Annotations and Taking Notes

Annotating a text is all about slowing down to really understand the material; it forces you to take the text apart and digest it into consumable pieces. Plan accordingly to give yourself the time and space to breakdown the text.

While it might go against everything you've been taught up until now, the easiest way to make notes while reading is to write directly on the text. Yes, this includes books. (But still not library books. Those don’t belong to you. Respect the property of others' by not defacing them.) If you feel uncomfortable writing in a book, invest in some sticky notes; they are a great way to keep track of your thoughts while not scribbling on the text itself. Sticky notes also come in a wide variety of shapes and colors that can add a bit of personality to note-taking.

Below are a few things you might want to have on hand/keep in mind when annotating:

The important thing to remember is that these are your personal notes to help you decipher what information you might utilize when writing your essay. You can organize them any way you see fit; these notes are for you.