Overview:

Article of the Week, an assignment pioneered by Kelly Gallagher, is a regular feature of our class. Our class reads three to four articles per quarter, and makes use of short stories in addition to nonfiction writing. None the less, whether you are reading a narrative, a newspaper, or anything else Mr. Jasper dreams up, you will be using the same techniques.

Annotating an Article:

Why should you annotate?

Reading about topics you are unfamiliar with and encountering new words/ideas can be confusing. I can't respond to something I don't understand, and so sometimes, especially when faced with a particularly befuddling sentence, paragraph, or section in the article, a reader ought to slow down, reread, and then annotate a brief summary or paraphrase of the challenging section in the margin. Annotation is the tool we use to make reading a difficult text easier.

How should you annotate?

Begin by reading the questions and writing prompts at the bottom of the text, then read the article and make notations that you believe will help you answer those questions. You will develop your own preferences as a reader and I encourage you to develop your own style/signals over the course of this year, but as we begin, you are required to use the class's annotation techniques.

Annotate the text: For a full score, annotate the article at least five times using one or more of the following techniques.

• Mark passages that you strongly disagree or agree with by either drawing a frown or a smile. Express your opinions by writing in the margin what you agree or disagree with.
• Decide which question you're going to answer. Highlight that question a specific color then highlight the specific information you're going to use to answer that question the same color.
• In the margin, write notes you can use to help you answer the prompt.
• Mark confusing words and/or challenging sections of the text with a question mark. Ask a question. Write an answer in the margin, giving a definition or an explanation of that word or paragraph.

Highlighting: When reading non-fiction, highlight the claim of the article and the key evidence the author uses to make their case. Only highlight sections you might use to answer a prompt. Use your highlighter sparingly, you should ideally only highlight the 10% of the article that most matters to you and your response.

Writing a Response to the Reading:

1. Begin by referring back you to your annotations. After reviewing your notes, answer the following:
   • Which prompt are you best prepared to respond to? Select the prompt which you feel best prepared to answer.
   • Do you need additional information to make your case? Research responsibly (to find accurate and relevant information) and be sure to note on your article what other sources you are referencing. You'll need to cite them when you are writing your response.
2. Write a thesis that responds to the prompt. Ask yourself, am I answering the question?
3. Assemble your evidence. Go back through your annotation and put a star by passages that you plan to use to make your case.
4. Write your response. Remember that you will need to include...
   • An introduction, with a thesis and warrant list.
   • At least two body paragraphs, with transitions, topic sentences, evidence from the article, and reasoning explaining your evidence and how it makes your thesis correct.
   • A conclusion, with a rephrased thesis, warrant list, and final thought.