Annotating

Critical Reading and Writing

TRACKING
YOUR
THOUGHTS
WHILE
READING
 Previewing Annotating

Previewing is valuable because it prepares you to read

closely and critically, but the most fundamental of all
critical reading is annotating.
 A B

How do you
mark
important
information
in a reading
text?
 Annotation is a note of any form made while
Annotation reading text.

This process is essential to critical reading

because it focuses your attention on the
language of the text.

Note-taking activities have a positive impact on

reading comprehension

It is “Reading with a pencil.”

  Reading a textbook to prepare
for an exam.
Annotating

 Analyzing a poem or story as

purpose
subject of an essay.

 Analyzing the strategies and

process each writer uses as well
as to explore ideas and reaction
to them.
 Important Text meaning
information or key details
What
should be
marked?
Ideas and
questions
 underlining keywords, phrases or
sentences

writing comments or questions in the

As you margin,
read,
annotate bracket important sections of the text

directly connect ideas with lines or arrows and

on the number related point in sequence.
page
number related points in sequence.
ANNOTATE
WAY TO

Questions Definitions Reactions

  Questions are the most notable
aspect of the annotations
 the more than twenty questions in
the margins help focus the reading,
identify needed information and
definitions, and express confusion.
Questions
 These questions emerged gradually
through several readings.
 This questioning stance can lead to
useful reflection— and to questions
that may later suggest topics for
writing.
  When we encountered unfamiliar
words and names, define the
words

 Guess the meaning using the

Definitions strategy (context or affixes)

 Look up the dictionary,

encyclopedia, etc
 Annotation can
be used to record
reactions to both
ideas and style.

Reactions
Some
annotations
record agreement
or disagreement,
contrast, etc.
 What arguments is this author responding to?
When you
annotate a Is the issue relevant or significant?
text, your How do I know that what the author says is true?
notes in the
margins Is the author’s evidence legitimate? Sufficient?
might Can I think of an exception to the author’s argument?
address
questions, What would the counter arguments be?
definitions
and reactions Good readers ask the same kinds of
such as: questions of every text they read,
considering not just what a writer says
(the content), but how he or she says it
given the writer’s purpose and
audience.
UNDERLINING
BENEFITS OF

 to distinguish more important

from less important ideas.

 you can review only the most

important—those that are
underlined— parts.
 The main ideas in
paragraphs.

Consider the
following Answers to
guidelines for questions that you
underlining: bring to the reading
assignment.

Underline only the

key words.
Using
symbols to
annotate
 1. It is easier to participate in
class discussions if you have
already marked passages that
Annotating are important, confusing, or
your linked to specific passages in
readings other texts you have read.
benefits you 2. By marking key ideas in a text,
twice noting your ideas about them,
and making connections to key
ideas in other texts, you have
begun the process of writing an
essay.
Summary
Examples
Annotation