ANNOTATING A TEXT
Remember that a text can take many forms, because a text can be anything that uses a form of
communication to convey a message to an audience. That message can be carried using any
form of communication, including language or text, visual elements, auditory elements, tactile
elements, and beyond. Texts can take the form of traditional print artifacts, such as a
newspaper or a chapter in a textbook, but they can also take many other forms such as
infographics, billboards, television commercials, or objects (such as t-shirts or water bottles).
Growing as a writer requires developing close reading skills: writers should practice interpreting
texts around them to discover how texts are created, how they “work,” and how others might
interact with them and understand them. Texts only take on meaning when a reader constructs
a meaning through the process of interpretation. To help draw your attention to how you
construct meaning as a close reader, you’re expected to annotate many texts in this class. You
are expected to complete annotations by hand in this course. Psychotherapist and journaling
expert Maud Purcell ​suggests​ that the act of writing helps filter information and focus; Maria
Konnikova of ​The New York Times ​reports​ that psychologists and neuroscientists have found
that writing longhand improves retention of information, helps generate more ideas, and
deepens reading abilities. If you require accommodations for the activity of writing by hand, you
may complete annotations in a digital form, perhaps by using Adobe Reader or your preferred
platform to create text boxes and other markings that make similar moves that hand-written
annotations would.
Annotation​ is the process of marking on and interacting with a text to construct an
interpretation of it as you consume it. ​This guide offers some strategies that will help you
practice annotating and become a close reader.​ ​Annotations can take two main forms: ​markings
and ​verbal comments.​
Markings​ can include moves such as underlining, circling, highlighting, and other ways of
flagging parts of the text. For example, you can:
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Mark any passages that summarize an author’s main argument, theme, or conflict
Mark any words or phrases that are new to you and investigate them
Mark any figures of speech or phrases that you find effective or enjoyable
Verbal comments​ can take many forms, but remember that your goal is to “think out loud” to
interpret the text as you consume it: capture your comments in the margins of the text, between
lines or sections of the text, and even on the back of the pages if necessary. Especially if the
process of annotation is new to you, try this “formula” for constructing comments: simply take
notes any time you appreciate, notice, or wonder something by starting comments in one of the
following forms:
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“I appreciate…” followed by something that you admire or enjoy in the text, something
that you think is done well
“I notice…” followed by something that gets your attention or that stands out as a pattern
throughout the text
“I wonder…” followed by questions, concerns, or suggestions you have about something
in the text
Here are other suggestions for how to verbalize your interpretations as you read:
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Take notes on how the writing seems to work:
o What do you notice about the organization, formatting, and other elements of the
text? In what context was this text created?
o How does the writer communicate their argument, use evidence and examples,
etc.?
o How does the writer communicate about the purpose of this text?
o How does the writer try to reach their intended audience?
Take notes on your reading experience, such as documenting any emotional reaction
you might be having (“The way the author does _____ is making me mad…” or “It’s kind
of creepy how this text talks about…”)
Take notes on any connections you have to the text (“This reminds me a lot of...”) or
future applications you might use (“I want to remember this when I…”
When asked to annotate a text for this class, complete the following steps to submit your
annotations.
If you’re annotating using pen and paper:
1. Print or obtain a printed copy of the text.
2. Complete the annotation process by hand using a dark-colored pen.
3. Use a traditional scanner on a printer or other device to capture images of all pages or
sections of the text as a single PDF, ​OR ​use a smartphone app for scanning such as
CamScanner, TurboScan, or Scannable to capture images of all pages or sections of the
text as a single PDF.
4. Email yourself the PDF for easy access and storage.
5. From your preferred device, download the single PDF of the annotated text from your
email and then upload it to the correct submission area in Blackboard.
If you’re annotating using a stylus on a tablet or other device:
1. Open a digital file or image of the text in your prefered application on the tablet or other
device.
2. Complete the annotation process by hand using a stylus and any other relevant marking
tools (such as a highlighting feature).
3. Save your annotated file or image of the entire text as a single PDF.
4. Upload the single PDF of the annotated text to the correct submission area in
Blackboard.