How Do You Annotate a Text?

Annotating texts is an important skill to develop for several reasons. This skill can assist you in becoming a more successful high school and college student. It will also teach you how to gain more from your readings. However, when an instructor asks you to annotate a text, you may not know what exactly they mean or what it involves. Here are some simple tips on how to properly annotate a text: 

What does it mean and why should I do it?

First, you should understand what it means to annotate a text. Annotating is basically a way of interacting with a text. Some find it helpful to think of annotations as a conversation between you (the reader) and the text. Annotating differs from traditional note-taking in that it is not about simply restating the main points of a text. Instead, annotating entails a deeper interaction with the text.

The benefit of annotating texts is that it leaves the reader with a more thorough understanding of the material. It also allows you to pose questions for further research and recall critical thoughts that can later be turned into papers or other assignments. Annotating a text acts as a way to engage in your reading beyond simply reading and restating what you read. You may want to consider a digital textbook which can make it easier to annotate.

How do I annotate a text?

When preparing to annotate a text, most students will want to utilize a pencil, a highlighter, and some sticky notes or flags. Imagine the author is an instructor or someone else who is trying to teach you new information. Annotating can be your form of engaging in dialogue with the text. As you read, you may choose to highlight or underline certain parts of the text, such as key terms, definitions, or other details that seem important.

In addition, you should take notes in the margin of your text. Write down questions and other ideas that the reading provokes. These may be fact-based questions or notes such as, “I don’t understand this concept” or “Why is this movement important in American history?” You can also record more complex questions such as, “How does this concept relate to what we just studied in our Literature class?” Here are 3 note-taking formats every student should try.

Another aspect to include when annotating is the ways in which the text relates to your own personal experiences. You may include a note about a real-life example to which you can relate the reading. You can also record notes regarding your personal thoughts and opinions about what the text conveys.

It is essential to mention, however, that your annotation of a particular text is likely to look very different from another classmate’s annotation. This is due to the fact that reading is a very personal process. Your prior learning and life experiences influence the manner in which you read and interpret a text. However, it may be helpful to talk with peers, friends, or an English tutor after annotating texts in order to compare notes. You may be able to learn from each other and gain new perspectives on the text. 

By annotating texts, you can become a more active and reflective reader. Actively engaging with the reading is known to improve retention of information. Thus, it is a useful skill to acquire and to practice in order to benefit the most from your studies.