I just finished annotating a bunch of books and articles for my AP english class summer assignments, and after going through a bunch of different annotating methods and many packages of post its, I finally figured out a way that is time efficient but also thorough. (Remember: my method will not work for everyone’s own personal needs and teacher requirements so you can pick and choose what works for you!)
This is an example of what my nonfiction books look like after they’re annotated. I color coordinate my post its into three categories:
Reactions/Connections/Questions: These are important to keep you engaged with the reading. This was one thing my english teachers have looked for in the past.
Rhetoric: aka the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
Summaries: I do these at the end of every chapter so if I need to refresh on something I don’t have to reread the entire book to find it. It’s best to keep them clear and concise so it doesn’t take up too much of your time.
For fiction I use different categories:
Reactions/Connections/Questions
Characters/Plot/Technical parts of the book: These are important especially if you have objective tests after books. Even if you don’t, it’s good to keep track of character development.
Theme/Motifs: In some books they’re obvious, others not so much. Look up motifs in the book you’re reading before you start if you’re having trouble finding them.
I used 3x3 post its for this book and cut them to suit however long my response is, but smaller post its are way more efficient and I prefer them for all my responses except for sometimes summaries.
I also use page flags to mark any quotes I could use for an essay later on. If you’re teacher doesn’t give you your essay topic ahead of time I would still flag quotes because chances are, if a quote sticks out to you, it’s important.
One last thing I do is highlight if I own the book. This helps me when I need to go back and refresh, especially with non fiction books when there’s a lot of unnecessary information that I don’t really need to remember. You can also highlight when you see something that seems important but you don’t have enough to write about it.
DON’T KNOW WHAT TO ANNOTATE?:
intertextuality (does the work echo other literature?)
concerning rhetoric (many of these only apply to nonfiction)…
author’s style (tone, sentence structure, vocab)
purpose and effect of a text (ethos, pathos, logos)
schemes (parallelisms, juxtapositions, antitheses)
tropes (ex-metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole)
concerning authorial devices…
changes in point of view/emphasis
points where the author speaks directly or thematically
points where the reader understands something that the characters do not (dramatic irony)
stylistic techniques (irony, satire, humor, literary devices, etc)
concerning character and plot…
character traits/self-appraisals/revelations
important events/turning points/key scenes
connections to previous incidents/repeated references
comparison within text to outside events/figures
concerning history and culture:
historical references to events or individuals
evidence of views characteristic of the characters’/author’s time period and/or culture
depictions of class judgments, racism, gender biases, stereotypes
words to look out for (as told to me by my ap teachers)
God (or anything religious/biblical)
America (only applies to American literature obviously)
philosophical or psychological terms
anything that has to do with theme
There is an English idiom that says, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” This means that you can’t see the big pictures because you’re concentrating on the details too much. When you are reading, don’t try to understand every word - it’s not necessary.
If you don’t review your annotations there’s no point to writing them in the first place.
Sparknotes is honestly a horrible substitute to reading the book. Only use it when it’s an emergency (ex. you had too much homework for other classes, you left your book at school, etc) and even then you should read the chapter or section when you have the time.
Don’t overdo it. This was my main mistake over the summer. It took me weeks to finish one book because I tried putting a full 3x3 post it on every page and it ended up ruining the book for me.
Sometimes annotating can suck. Sometimes it can be loads of fun. Find the technique that pleases your teacher and still lets you enjoy whatever it is you’re reading.
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