How and why to annotate Inquiry Skills

Why Annotate? Improves depth of reading and understanding over a long period of time Helps with test performance Makes the reading more meaningful Helps you remember key information

What’s the Difference? Annotations are written directly on the text Fewer pieces to keep organized Deeper initial reading Creates a dialogue between you and the author

Criteria for Successful Annotation You will know you have successfully annotated a text when you go back after an initial reading and can recall important information within a minute review of the text and your notes

When Should I Annotate? Annotate any text you must know well, in detail, and might need to produce evidence that supports your knowledge. You don’t have to annotate when reading for pleasure.

What do I annotate *Ask questions of the author *Make inferences about the speaker or narrator *Main ideas and supportive details *Use text to form inferences *Mark words you don’t understand

But it’s not my book... Use sticky notes of different sizes and highlighting tape. Be sure to remove all stickies before turning the book in for the year.

Tools Highlighter: highlights whatever seems to be key information. Pencil: use marginalia (notes section/margins) to mark key material. Use check marks, question marks, arrows, brackets, and written words and phrases. Create your own system.

Your Text Inside front cover, keep a running list of key information with page numbers: themes, passages that relate to the title, characters’ names, salient quotes, important scenes, key vocabulary

Tips After each chunk, chapter or section, briefly summarize the material Title each chapter or section as soon as you finish it Make a list of vocabulary words on inside cover: jargon, unknown or interesting words

Describe this reader’s annotation process.