Annotation is a key component of close reading. Since students will
annotate texts all year, they need to develop a system that works for
them. Effective annotating is both economical and consistent. The
techniques are almost limitless. For summer reading we are asking
students to do simple annotations.
Students will complete one annotation for roughly every 20 pages.
This involves underlining or marking with a PostIt note the
excerpt you are annotating. Briefly note why you chose the excerpt.
Excerpts may be chosen because of the book’s themes, symbols,
character development, conflict, style, context, or figurative language.
Make brief comments in the margins. Use any white space available –
inside cover, random blank pages, etc. If you are working with a
library book please use notepaper or PostIt notes and note the page
number on the note.
A simple way to mark the text:
C = Character
PP= Significant Plot Point
S = Symbol
T= Represents a theme pattern
PC = Personal Choice (Hey, I like that quote!)
BL =Beautiful Language
U = Universal meaning
Sample from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into
the past." (226) BL/T
The most common complaint about annotating is that it slows down
your reading. Yes, it does. That’s the point. If annotating as you read
annoys you, read a chapter, then go back and annotate. Reading a text
a second time is preferable anyway. Approach the works with an open
mind. Let them inspire you and stretch your imagination. Bring all of
your annotated texts to class the first day.
RUBRIC (PHS copy or library book user will hand in notes )
A – Completely underlined throughout the text with notations.
B – Underlined throughout, some notations
C – Underlined but limited,, some notations
D – Sparse underlining, no notations
0 = No annotations