Level Up Your Reading

Annotation is like having a conversation with the text. You will know the play or novel better, your critical reading skills will improve, and you will decrease study time when you make notes in the book as you read. If you are not able to write in the book, use post its to leave annotations.

Be sure to look deeper than the basic facts of the text. If you are used to “spark noting” through material, you will need to train your mind to go deeper and make significant connections on your own. Look for key ideas such as character identification and characterization, theme work, setting relationship, symbols, motifs, examples the author uses to illustrate points made. Your own analysis is needed and identification of close-reading elements is expected. Avoid the temptation to just make the novel “pretty”; be purposeful and intentional.