Active Reading: Annotating Text

Annotating text helps you to think about what you are reading, leading to a
better understanding of the text. For this assignment, do all
annotations directly on the text and in the margins. Be selective—do
not mark everything!

Helpful strategies:

• Preview the selection. Write a question about the title and any
subheadings in the margins of the text.
• Read a section or paragraph once through for general understanding.
• Reread the section or paragraph, marking the text and making marginal
notes selectively.

 Underline information as if you were preparing brief notes from which

you could study.
 Circle special terminology and vocabulary words. Underline the
definitions or write meanings from context in the margins.
 Underline or circle repeated words, phrases, and their synonyms. This
is a clue to main ideas.
 Mark or label examples that represent main ideas.
 Use brackets [ ] around key ideas or interesting statements.
 Put boxes around major transitional words and phrases.
 Number important or sequential ideas.
 Jot down outlines, questions, and summaries in available space within
the margins.
 Use symbols such as those below to help you keep track of your
thinking:

• ? = I don’t understand; this is confusing.

• = This seems very important.
• ! = Wow! Interesting; I’m surprised.
• D = I disagree with this point or idea.
• A = I agree with this point or idea.
• OK = Now I understand; this makes sense.
• MI = Main idea.