APA style and citations for dummies - Joe Giampalmi 2021

Include a few optional parts
Ten tips for high-scoring research papers
The parts of ten

Showing initiative and exceeding expectations impresses professors. A strategy for exceeding expectations is to submit optional front and back parts that aren’t required in the assignment. Optional parts improve your content organization and presentation. For example, a table of contents provides a visual display of topics and a directional guide to locating sections.

An optional part that can guide you with citations and reference items is an annotated bibliography. A description of your sources improves the accuracy of citations and the extent of source engagement. An annotated bibliography may be optional, but it’s an organizational strategy that can help clarify your use of sources.

A one-page appendix offers an opportunity to develop in-depth content that is too extensive for the body of the paper, or to explore a tangential topic such as the background of an expert used as a source. The inclusion of figures or tables can enhance the explanation of content. Chapter 13 explains procedures for optional front and back sections of research papers. For example, if your research includes an interview with an expert, you can detail the interview in an appendix.