this point, but what follows is an intense research process to consume all the existing knowledge about it.
From there, the author develops a research question which the paper focuses on answering. This main argument becomes the backbone of the paper, and every piece of research or evidence presented will be to prove or disprove it.
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a detailed review of a list of resources collected about a specific subject. You can think of it as a typical bibliography or reference list with an extra annotation for each source detailing what information it contains and how it contributes to the overall subject.
The annotation or citation for each source in the bibliography is about 5-7 sentences long, or up to 150 words each. It attempts to provide a comprehensive and detailed overview of the source to help guide the reader.
The annotated bibliography rarely stands on its own, where you would typically expect to find another kind of paper called a literature review. Instead, you can find it as part of longer research papers, books, or even journals. However, in school, you can expect to do a few annotated bibliography assignments.
Writing an annotated bibliography usually starts with a collection of sources. Your school librarian should be able to help you with that. Once you have a pile of books, journals, online sources, interviews, speeches, and all other kinds of primary sources, you cite them in either APA or MLA style as instructed. For each entry, however, you make sure to add the ~150-word paragraph detailing what it contains.
If you have trouble writing either research papers, annotated bibliographies, or literature reviews, Help for Assessment has detailed guides for you check them out here on our blog.
The annotated bibliography is very sensitive to the citation style used. Both APA and MLA styles have different guidelines for it.
Annotated Bibliography in MLA Style
An annotated bibliography in MLA looks like a Works Cited page and uses the same formatting, with the addition of a 150-200 word annotation. Here are the guidelines for the same.
- It should be on a separate page at the end of your paper. Label the page Works Cited and center the title.
- Double-space all the citations but without extra spaces between entries.
- List the page numbers of sources if need be, e.g. p20, pp 50-100, or 225-50.
- For online sources, include the URL or DOI (digital object identifier.)
- Use a hanging indent for the annotation.
The annotation can be either summary or evaluative and includes information such as the author’s expertise, main arguments, relevance, and strengths or weaknesses identified. Read more about how to write an annotated bibliography on here.
Annotated Bibliography in APA
The guidelines for an annotated bibliography in APA citation style are as follows:
- Start on a new page at the end of the paper.
- Number the pages beginning on the first entry page.
- Each reference should be bold and centered at the top of the page.
- The entries should be listed in alphabetical order.
- The annotation begins under the reference rather than on the same line and is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.
- The whole document is double spaced with no extra lines between entries.
- For online sources, include the URL or DOI. No need for the “date accessed” under the new APA guidelines.
These are just basic guidelines, and you can find a complete guide and APA citation style and formatting here.
Annotated Bibliography Vs. Research Paper
Differences
- An annotated bibliography reviews existing sources and material objectively, while a research paper seeks to develop an opinion or argument from existing knowledge or data.
- An annotated bibliography will be much shorter than a research paper, depending on the number of entries. Each annotation has a maximum length of 200 words, while a research paper is 3000 to even 10,000 words or more.
- Annotated bibliographies focus on a wider subject topic while a research paper is limited to a very specific research question.
- You can have a research paper with an annotated bibliography as part of it, but not the other way round.
- It’s much easier and quicker to do an annotated bibliography once you have read the sources. A research paper requires extensive research, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- A research paper always has a separate bibliography section, while an annotated bibliography is one in itself.
Similarities
- Both involve comprehensive research and review of existing knowledge on a topic.
- Both types of writing conform to one of the citation styles; either MLA or APA.
- Both will be guided by an underlying subject topic or argument.
- Both are common and important types of writing for college and post-graduate students.
The Connection between Annotated Bibliography and Research Paper
Having explored the two types of academic writing, we can infer that an annotated bibliography and a research paper are closely related. The former forms a basis for developing the latter in that the sources contained therein form the foundation for a strong, compelling research paper.
We can even think of an annotated bibliography as part of the research process involved in developing a research paper, even though not everyone is required to include one in the final write-up. A typical reference list or works cited section only provides a listing of the sources, but an annotated bibliography is much more detailed and helpful.
Thus, the bottom line is: while both an annotated bibliography and a research paper are closely related, they are different and distinct. A research paper contributes to the body of knowledge upon a certain subject, while an annotated bibliography is simply a detailed review of the sources during such a paper or other academic project.
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