Rule #4 Annotate Like Your Life Depends On It

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an·no·tate [an-uh-teyt] verb (used with object)

1.

to supply with critical or explanatory notes; comment upon in notes

 

(definition found on dictionary.com)

 

Please read the title of this rule again. And again. Again. One more time, please. Thanks. Now that you have gotten that through your head, let’s begin.

Unfortunately, just like in your previous years of high school, you will be required to annotate, if not more. And lots of it. Sadly, annotation is not something you can avoid in Lang, or any higher-level English class for that matter. Long lost are the days when scrolling through Sparknotes and jotting down a weak ‘metaphor’ in the corner was adequate enough to earn an A.

Lucky for you, me, and every other student out there, annotation is a skill that is easily advanced through practice, practice, and oh yeah, actually doing it.

You can’t half-do your annotations. Even though jotting down a few mindless notes on a pink post it note may seem appealing, it only hurts you in the long run.Try to find the annotation style that suits you, whether it be highlighting, colored pens, post it notes, or just plain graphite, find what helps you the most and go for it.

I personally can’t annotate without color coding and a post it tabs. Not only do the tabs help you find key areas of the novel quickly during timed writings or class seminars, but the colored pens can add just a droplet of excitement  and sense of purpose in your otherwise mundane high school schedule.

However, you won’t be annotating just novels. Political cartoons, paintings, editorials, historical essays, poems and even pieces of nonfiction writing will become badges on your annotation vest. Annotating well, and often, will increase your ability to actually annotate when your grade depends on it. During timed writings, it is an excellent idea to annotate the prompt in order to assist your brainstorming process before you even begin writing the essay. Also, throughout the year, it will become noticeable to you that thoroughly annotating an essay prompt can make a difference between a 5 and a 6.

Above all, annotating is a blessing in disguise. It may seem little more than menial labor, but it actually facilitates new ideas and allows you to better understand what you’re reading, which comes in handy when you’re being tested on that material.