5 Ways To Annotate

Clearly annotate the thesis and key parts of the argument in an essay. Underline evidence that you find questionable. This will be useful if you want to argue that the author’s thesis is wrong. Annotations on works of literature usually identify plot, character, and theme. However, they can also include setting, vocabulary and figurative language. If you are reading for pleasure, highlight points that you found very interesting and that you might want to go back to. Consider, for example, annotating quotes that you really like and might want to use later. In addition, if you run across a big idea that changes the way you think, highlight it so that you can return to it.

Slow down. Read aloud verbally or in your mind. Don’t skim through the text. You can also underline key terms or put brackets around longer phrases.

In an essay, the thesis is typically in the first paragraph, but not always. It summarizes the main point or idea of the essay. The theme won’t be a sentence. Instead, look for the repetition of certain ideas or significant passages (usually during the climax of the story).

Pens aren’t great since you can’t erase it if you make a mistake. It may also take away from the sell-back value if this is a textbook. If you choose to use a pen, consider blue. It will stand out from the black text of the book, but it won’t detract from it, like hot pink or purple might. If you can’t stand to write directly into your book, use Post-It notes instead.

Most e-book readers will allow you to highlight passages.
Some will even allow you to use multiple colors when highlighting the text.
If you don’t have a highlighter, put brackets around the passage instead.
You can do this with a pencil or a colored ballpoint pen (i.
e.: pink, purple, blue, red, etc). If you’re a visual learner, you can also artistically annotate important passages by drawing them and then writing an explanation of what your drawing is. Stick to highlighting super important information. If your entire text is covered in highlighter, you won’t be able to figure out what’s actually important.

For example, you may want to circle new vocabulary, box figurative language, underline thematic statements, and place parentheses around descriptions of settings. You can use different color highlighters to identify text relevant to character, theme, or setting. You can also use different color highlighters to identify important statements about different characters. You can create different symbols to make it easier to identify relevant pages. For example, an asterisk in the margins or top of the page could identify pages with major parts of the argument. You can use arrows to point to quotes that you know you will use during the essay.

For an e-reader, write a note at the beginning of the text. Be as consistent as you can with your symbols so you understand what you were trying to say.

A common mistake with annotations is to underline too much and take too few notes. Your notes will help you to make important connections that you can refer to later. Otherwise, you might forget what it was that you found to be important about the underlined section.

You won’t always have to do this, especially if it is an essay. Consider making your predictions on Post-it notes or on a separate sheet of paper. This will free up your margins for more important information.

Keep a list of themes and important figurative elements. This is especially important if you are going to be asked to do a literary analysis or write an essay. You can write these on a separate piece of paper, or on a blank page in the front of the book. While you’re reading the text, keep track of moments when major characters change or evolve. List comments and page numbers under each theme. The more detailed you are, the easier it will be to write a paper and provide evidence.

In a book, you can write this in the space between chapters. For e-books, write notes at the end of the text in the chapter. You can also write comments on a separate piece of paper or in a word file. You can also make a list of reflective questions to ask yourself at the end of every chapter so it’s easier to summarize them.

Write these in the margins in pencil or on a separate sheet of paper. When you get the answer, go back and write it under the question. If it’s too long, write the page or paragraph number that the answer can be found on.

If there is enough space, you can write the definition under the passage. For example, text books often have several line breaks between paragraphs. Take advantage of these. Take note of any key terms as well. Mark these in the passage so that you can see how they are used.

You can write these directly next to the words as they appear, or you can keep a list on a separate piece of paper to look back on later.

If, for example, you are reading a book on chemistry, you could number each step necessary to produce a chemical reaction.

If you’re using a tablet, you can write on the margins of the PDF with a stylus to take notes.

Diigo, A. nnotate, and Kindle for PC are a few popular browser extensions for annotation. You should note that these browser extensions will often not let you annotate PDFs or word files—they’re for web pages only.

Once your annotations are turned on, you can use a pen tool, highlight tool, and even share your screen with others so they can see your notes. You can also annotate on the Zoom app if you’re using a mobile device.