ASA Annotated Bibliography Complete Help – Examples & Instructions

Introduction to ASA Style Bibliography

There are many formatting guidelines in a variety of educational institutions, developed at different times and for different goals. Yet, all of them serve one goal: structuring the delivery of academic information about external evidence you have used during writing. That’s why formatting skills are vital for every learner, and you are sure to come across different formatting requirements throughout your studies. This article will introduce you to the ASA style, which is available on the ASA citation website.

What does it look like? How should you format the sources properly? All these questions are reviewed in depth here to give you a clear roadmap for working on one of the most common academic tasks – an ASA annotated bibliography.

ASA Annotated Bibliography Explained: Brief & Simple Definition

The first point to consider is what an ASA style is. The acronym stands for the English American Sociology Association, which means that this formatting style is used to format research papers in the field of sociology.

As with all other types of annotated bibliographies, the ASA format bibliography is an extended version of the reference list for your planned research. It should contain more than a full reference of your cited source. Every entry should be accompanied by a brief summary of its contents, a review of its relevance for your study, and, if appropriate, an evaluation of the chosen source’s methodology.

The main rules of ASA style annotated bibliography are similar to those in APA, but still, there are many differences. The reference page is put at the end of the paper and is titled “Bibliography.”  All entries are ordered alphabetically and are double-spaced.

Similarly to other known formatting styles, this one also has its requirements for citation regarding footnotes, content formatting, and annotated bibliography arrangement. It is similar to the annotated bibliography in MLA format, which requires the author’s full name and last name on the reference page. However, it also has notable differences from this citation approach, such as the author-date in-text referencing.

Who Needs Annotated Bibliography ASA: Check Eligibility

The annotated bibliography ASA format is widely used among students and practicing researchers working in the field of sociology. Therefore, you have a higher chance of facing this formatting requirement if you are a Sociology student or want to publish a research article in some sociological journal.

However, you might be requested to use it even when not studying sociology. Having previous experience with other styles will benefit you, as there are many similarities between the styles. If you consult the ASA in text citation website, you will see that the style’s conventions are highly similar to those of APA. You should use the author’s last name and the year of the source’s publication in the parenthesis, but without a comma between them, e.g., (Highton 2006). If you use a direct quote in the text, your citation should be (Highton 2006: 5), though an older form of citing is also acceptable – (Highton 2006, p. 5).

Different small details are really important in bibliography citations, and it’s just impossible to memorize them all. So, while organizing your annotated bibliography ASA, always keep the detailed checklist at hand to consult relevant sections. Feel free to use our list shared below.

ASA Format Annotated Bibliography Template: Key Requirements

Similar to all other kinds of assignments, the annotated bibliography in this referencing style should comply with the following general guidelines:

• All text should be double-spaced and written in the 12pt font. The font should be intelligible – Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman.
• The margins should be 1 inch or more on all sides.
• There should be a separate title page with the title of the paper, the author’s name, and the word count.
• The bibliography should be formatted with the hanging indent.

Some other important details of the ASA style bibliography are as follows:

• The list of sources you have used in the paper may be titled “References,” like in APA, or “Bibliography,” like in the annotated bibliography Turabian.
• All entries should be double-spaced, with zero indentation for the first line and 0.5-inch indentation for the consecutive lines.
• The references should go in alphabetical order.
• The authors’ first and last names should be spelled out in full, but it is acceptable to use the last name with initials if the author’s name is presented this way in the original publication.
• Don’t use the ampersand in the list of several authors.

Get Inspired by This ASA Annotated Bibliography Example

If you need more practical guidance on formatting your paper in this style, here is an ASA annotated bibliography example for your reference.

Books

Fowman, Brian. 2008. Writing a paper in different styles. New York, NY: Routledge.

This book explores the intricacies of various referencing styles in the modern US education system and gives valuable tips for students to fast-track their mastery of formatting rules.

Journals

Lister, Mary. 2004. “The long-term benefits of referencing mastery.” The Modern Journal of Education 25:322-345.

Lister’s insightful article examines the benefits that learners can gain from mastering the art of referencing and applying those stylistic skills in the workplace and research work.

Web resources

Belly, Gloria. 2002. “The ins and outs of formatting in US academic institutions.” Electronic Journal of Education 4:2. Retrieved September 5, 2024 (https://www.electronicjournal.com/belly-gloria).

Belly deals with the practices of referencing and formatting in modern US academics and examines the role of this academic skill in the student’s GPA.

Johnson, John. 2024. “Mastering the conventions of the American Sociological Association.” New York Times, June 23. Retrieved July 23, 2024 (https://www.nytimes/mastering-the-conventions).

This source is exclusively dedicated to the analysis of the American Sociological Association’s research styling conventions and the rationale of these standards for students and researchers.

Resources with multiple authors

Mary, Jane and Lowman, John. 2009. The intricacies of referencing for college students. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

The book examines the common hardships and confusing issues students face on the way to mastering the art of impeccable formatting.

If you use this annotated bibliography example, ASA assignments won’t be a problem for you anymore.

Get a Perfectly Formatted ASA Bibliography Here

If you still find it hard to make a proper ASA format annotated bibliography and are afraid to spoil your GPA with a wrongly referenced annotated paper, don’t fall into despair. There is always a chance to cope with the task without a problem if you have a reliable helper by your side. Please keep in mind that you don’t need to spend hours over books when composing your ASA bibliography; it’s enough to make a wise decision to buy annotated bibliography from a skilled, competent team of AnnotatedBibliographyMaker.

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