1. How to Annotate Texts Notes
English 9G/9H

2. Introduction
To annotate is to examine and question a text, to add critical notes. You can do this with fiction and non-fiction. With fiction, good readers do more than just read a text for plot; they think about the text, interact with a text, and make connections between the text and the “real world.” The same is true for non-fiction except there is no plot. In many cases, plot is substituted with a presentation of information (informational texts like history books) or logic (persuasive pieces like editorials or essays).

3. Introduction
Regardless of the type of text you encounter, you should always be engaging it. If you do not engage a text, you run the risk of the information becoming mental floss and you either have to reread it or sacrifice its meaning.
How do you go about doing this? One way to start is to learn through annotation. An annotated text is often marked with underlines, highlights and symbols that mean something to the reader. Of course, too many markings will make a text illegible, and too few won’t help much at all.

4. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
1. Figurative Language
LOCATE (underline or highlight) figurative language(s)- simile, metaphor, alliteration, repetition, irony, symbolism, etc.
COMMENT in the margins-
Type of Figurative Language
What effect does it create for you?
What purpose does it serve?

5. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
2. Ask the Author
LOCATE (underline or highlight) confusing or questionable parts of the text.
COMMENT in the margins-
What is the point of this part?
Does it have any significant importance?

6. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
3. Making Connections
LOCATE (highlight or underline) and COMMENT in the margins-
What connections to other texts, movies, or historic/current events is the author making?
Is he/she alluding to something else? If so, discuss this.

7. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
4. Emotional Impact
COMMENT in the margins-
How are you feeling about this part of the text?
How did the author create this feeling in you?
Discuss your changing feelings toward specific characters. What caused this shift?

8. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
5. Diction (word choice)
CIRCLE and COMMENT in the margins-
Words or phrases that added imagery (five senses)
Why did the author embed this word or phrase?
What is the effect of that word choice?

9. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
6. Making Inferences (educated guess)
COMMENT in the margins-
Is the author using a passage or relationship to try to tell you something deeper than what is being said directly?

10. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
7. Unknown Vocabulary
CIRCLE unknown words
COMMENT in the margins-
Meaning of unknown word
Which context clues from the reading helped you determine the meaning of the word?

11. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
8. Literary Devices
LOCATE (highlight or underline) examples or evidence of literary devices(s)- plot, characterization, conflict, theme, etc.
COMMENT in the margins the type of character, conflict, theme, etc. for the examples found

12. Annotating Focus Skills
Procedure
9. Grammar Usage
CIRCLE words or phrases in relation to the eight parts of speech.
COMMENT in the margins the effect of nouns, pronouns, verbs, etc.
How does the author use such words?
What kind of impact or emphasis does he/she make using these words?