Annotation is a key component of close reading. Since we will annotate texts ( for the books you own only) all year, you need to develop a system that works for you (within the following guidelines). Effective annotating is both economical and consistent. The techniques are almost limitless. Use any combination of the following:
- Make brief comments in the margins. Use any white space available – inside cover, random blank pages, etc.
- Make brief comments between or within lines of the text. Do not be afraid to mark within the test itself. In fact, you must.
- Circle or put boxes, triangles, or clouds around words or phrases.
- Use abbreviations or symbols – brackets, stars, exclamation points, question marks, numbers, etc.
- Connect words, phrases, ideas, circles, boxes, etc. with lines or arrows.
- Underline – CAUTION : Use this method sparingly. Underline only a few words. Always combine with another method such as comment. Never underline an entire passage. Doing so takes too much time and loses effectiveness. If you wish to mark an entire paragraph or passage, draw a line down the margin or use brackets.
- Highlight – use CAUTION – don’t highlight everything!
- Create your own code.
- Use post-it notes ONLY if you have exhausted all available space (unlikely).
Close Reading. What should you annotate? Again, the possibilities are limitless. Keep in mind the reasons we annotate. Your annotations
must include comments. I want to see evidence of thinking.
- Have a conversation with the text. Talk back to it.
- Ask questions (essential to active reading).
- Comment on the actions or development of a character. Does the character change? Why? How? The result?
- Comment on lines / quotations you think are especially significant, powerful, or meaningful.
- Express agreement or disagreement.
- Summarize key events. Make predictions.
- Connect ideas to each other or to other texts.
- Note if you experience an epiphany( aha I get it moment of understanding)
- Note anything you would like to discuss or do not understand.
- effects of word choice (diction) or sentence structure or type (syntax)
- point of view / effect
- repetition of words, phrases, actions, events, patterns
- narrative pace / time / order of sequence of events
- irony
- contrasts / contradictions / juxtapositions / shifts
- allusions
- any other figure of speech or literary device
- reliability of narrator
- motifs or cluster ideas
- tone / mood
- imagery
- themes
- setting / historical period
- symbols
The most common complaint about annotating is that it slows down your reading. Yes, it does. That’s the point. If annotating as you read
annoys you, read a chapter, then go back and annotate. Reading a text a second time is preferable/essential anyway.
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