Ms. Turner English 1 Spring 2018 Annotating 101 Ms. Turner English 1 Spring 2018

What is annotating? An annotation is a note of comment or explanation that is added to a text. Annotation is a reading strategy that helps you slow down your reading and think about the text on a deeper and more critical level. It allows you to write down your thoughts about what you’re reading as you read. Good readers annotate to identify important information, ask questions, interpret ideas, and record connections.

How do I annotate a text? Annotation Strategies 1. Circle words that you don’t understand. Then, in the margins, write the definition/synonym of the word. 2. Write a question or make a statement about something you read in the margins. Draw a line to the relevant part of the text. 3. Write question marks next to passages that leave you confused – in the margins, explain what you’re confused about. 4. When looking at tone words, write a (+) for positive and a (–) for negative words. 5. Use arrows to make connections between ideas. 6. Make lists in the margins of paragraphs that contain lists.

Annotation strategies 7. Labeling literary devices (point of view, metaphor, foreshadowing, flashback, conflict, setting, irony, personification, etc) 8. Summarize lengthy paragraphs in a few words or phrases. 9. Highlight or underline important words or phrases – use this strategy very sparingly! 10. Draw a star (*) next to a word, idea, or concept that you learned about in another class. Write what you remember about it in the margins. 11. Draw pictures or cartoons to help you understand a concept. Connect the drawing to the text. 12. Draw a box around a sentence that you think is the main idea or thesis of the text you’re reading.