Tips for Annotations: What to Do and What NOT to Do

People who annotate will find that nearly ALL of their thoughts get recorded and, even
better, that the very act of writing and thinking leads them to have even more interesting
ideas about their text.

In general, here are the main types of notes students should record in any
passage for any subject:

 Questions = Our minds constantly asks questions about things we don’t

understand, things we are predicting, things we are trying to make sense out of.
Recording these questions while reading will help students’ minds automatically
search for answers.
 Connections = The more students can connect the information they read to what
they already know about themselves, their world, or other readings, the more the
passages in front of them will make sense.
 Interpretations = The meaning or depth of a passage may not be stated at the
surface level of the text, but after thinking and inference, it is important that
students identify the puzzle pieces and start putting them together.
 Summaries = Even just putting something into their own words helps to clarify
and solidify its meaning in a student’s mind. Writing paraphrases of information in
the margins and at the end of sections/chapters helps enormously to enhance
understanding.
 Patterns = As lists, series, sequences, chronologies, or motifs are identified
within a text, it’s important for students to use numbers, bullets, or a their own
method of annotation to organize the passage.
 Words = Individual words often hold a great deal of meaning, so making
vocabulary words, course-specific terms, and unique diction choices stand out
with annotation is essential.

It’s also just as important to know what kind of annotations to avoid:

 Notes without thoughts = It’s easy to write an inane comment but not have an
actual thought attached to it. Simply identifying a “simile” serves little purpose;
instead, students should record a thought about why that simile is there.
 Personal reactions = If a student is shocked or confused, writing “Wow!” or
“Boring!” doesn’t warrant taking up space. Annotations are for thoughts worth
remembering.
 One-word comments = Like notes without thoughts, usually a one-word margin
note just doesn’t depict enough thinking to justify the space it takes up.
 Notes without symbols or symbols without notes = It’s important to use
marginalia and symbols in conjunction with one another. They tag team to bring
the passage to life.
 Too much of anything = Too much chocolate makes you sick. The same is true
with annotations: Although they are an extremely good tool, when a student
highlights an entire page or paraphrases every sentence, the exercise becomes
self-defeating.

Adapted from teachinghub.com