Author: Ginger Roberts, Junior, IB Student, NHS member
You most likely will be asked to annotate at some point for English class. So, how do you annotate a book?
But before that, what even is annotating? Annotating something (usually a form of literature), means to add notes to it. Most of the time, teachers ask for annotations in the form of commentary and observations. Other times, teachers focus on the analysis part of annotating. Annotating a piece of literature is a helpful way to gather all of your thoughts, and remember important points. When finishing your annotations, you can go back, and look at them.
I have been annotating books since the 6th grade, and I’m sure I’ll continue annotating forever! It’s a great way to gather your thoughts. In the IB program, if you take Ms. Kamka’s class for HL (higher level) English, you may be asked to annotate for specific things, such as Global Issues, or recurring themes throughout the novel.
So, you may ask, “How do I annotate a book properly?” Well, here is a huge list of tips :
Go to the store, and buy a pack of highlighters, colored pens, or other colored writing utensils of your choice. Most classes require different colors for different annotations.
Optional: Buy some sticky notes to write on. (recommended if your margins are small).
Create a KEY with colors. This key is what you will refer back to when annotating. Here is an example:
(This key is only a guide. Your key should be unique to the piece of literature. Think, what have I been asked to annotate for?)
Write in the margins! The margins are the EMPTY SPACE around the text. You may prefer to use sticky notes for books with small margins.
Read the book as you normally would; If you come across a question, WRITE IT DOWN. Examples could include, “What does the author mean when they say _____?”, “What is the significance of this quote”, “What is the relationship between these characters?”, and so forth. This is an important factor, as you will answer these questions later on in the novel.
Annotate for the SETTING of the piece of literature. Where is it set? What time period is it in?
If you see any words that you don’t know…. HIGHLIGHT them, and find their definition. It is important to be familiar with the vocabulary in any work. This is an opportunity for you to expand your vocabulary as well! :)
Annotate for important characters, and their interactions. Most English classes will require an advanced understanding of the main characters personalities and dialogue.
Highlight recurring MOTIFS, THEMES, and SYMBOLS throughout the piece of literature, as you will (most likely), be asked to analyze them later.
Highlight a paragraph that speaks to YOU; You might receive an assignment that asks you to analyze a quote of your choice. Ask yourself, WHY did this paragraph stick out to you?
Highlight every CONFLICT; Conflicts are important in fully understanding your piece of literature.
Annotate any passages that have a global connection. Does the conflict you are reading about happen in the real world?
Overall, I highly recommend annotating. You may have to do it for a grade, but there's no reason to resent it. Annotating regularly will make you more of an active reader, and will provide in-depth notes of the literature you read. If you annotate properly, you will have a greater understanding of the text.
I hope this information was helpful to anyone who wishes to start annotating. Happy Reading, and Good Luck!
-Comment below if you annotate and why do you prefer it over reading regularly-
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