#annotate a text

How To Annotate A Text: Be sure to have a paper copy of this handout in your portfolio! 

1. Pre Reading Activity: Making Predictions and Asking Questions: Read only the title/subtitles, author, publication date/place, and the first and last paragraphs only then answer the following questions:

What do you think this article will be about?

What will be its purpose: to persuade, to inform, or to entertain? Why?

Can you determine if this is a reliable source? How/Why?

Any other insights?

2. Annotating The Text: as you read, complete the following steps:

Underline and label main ideas or thesis

Put a star ★ next to support (evidence/citations/examples) for the main idea or thesis

Identify and label uses of ethos (credibility/character), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic)

Identify and label ideas/concepts/parts you agree with: put a plus sign + in the margins and explain why you agree

Identify and label ideas/concepts/parts you disagree with: put a minus sign - in the margins and explain why you disagree

Write questions you have or connections to other texts/events/concepts in the margins

3. Post Reading Activity: Summarizing and Responding

Explain the author’s argument/thesis in one sentence.

Summarize the support (citations/evidence/examples) for the thesis in one to three sentences.