Annotating Text

Definition:

Annotating text goes beyond underlining, highlighting, or making symbolic notations or codes on a given text. Annotation includes adding purposeful notes, key words and phrases, definitions, and connections tied to specific sections of text.

Purpose:

Annotating text promotes student interest in reading and gives learners a focused purpose for writing. It supports readers’ ability to clarify and synthesize ideas, pose relevant questions, and capture analytical thinking about text. Annotation also gives students a clear purpose for actively engaging with text and is driven by goals or learning target(s) of the lesson.

 Annotating text causes readers to process information at a deeper level and increases their ability to recall information from the text. It helps learners comprehend difficult material and engage in what Probst (1988) describes as, “dialogue with the text.”

Procedure

1. Purposes for annotation based on learning target(s) and goals. Some examples include:

   1. Locating evidence in support of a claim

   2. Identifying main idea and supporting details,

   3. Analyzing the validity of an argument or counter-argument

   4. Determining author’s purpose

   5. Giving an opinion, reacting, or reflecting

   6. Identifying character traits/motivations

   7. Summarizing and synthesizing

   8. Defining key vocabulary

   9. Identifying patterns and repetitions

   10. Making connections

   11. Making predictions