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How To Write An Annotation
How To Write An Annotation
The problem is many students spend hours reading and have no idea what they just read. Their
eyes are moving across the page, but their mind is somewhere else. The end result is wasted
time, energy, and frustration…and having to read the text again.
Although students are taught how to read at an early age, many are not taught how to actively
engage with written text or other media. Annotation is a tool to help you learn how to actively
engage with a text or other media.
Annotating a text or other media (e.g. a video, image, etc.) is as much about you as it is the text
you are annotating. What are YOUR responses to the author’s writing, claims and ideas? What
are YOU thinking as you consider the work? Ask questions, challenge, think!
When we annotate an author’s work, our minds should encounter the mind of the author, openly
and freely. If you met the author at a party, what would you like to tell to them; what would
you like to ask them? What do you think they would say in response to your comments? You
can be critical of the text, but you do not have to be. If you are annotating properly, you often
begin to get ideas that have little or even nothing to do with the topic you are annotating. That’s
fine: it’s all about generating insights and ideas of your own. Any good insight is worth keeping
because it may make for a good essay or research paper later on.
One of the ways proficient readers read is with a pen in hand. They know their purpose is to
keep their attention on the material by:
The same applies for mindfully viewing a film, video, image or other media.
For the annotation of reading assignments in this class, you will cite and comment on a
minimum of FIVE (5) phrases, sentences or passages from notes you take on the selected
readings.
In addition to annotating written text, at times you will have assignments to annotate media
(e.g., videos, images or other media). For the annotation of media assignments in this class,
you will cite and comment on a minimum of THREE (3) statements, facts, examples,
research or any combination of those from the notes you take about selected media.
Name :
Your Research Title :
Article 1 (Title) :
Complete Reference :