How to Annotate Non-Fiction Text

Why is this important? You will be annotating nonfiction text in this class for the remainder of the school year. You will also be required to annotate text in your remaining years of high school and in college if you chose that route. In other words, you should become an expert annotator 

What Do You Annotate? Identify and box-in the argument/the writer’s purpose (or thesis) (to explain, to persuade, to describe, to entertain). Mark the evidence the writer uses to prove his or her thesis/purpose. Jot down notes in the margins or summarize a paragraph only in a few words. That way you’ll be able to find where information is located more easily upon review (ie: paragraph topics). Circle and define unknown words. Use brackets or underlining to indicate important information in paragraphs. Put asterisks next to something you want to remember specifically or something you find important. Look for and draw connections between repetitions of information. Comment in the margins on what surprises you and why it surprises you.

What It Should Look Like: