To do even more, you can note own reactions to an article, such as your agreement or disagreement, associations, questions, ideas from other articles that correspond to this one, discussions in class, etc. Here’s what a descriptive outline focuses on in individual sections and paragraphs: summary of a topic, the introduction of an idea, giving explanations, providing examples and evidence, limiting or expanding an idea, looking on a contrary view, making a transition, stating conclusions, etc. A descriptive outline aims to show you where not only the key ideas but also facts, details, and explanations supporting them are located. Basically, you need to break an article to show where each idea is introduced and where it develops. This form of annotation shows how a text is organized. If you can condense the substance of a paragraph or a sentence in several words, there won’t be any trouble showing deep understanding in your written work. Short notes, written in the page margins, along with the key concepts, already make a brief summary. It is also works great as a preparation for a written work based on reading. To go beyond, you can paraphrase the ideas to capture their meaning and solidify your understanding. Locating the main ideas of your text is only the first step. Instead of making the whole text look like a rainbow, you can only use a highlighter to mark parts, worth making notes about. On the contrary, highlighting only postpones this process. It doesn’t involve much thinking or interacting with statements and ideas in a text. Secondly, this form of making an annotation is less active than others. Firstly, people tend to highlight or underline more than it’s really necessary. However, this method has certain drawbacks. Highlighting also works well when you are picking quotes or passages to use them in your written work. Many students do it to make the process of studying up for exams easier. Underlining or highlighting main ideas or key phrases and words is the most common form of annotating a text. You can make your further notes in these ways: When you reread the text, making an annotation should be more efficient.

This will let you understand the article’s main ideas and notice where the most important pieces of information are. You may only circle new concepts or vocabulary if needed. We recommend you read through the text once before you start taking major notes. introduces reactions and thoughts of the reader.traces how the arguments or ideas develop throughout the text.clearly identifies the location of important information.While making notes, you become familiar not only with the content of an article but also with its organization.Ī properly annotated article accomplishes the following: The skill of annotation may take some practice but offers a better understanding of complicated materials and helps easily and quickly find important information when reviewing.

It means that while reading a text, you add notes to it, make your comments, explanations, opinions, questions or associations. What Is Annotating an Article?Īnnotation is a strategy of active reading.

What does it mean to annotate an article? How do you make effective notes? Is it possible to annotate texts online? Find answers to these and other questions in our article. An annotated article helps better understand the material, can become a part of academic research, and make the process of preparing for tests easier. When annotating, one inspects a text they read with a critical eye and makes useful notes. Annotation is an essential skill that lets students make the most out of reading done for their college courses.

Example of an annotation of an article