1. A Powerful Reading Tool
Annotating Texts
A Powerful Reading Tool

2. Annotation is a note of any form made while reading text
Annotation is a note of any form made while reading text. *It simply means to mark up a text that you are reading. “Reading with a pencil.”

3. Quote
“I contend, quite bluntly, that marking up a book is not an act of mutilation but of love. You shouldn’t mark up a book which isn’t yours. Mortimer J. Adler

4. Quote
“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

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

6. 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

7. More rationale for annotation
helps teach reading as a process
changes comprehension
slows down the reading
promotes more active reading
helps improve writing

8. HOW DO I ANNOTATE?
Good readers pay attention to their thoughts while they are reading
Scientists call this being “metacognitive,” which means “thinking about our thoughts.”
While reading, if we pay attention to:
Questions we have
Things we find strange or confusing
Things we connect with
Things we like
We will be able to understand the text and better understand how and why we get confused.

9. Annotation A strategy that readers use to be metacognitive.
Annotation means writing down your thoughts of what you’re reading as you read
Short comments in the margins of the book/text, not long paragraphs

10. Ways Good Readers Respond to a text
Make Connections
Ask Questions
Make Predictions
Interpret Ideas
Identify important information
Draw Conclusions using Evidence
Formulate Opinions
Summarize
Analyze the way the author writes
Reflect on the Content
Reflect on the Reading Process
Study of the author’s craft
Look for Patterns/Repetitions
Write Reflections/Reactions/Comments

11. ANNOTATING BEFORE READING Examine the front and back covers (books)
Read the title and subtitles
Examine the illustrations
Examine the print (bold, italics, etc.)
Examine the way the text is set up (book, short story diary, dialogue, articles, etc)

12. DURING READING Mark in the text:
ANNOTATING
DURING READING Mark in the text:

13. During Reading continued
ANNOTATING
During Reading continued
Write in the margins or use sticky notes:
Make Connections
Ask Questions
Make Predictions
Interpret Ideas
Identify important information
Draw Conclusions using Evidence
Formulate Opinions
Summarize
Analyze the way the author writes
Reflect on the Content
Reflect on the Reading Process
Study of the author’s craft
Look for Patterns/Repetitions
Write Reflections/Reactions/Comments

14. ANNOTATING AFTER READING Reread annotations – draw conclusions
Reread introduction and conclusion – try to figure out something new
Examine patterns/repetitions – determine possible meanings
Determine what the title might mean

15. What if I can’t write in the book?
You should NOT write in a book/handout borrowed from the school, library, or a friend.
BUT ….
You can make your marks and write your thoughts on sticky notes, and then stick it on the correct page!

16. No matter what type of annotation you use, remember …
You are being metacognitive; you are thinking about your thoughts
By keeping track of your thoughts while you read, you will have a clearer picture in your mind of what is happening in the story and who the characters are.
Because annotating slows your reading down, you will discover and uncover ideas you would not have discovered otherwise.
However, the time it takes to read a piece once and annotate is less than the time it take to reread it several times.

17. Example: Annotation in Grades 9-12
Underline the major points.
Circle keywords or phrases that are confusing or unknown to you.
Use a question mark (?) for questions that you have during the reading. Be sure to write your question.
Use an exclamation mark (!) for things that surprise you, and briefly note what it was that caught your attention.
Draw an arrow (↵) when you make a connection to something inside the text, or to an idea or experience outside the text. Briefly note your connections.
Mark EX when the author provides an example.
Numerate arguments, important ideas, or key details and write words or phrases that restate them.

18. Modeling in 9th Grade English