Annotations are a great way to take notes about books. You can write down your thoughts or impressions on a book that is read in depth. Maybe you need to annotate a book as a school assignment, or want to deepen your reading. Start by selecting an annotation tool. Then, annotate it by focusing on keywords, phrases, ideas, and questions to make your notes clear and easy to review.
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Part 1 of 3: Choosing an Annotation Tool
Step 1. Use a highlighter and a pen or pencil
One of the easiest ways to annotate a book is to use a highlighter and a pen or pencil directly on the text. Choose a highlighter with an easy-to-read color, such as a bright blue or orange. A standard yellow highlighter can also be used. Choose a pen that is dark in color.
- Try to use only one highlighter color so that the pages of the book are not so colorful that they are difficult to read.
- Choose a highlighter and a pen or pencil if you can or don't mind scribbling.
Step 2. Use sticky notes or bookmarks if you are not allowed to cross out on the book
Sticky memos or bookmarks are great options if you don't want to dirty the pages of a book. Mark the annotation page or sentence with the paste.
Look for memos and sticky notes of various colors. You can use a different color for each bookmarked page
Step 3. Try an electronic annotation program
If you annotate a book in an eReader, there are several programs you can download. Programs like Skim and Marvin make it easy for you to annotate text in your eReader.
The electronic annotation program can be downloaded at the eReader app store
Part 2 of 3: Annotating Keywords, Phrases, and Sections
Step 1. Eliminate distractions
Go to a quiet place, such as a library or study area. If you are at home, close the bedroom door and tell the people in the house that you don't want to be disturbed.
Step 2. Read the book slowly and carefully
To make good annotations, you have to read slowly and not rush. Pay attention to every word. Stop reading and think about the sentence before continuing. Slow reading ensures you don't miss anything so you can make good annotations.
Step 3. Underline important phrases
Start by underlining the phrases you feel are important. Usually, important phrases appear at the end of sentences. Sometimes important phrases are also placed after a colon or comma. Look for phrases that appear many times in the text because they are usually important.
- Underline only phrases that seem very important. Don't underline a lot of phrases because you'll have a hard time deciding which ones are really important.
- You can also underline phrases you like or are interesting. If a sentence amazes you or stands out, underline it so you can come back to it later.
Step 4. Circle or box key words
Look for words that seem important to the author. You can circle the words that are connected to the main idea in a passage. Or, create a box around a word that is repeated several times.
- For example, if you see the word “power” appear multiple times, circle or box it as an annotation.
- The author may want you to remember certain words as you read. Make sure you circle the word as part of the annotation.
Step 5. Put brackets on the key
If you think some lines are important, use parentheses to indicate them. Try to only bracket a few short lines or sections. Parentheses in long sections make it difficult for you to go back and remember why you marked the section.
For example, if there is a section that focuses on a particular case study that you find interesting or important, use parentheses to mark it
Step 6. Make a list of words you don't recognize
List all the words you don't know in the list. Write it down on a separate piece of paper or at the end of the book. Then, look for the definition of the term. Consider looking for meaning that fits the context of the book.
Set up a dictionary so you can quickly and easily view definitions of terms
Part 3 of 3: Recording Important Ideas and Questions
Step 1. Write your thoughts in the margins of the page
As you read, question specific sections of the text by writing your thoughts and reflections at the margins of the page. You can write a word or two. You can also write short sentences.
As you read, think about questions such as, “What is the author trying to tell you?”, “Why is this quote in the text?”, “What is my emotional response to this text?”
Step 2. List your questions about the books you read
Write any questions at the edge or bottom of the page. Question words or phrases that are confusing you. Question ideas that you find difficult to follow or that you disagree with.
- For example, "Why did the author include this example?", "What is the author's purpose in this sentence?", "What is the author trying to say here?"
- To make a short question that is sufficient to write on the edge of the page, you can write a question mark near the sentence that is not understood. You can also write questions like "Author's goal?" or "What does that mean?" keep annotations short.
- You can also write questions on a separate notebook or piece of paper so they don't fill the edges of the page.
Step 3. Associate several ideas with arrows
Use arrows or lines to connect ideas and themes. You can circle keywords on the same page and link to them with arrows. Or, highlight a sentence and draw an arrow to another sentence on the page.
Relating ideas will help you think critically about the text. The discovery of related ideas also deepens annotations and notes
Step 4. Summarize each section at the bottom of the page
After completing a section of the book, try to condense the thoughts and main ideas of the section with a few key words. Write those keywords at the bottom of the page so you can find them later.
- For example, create a summary with keywords such as “power”, “female sexuality” and “Freud's case study”.
- You can write summaries in a notebook or separate paper so that the edges of the book are not filled with notes.
