When you are writing about a text--and by writing I also mean THINKING, not just pulling out a summary or a few facts--you need to be open to the way a text changes each time you come back to it. Something that didn't seem important on a first reading might significantly change your understanding on a second read. Your eye will be drawn to highlighted text--that's the whole point. But as you focus exclusively on what you've highlighted, you might neglect the surrounding ideas. That might be fine for some kinds of texts, but it isn't good for texts that you are writing about. If you've highlighted the text, it's harder to experience the way your ideas about a text evolve and mature.
And highlighting is basically passive. You are just drawing lines.
Annotating, on the other hand, is active. It requires more thinking because it requires you to use language. Annotation might include some underlining or circling of words, but good annotation will be words and phrases written in the margin (or in a notebook). Annotation should provide you with a record of your thoughts while reading--and that is more useful than a bunch of bright green lines! Not that color is bad--I annotate in bright reds and pinks so I can easily find my notes.
When I go back to re-read and write, I can find the places easily (time saver!), but the text itself isn't covered with highlights, so I can truly re-see the whole thing--and make more annotations as new ideas develop.
Here are a few tips for making useful annotations. While I would argue that good annotation will give you a deeper understanding of ANY reading material, by "useful" I mean useful if you are planning to write about the text you are reading. So, if you are driven by efficiency rather than intellectual curiosity (alas), at a minimum this kind of annotation will save you time when you start drafting your exercises and essays for this class.
- Mark words or concepts you don't know or understand. Stop periodically and look them up. WRITE the meaning next to the word/ concept on the text itself (if it's a borrowed book, use a post-it). We don't fully digest new terms until we've encountered them a few times; writing a definition down is an important step in truly learning the new term.
- Write a brief summary of each paragraph off to side (or in your notebook). Or, stop every few paragraphs and do the same.
- Write down your questions. This is really important. Maybe you don't understand the text well enough to write a summary. Starting to ask questions will help. On the second reading you might surprise yourself by being able to answer them!
- Make note of turns and sections. Has the writer shifted to a slightly new idea? How does it fit with what came before?
- Pay careful attention to the beginning and the end.
- Find the thesis statement in an argumentative texts. Mark the thesis statement. ( I usually put a bracket along the side of page and write "TS.") If you've marked the thesis statement, you can easily return to it when things get confusing along the way. Try to rephrase the thesis statement in your own words in the margin or in your notebook.
- Finally--and MOST IMPORTANTLY--make notes of YOUR RESPONSE. Are you excited, interested, intrigued by the ideas? Do they make you angry? Why? What would you like to say to the writer? Your responses are the seeds of your writing. Plant them.
I'd love to hear more tips for annotating--or maybe even arguments about uses for highlighters.
No comments:
Post a Comment