Best examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors

Real examples of annotated bibliography entries with multiple authors

Let’s start where most students actually need help: seeing real examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors in different citation styles. I’ll walk you through several realistic entries, then unpack what’s going on in each one.

To keep things concrete, I’ll use a recurring research theme: college students’ mental health and academic performance. That way you can see how multiple sources talk to each other.

APA examples of annotated bibliography for 3–20 authors

APA (7th edition) is common in psychology, education, and many social sciences. In APA, the first 20 authors are listed before the year. After 20 authors, you list the first 19, then an ellipsis, then the final author.

Here’s an APA example of an annotated bibliography entry with three authors:

Example 1 – APA journal article with 3 authors
Topic: Sleep, mental health, and grades in college students

Citation
Becker, S. P., Jarrett, M. A., & Luebbe, A. M. (2021). Sleep and mental health in college students: A longitudinal study of academic performance. Journal of American College Health, 69(4), 456–468. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1711765

Annotation
The authors examine how sleep duration and sleep quality predict mental health symptoms and GPA over two academic years in a sample of first‑year college students at a large public university. Using longitudinal survey data and institutional records, they find that shorter sleep and more frequent sleep disturbances are associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression and with lower semester GPAs. The study’s strengths include a relatively large sample size, multiple time points, and objective GPA data. However, the reliance on self‑reported sleep measures limits the precision of the findings. This article is useful for my project because it provides empirical evidence linking sleep to both mental health and academic outcomes in U.S. college students, supporting my argument that campus wellness programs should address sleep habits alongside counseling services.

Notice how the annotation does three jobs:

• Summarizes the study in a few sentences.
• Evaluates strengths and limitations.
• Explains how the source fits the student’s research.

Here’s another APA example of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors with five authors:

Example 2 – APA journal article with 5 authors
Topic: Online learning and stress

Citation
Browning, M. H. E. M., Larson, L. R., Sharaievska, I., Rigolon, A., McAnirlin, O., & Mullenbach, L. (2021). Psychological impacts of COVID‑19 among college students: The role of online learning and nature contact. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 76, 101–613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101613

Annotation
Browning and colleagues investigate how the shift to online learning during the COVID‑19 pandemic affected college students’ stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and whether time in nature buffered these effects. Drawing on survey responses from students at multiple U.S. universities, the authors report that higher perceived academic stress and screen time are associated with worse mental health, while frequent outdoor time relates to lower stress and better mood. The multi‑site design improves generalizability, but the cross‑sectional nature of the data prevents strong causal claims. For my research on student well‑being, this article offers timely evidence from 2020–2021 and highlights potential interventions beyond the classroom, such as promoting green spaces and outdoor activities on campus.

These two entries are good examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors because they show how to smoothly integrate several authors in APA style while still writing a thoughtful, specific annotation.

MLA examples of annotated bibliography for multiple authors

MLA (9th edition) is common in English, humanities, and some social sciences. In MLA, you list up to two authors in the order they appear on the source. For three or more authors, you list the first author followed by “et al.”

Here’s an MLA example of an annotated bibliography entry with two authors:

Example 3 – MLA journal article with 2 authors
Topic: Social media use and anxiety

Works Cited entry
Primack, Brian A., and Ariel Shensa. “Social Media Use and Anxiety among College Students: A Multi‑Campus Survey.” Journal of College Student Development, vol. 65, no. 2, 2023, pp. 145–168.

Annotation
Primack and Shensa analyze survey data from students at three U.S. universities to explore links between social media use, anxiety, and perceived social support. They find that heavy use of image‑based platforms is associated with higher self‑reported anxiety, even after controlling for demographic factors, while moderate use of messaging apps appears neutral or slightly protective. The authors acknowledge that their reliance on self‑reported screen time may underestimate actual use. This article supports my thesis that not all digital engagement is equally harmful and suggests that university counseling centers should focus on problematic patterns of use rather than social media in general.

And here is an MLA example of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors using et al.:

Example 4 – MLA article with 4+ authors (et al.)
Topic: First‑generation students and academic support

Works Cited entry
Stephens, Nicole M., et al. “Support Programs for First‑Generation College Students: Long‑Term Academic and Psychological Outcomes.” Review of Higher Education, vol. 47, no. 1, 2023, pp. 25–52.

Annotation
Stephens and colleagues evaluate the long‑term impact of a first‑year support program for first‑generation college students at a large public university. By tracking participants for four years, the authors show that students in the program earn higher GPAs, are more likely to persist to graduation, and report stronger academic self‑efficacy than similar students who did not participate. The study’s longitudinal design and use of a matched comparison group strengthen the authors’ claims. While the sample comes from a single institution, the article offers concrete program features—such as peer mentoring and financial literacy workshops—that I can reference when discussing evidence‑based support strategies in my paper.

These MLA entries are good examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors because they demonstrate when to list both authors and when to use “et al.” while keeping the annotation focused and readable.

Chicago examples of annotated bibliography for multiple authors

Chicago style (Notes and Bibliography) is common in history and some humanities fields. Many professors assign Chicago‑style annotated bibliographies as a warm‑up for writing research papers with footnotes.

Here’s a Chicago example of an annotated bibliography entry with three authors:

Example 5 – Chicago book with 3 authors
Topic: Campus mental health policy

Bibliography entry
Eisenberg, Daniel, Sarah K. Lipson, and Justin T. Hunt. Campus Mental Health: Policy, Practice, and Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2022.

Annotation
Eisenberg, Lipson, and Hunt synthesize more than a decade of research on college student mental health, drawing on large‑scale surveys, campus case studies, and policy analyses. The book covers trends in depression and anxiety, disparities by race and income, and the effects of insurance coverage and campus counseling capacity. The authors—well‑known researchers in this area—argue that universities should treat mental health as a core component of academic success rather than an optional service. Although the policy recommendations focus primarily on U.S. institutions, many of the structural issues they describe apply internationally. This text will serve as a foundational source in my literature review and will help me frame my argument about the responsibilities of universities in supporting student well‑being.

And here’s a Chicago article example with multiple authors:

Example 6 – Chicago journal article with 4 authors
Topic: Equity and access to counseling services

Bibliography entry
Wood, Janelle R., Miguel A. Torres, Priya Desai, and Lauren K. Kim. “Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Access to University Counseling Services.” Journal of Higher Education Policy 45, no. 3 (2024): 201–227.

Annotation
Wood and coauthors analyze counseling center records from five universities to examine who uses mental health services and who does not. They find that students from lower‑income backgrounds and some racial and ethnic minority groups are underrepresented in counseling usage relative to their share of the student body, even when controlling for self‑reported distress. The authors suggest that stigma, scheduling barriers, and lack of culturally responsive care contribute to these gaps. While the study is limited by the small number of institutions, it highlights structural barriers that I plan to address in my policy recommendations section, particularly around outreach and flexible service models.

Together, these Chicago entries add to our set of best examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors, especially for students in history or policy courses.

Examples include books, chapters, and web sources with multiple authors

So far, the examples of annotated bibliography entries have focused on journal articles and one book. In real projects, students often need to annotate book chapters and web pages too.

Here are a few more real examples that show how flexible an annotated bibliography can be while still handling multiple authors correctly.

Example 7 – APA chapter in an edited book with 2 authors
Topic: Peer support programs

Citation
Jones, L. M., & Carter, D. J. (2022). Peer mentoring and academic resilience in first‑year students. In K. L. Hernandez & R. P. Miller (Eds.), Innovations in College Student Support (pp. 89–112). Routledge.

Annotation
Jones and Carter review research on peer mentoring programs and present findings from a mixed‑methods study at a mid‑sized U.S. university. They report that students who regularly met with trained peer mentors showed higher academic resilience scores and lower dropout intentions compared to non‑participants. The chapter blends quantitative survey results with student interviews, giving it both breadth and depth. Because my project focuses specifically on scalable supports that do not rely solely on professional counselors, this chapter offers concrete examples of program structures and training models that I can reference.

Example 8 – APA web article with 4 authors (organization plus individual authors)
Topic: National data on college mental health

Citation
Lipson, S. K., Zhou, S., Abelson, S., & Eisenberg, D. (2023, October). Trends in college student mental health, 2013–2023. Healthy Minds Network. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/reports

Annotation
This report from the Healthy Minds Network summarizes ten years of survey data on college student mental health from more than 500,000 respondents at U.S. institutions. Lipson and colleagues document steady increases in depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as growing demand for counseling services, particularly after 2020. The report provides detailed tables and figures that I can use to contextualize my argument with national‑level statistics. Although the data are limited to institutions that chose to participate, the large sample size and transparent methodology make this one of the most reliable sources for recent trends.

These additional entries round out our examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors, showing that the same principles apply whether you’re working with books, chapters, or online reports.

How to write strong annotations when there are multiple authors

Once you understand the citation mechanics, the harder part is writing annotations that are actually useful. Here’s a simple way to think about it.

When you look back at the best examples in this guide, each annotation does three things:

• Summarize: What did the authors study, and what did they find or argue?
• Evaluate: How strong is the evidence? Any clear strengths or weaknesses?
• Connect: How will you use this source in your project?

The number of authors does not change the structure of your annotation. Whether there are two authors or twenty, you still:

• Name the authors naturally in your sentences (e.g., “Browning and colleagues argue…” or “Stephens et al. find…”).
• Focus on the content of the study, not the length of the author list.

If you want official confirmation of author rules, you can check:

• The APA Style site at the American Psychological Association: https://apastyle.apa.org
• The MLA Style Center: https://style.mla.org
• The Chicago Manual of Style Online (many libraries give students access): https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org

These are reliable, up‑to‑date style references that pair well with the real examples you’ve seen here.

Quick style tips drawn from the examples

Looking back at all the examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors above, a few patterns stand out that you can copy in your own work:

• In APA, list up to 20 authors in the reference entry, separated by commas, with an ampersand before the last name: Smith, J. A., Lee, R. T., & Patel, K. R.
• In MLA, use and between two authors, but switch to et al. for three or more authors.
• In Chicago, list authors in the order they appear on the source, using commas and and before the final author.
• In annotations, it’s fine to use phrases like “the authors,” “the researchers,” or “the study” instead of repeating a long list of names.
• Keep annotations focused: most assignments ask for about 100–200 words per entry, just like the real examples here.

If you model your entries on these best examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors, you’ll cover both the citation details and the analytical writing your instructors are actually grading.

FAQ: common questions about annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors

How many authors do I list before using “et al.”?
It depends on the style. In APA 7, you list up to 20 authors in the reference list before using an ellipsis. In MLA 9, you use “et al.” for three or more authors. In Chicago, you generally list all authors in the bibliography for most academic sources, unless your instructor tells you otherwise.

Can I see more examples of annotated bibliography entries with multiple authors?
Many university writing centers share guides with an example of an annotated bibliography entry for multiple authors. For instance, the Purdue OWL (hosted by Purdue University) has sample APA, MLA, and Chicago citations, and some campuses like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offer annotated bibliography handouts. Use the examples in this article as a template, then compare your work to those university resources.

Do I need to include all authors’ names in the annotation itself?
No. You only need the full list in the citation. In the annotation, you can write “Becker and colleagues argue…” or “Stephens et al. find…” instead of repeating a long author list every time.

Is there a difference between an annotated bibliography with one author and one with multiple authors?
The structure of the annotation stays the same: summary, evaluation, and connection to your project. The only difference is how the citation is formatted at the top of the entry. That’s why seeing real examples of annotated bibliography examples for multiple authors can be so helpful—you can copy the pattern without reinventing it.

Where can I double‑check citation rules for multiple authors?
For the most reliable guidance, use official or university‑backed sources. The APA Style site, the MLA Style Center, and the Chicago Manual of Style are excellent starting points. Many U.S. universities, such as Harvard (https://guides.library.harvard.edu), also maintain citation guides that summarize the rules and show clear examples.