Annotation By Krystle Marshall

Annotation (workshop description)

• In order to become a great writer, you must be an active reader.

• Do you have difficulty remembering what you read?• Annotation is a perfect tool for improving your

reading skills while also helping you remember the assigned text.

• By attending this workshop you will learn strategies on how you can become an active reader

Annotation

What is it? What is the point (purpose)?

• -Annotation means making a critical or explanatory note. In other words, it is a comment that you may choose to write down in the margins of a text.

• -Highlighting, underlining, circling a word, writing a definition or a comment in the margin are all examples of ways you can annotate.

• -It will help you remember what you have just read.

• -You can easily find passages in the text, if you need to look it up later

• -It will allow you to engage in the text actively

• -You will be able to have a thoughtful analysis as you read

Active reading• -“The difference between passive and active

reading is like the difference between hearing and listening. You can hear what someone says without listening to the words, and you can read words passively without actively engaging in understanding in what they mean” (The Write Stuff 23).

• -Active reading involves communication between you and the text: It’s a dialogue, not a monologue.

Annotation Rules• There are NO rules!!• There is no right or

wrong way to annotate• BUT-Do NOT over

annotate (it does a disservice for you when you go back and review)

• Develop a system for reading that works for you and use it regularly!

There are many different ways you can annotate. Here is just one way you may decided to annotate.

The Six Steps for annotating (The Write Stuff)

1

• Preview the reading.

• (title, intro, first sentence, skim quickly, bold face, pictures)

2

• Think about what you already know about the topic.

• (tap into your prior memory and knowledge)

3

• Create questions to begin your dialogue with the text.

• (turn titles and subheadings into questions: who, what, where, when, how, etc..)

The Six Steps for annotating (cont.)

4

• Read in blocks• (Read 1-2

paragraphs or chapters at a time)

5

• Write in blocks• (write after

reading 1-2 paragraphs or chapters at a time. Highlight, underline, circle, comments, notes, questions, etc. )

6

• Review and Answer

• (go back and see if you can answer your questions or have new questions, make notes, etc. )

Lets Practice

Review• Annotation takes time. Being an active reader takes

time. • These six steps will take longer than reading

passively the first time you try it.• With practice, you will be able to do these steps

faster and possibly do some steps in your head (step one, step two, step three).

ALWAYS ANNOTATE • It will help you become a more engaged active

reader• You will retain more of the information that you are

reading• It saves you time-may not have to re-read • You will have notes later to review for class

discussions, homework, quizzes and for writing assignments

• Remember: there are NO rules when annotating. However, it is strongly recommended that you do not over annotate!