How To Take Notes in Your Book Annotating Texts How To Take Notes in Your Book

“You just don’t know anything unless you can write it.” S.I. Hayakawa

You know you have to read “between the lines”…. I want to persuade you to write between the lines. Unless you do, you are not likely to do the most efficient kind of reading. Mortimer J. Adler “How to Mark a Book”

Good Reading Background Most reading is skimmed When you need to learn, reading requires close attention Good reading is hard work Good reading makes good writing

More rationale for annotation According to Porter-O’Donnell, this Strategy does the following: helps teach reading as a process. changes and increases comprehension. slows down the reading. promotes more active reading. helps improve writing.

Annotations: An Overview No one “right” way to annotate (take notes) as you read General principles for good annotating to keep in mind Write marginal notes in the text Taking Notes is not just summarizing. Ask questions and write and comments Close reading takes time Taking time as you read will save you time and anxiety later as you discuss and write about the text

Previewing: Before You Annotate Find a quiet place with no distractions (this means no music, cell phone, or TV) Look at the title Usually includes author’s subject or method Who is the author? What you already know helps you guess something about the writing If biographical sketch is provided, read it

Previewing: Before You Annotate In what was it published? Would you be more likely to believe “Living Mermaids: An Amazing Discovery” if it were published in Scientific American or The National Enquirer? Indicates for whom it was written When was it published? If it’s about mermaids, will you find it more reliable if written in 1988 or 1788?

Annotation Guidelines Read with a pen or pencil in hand. Helps you focus and stay alert. Create your own code / symbols & be CONSISTENT with your system. Abbreviate using things such as brackets, stars, exclamation points Keep a list of characters & their key traits A good place: inside cover of the book Add brief notes to your lists as you read Look for patterns (THE POWER OF THREE) What ideas do you see repeated? What connections can you draw between different concepts? If you see it once, it’s interesting. If you see it twice, it’s important. If you see it three times, you need to do something with it. Figure out why it’s important to the larger meaning/message of the text.

Suggested Items to Mark DURING READING Mark in the text: Characters (who) When (setting) Where (setting) Vocabulary Literary Techniques (metaphor, personification, simile, etc.) Anything else you think it IMPORTANT! Write in the margins: Summarize Make predictions Formulate opinions Make connections Ask questions Write reflections/reactions/comments Look for patterns/repetitions

More Annotation Also look for… main ideas supporting details key terms cause and effect Explanations REMEMBER: Make sure you underline/highlight sparingly. Underline/highlight only a few words. Never underline an entire passage. At the end of each chapter, bullet-point the key events as a summary or write a short summary.

Annotation Guidelines Have a CONVERSATION with the text. Talk back to it. Take your time as you begin a new text. Ask yourself many questions as you begin: Are there any fallacies in the text? How does this relate to your everyday experience? Try to make a quick note on the top of each page indicating the most important point there. Ask questions (essential to active reading). Use question marks. Be alert to what puzzles you. Good readers do not zip along without stopping to monitor their comprehension. They stop to think and to note what they don’t understand. Write down questions you would like to discuss. Bring them to class! Your annotations must include comments as evidence of thinking.

Annotation Guidelines Of course, you should always pay attention to VOCABULARY. A strong vocabulary comes from reading, not from memorizing lists. Your text includes many words that will be new to you. Mark these words. Try to determine meaning from the context. If you are really puzzled by a word, look it up. slope hypothesis socioeconomic ramifications