FYLC – Biology & Composition, FA2016 Toggle navigation

How to Annotate a Written Text

Annotations       A way to interact with a text, making sure we understand what’s happening. Purpose:  

•  Understand the text. Know what the purpose is.
•  Track changes or progression. What changes direction of conversation?
• Identify areas of interest or concern. What we do know or don’t know: a word, a reference, a topic we need to know more about.

  Ways to annotate: 1. Circle or underline or highlight:  

•  main ideas
• character/people names
• vocabulary words
• important ideas or events

  2.  Circles, squiggly lines, boxes, etc.   3.  Notes in margin:

• React – surprised, confused, happy, said? emojis, exclamation marks or question marks.
• Locate important passages – bracket it so you can find it again.
• Note – “Author wants us to know X, Y, Z.” Just so you can easily find that quote or passage.
• Margin Madness – figuring out how you feel about what author said (can use Post-Its)
• Make a connection
• Track themes or character changes
• Ask questions: why doesn’t he do X?
• Give an opinion

          Kate Cranfill YouTube: https://youtu.be/JZXgr7_3Kw4