Try to stick to one highlighter color for the annotation so you do not end up with highlighted pages that are hard to re read. Choose the highlighter and pen or pencil option if it’s okay for you to mark up the text.
Look for sticky notes and tabs in different colors. You can then use the different colored notes or tabs to annotate the book.
You can download electronic annotation programs in the Apps store on your eReader.
Try to only underline phrases that seem very important in the text. You do not want to end up with pages of underlined phrases, as it will be difficult for you to determine which ones are actually important. You can also underline phrases you like or find interesting. If a sentence strikes you or stands out to you, underline it so you can return to it later.
For example, if you notice the word “power” appears several times in the text, circle or box it as an annotation. The author may tell you to keep certain words in mind as you read the text. Make sure you circle or box these words as part of your annotations.
For example, if there is a section that focuses on a particular case study in the text you find interesting or important, use a bracket in the margins to annotate it.
Keep a dictionary handy so you can look up terms you do not recognize quickly and easily.
As you read, ask yourself questions like, “What is the author trying to tell me as the reader?” “Why is this passage in the text?” “How do I respond emotionally to the text?”
For example, you may ask questions like, “Why did the author include this example in the book?” “What is the goal of the author in this passage?” “What is the author trying to say here?” To make the questions short so they can fit into the margins, you may simply put a question mark next to passages you do not understand. Or you may write the questions like, “Goal of the author?” “What is being said?” to keep them short. You can also keep the questions in a separate notebook or piece of paper so you do not clutter up the margins of the book.
Linking ideas together will help you think critically about the text. It will also deepen your annotations and notes on the text.
For example, you may summarize a passage in the book with key words like “power,” “female sexuality,” and “Freud case study. ” You can keep your summaries in a separate notebook or piece of paper so the margins do not become cluttered with your notes.
