How to Annotate a Book or Textbook

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A guide to dissecting and analyzing a text for school or fun
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Annotating is all about connecting with a text. It allows you to express your feelings, thoughts, and emotions while reading to make deeper, more insightful connections. But how do you do this? Annotating a book or textbook is easy to do, and all you need is a highlighter, a pencil, and maybe a few sticky notes. In this article, we’ll teach you how to make clear notes and annotate like a pro!

The Best Way to Annotate: Top Tips

Circle or highlight words and phrases that connect to the main idea of a passage or describe a bigger picture. Write your personal reflections or questions about the plot in the margins to recall later for discussion or clarification. Summarize the text at the bottom of each page to remember what happens easily.

Section 1 of 3:

How to Annotate Books (With Examples)

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  1. Start by underlining any phrases that feel important to you. Often, key phrases appear at the end of a sentence or after a colon or a comma. Look for phrases that appear several times in the text, as they are likely important. [1]
    • Try only to underline phrases that seem very important. Underlining or highlighting too much could make it harder to read the text.
    • 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.
  2. Look for words that seem important to the author. You may circle words that connect back to the main idea in a section, or you can draw a box around words that are repeated several times in the book. [2]
    • For example, if you notice the word “power” appearing several times in the text, circle or box it.
    • 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.
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  3. If you feel several lines in a section are important, use brackets to indicate this in the text. Try to choose only several lines or short sections of the text to bracket. Bracketing long sections can make it hard for you to return to the annotation later and get a clear sense of why you noted the section. [3]
    • For example, if a section focuses on a particular case study in the text you find interesting or important, use a bracket in the margins to annotate it.
  4. Have a conversation with the text by writing down your thoughts and reflections in the margins as you read. You can write one or two words or jot down short phrases or sentences. [4]
    • 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?"
  5. As you read, write down any questions you have about the text. Jot them down in the margins, at the bottom of the page, or on a sticky note. Ask questions about words or phrases that confuse you. Pose questions about ideas you find hard to follow or disagree with. [5]
    • 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?"
  6. Keep a running list of words you don’t know or are unfamiliar with on a separate paper. Then, look up the terms so you know what they mean. This can be super helpful when annotating a textbook or more formal text. [6]
  7. Use arrows or lines to connect common ideas and themes. Try circling keywords on the same page and then linking them with arrows, or highlight a passage and draw an arrow to another passage further down the page. [7]
    • Linking ideas together can help you think critically about and analyze the text .
  8. Once you finish reading a section of the text (a chapter or section), condense the main points and ideas with a few keywords. Write these keywords at the bottom of the page. This is a great study tactic, as looking at the keywords can also help remind you what a specific passage is about, making it easier to find later. [8]
    • For example, you may summarize a passage in the book with keywords like “power,” “female sexuality,” or “Freud case study.”
    • You can also keep your summaries in a separate notebook or piece of paper; just be sure to identify which page or chapter they belong to.
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Section 2 of 3:

Making Annotation a Habit

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  1. 1
    Create a color-coded key inside your book. Keep track of your annotations with a handy key or legend that states what each colored tab or mark means. Categorizing your notes will make it easier to find them in the future (not to mention it’s also aesthetic). This can be extremely helpful when annotating a textbook or writing a paper. [9]
    • Use categories in your key like “Romance,” “Relatable,” “Metaphor,” “Quotes I love,” and “Plot twists.”
    • Try using specific colors for specific characters. This is a great way to track their story and key storylines.
  2. Go to a quiet, isolated spot to annotate so you can focus better. The library, a study hall, or a quiet bedroom are perfect locations. Turn off all your devices or place them in “Do Not Disturb” mode, and get to work.
    • Studies have shown that quiet workspaces can benefit focus and ease stress. [10]
  3. Take your time with the material, and pay attention to each word on the page. Even if you have a deadline, pretend you have all the time in the world! Moving slowly through the text ensures you don’t miss something crucial. [11]
  4. 4
    Try not to think too hard about what you’re annotating. If you’re annotating a book for fun, do your best not to think too much about it. Circle, underline, and highlight what speaks to you in the moment. Write down your immediate thoughts and reactions. Even if they don’t make sense in the future, that’s okay! Getting your feelings on the page is what’s important. [12]
    • Who says you have to react with words? Use smiley or frowny faces to describe how you feel about a moment in the margins.
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Section 3 of 3:

Annotation Materials

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  1. One of the easiest ways to annotate a book is to use a highlighter and pen or pencil directly on the text. Choose a highlighter in a shade that is easy for you to read on the page, such as yellow, light blue, or orange. Go for a pen in a dark color that stands out on the page or one that matches a specific highlighter color. [13]
    • Not sure what writing utensils or colors to pick out? Invest in an annotating kit that comes with everything you’ll need in aesthetically-pleasing themes.
  2. Sticky notes and sticky tabs are ideal for tabbing pages or writing down notes. These stationery products come in all types of colors and sizes, so pick what works best for you! [14]
    • If you can’t write in your book, opt for clear-backed sticky notes . These are stuck right on the page, allowing you to highlight and make marks without actually writing on the paper itself.
  3. If you’re annotating a book on an eReader, there are several different annotation programs you can download. Programs like Skim and Marvin make it easy for you to annotate a text on an eReader, or you can simply search “annotation” in your device’s app store.
    • If you primarily read on an eReader, consider investing in an eReader that’s annotation friendly, like the Kindle Scribe .
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  • Question
    If I'm doing this for school, should I buy a book or just get one from the library and use a notebook?
    Community Answer
    I would say to buy the book so you don't have to bring both the book and a separate notebook to class every day.
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  • Question
    Where do I put the Post-Its? Is there a certain place I'm supposed to place them?
    Community Answer
    Put them at the top of the page upside-down so they hang out of the top. This allows you to quickly flip through them without having to open the book.
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  • Question
    Is there ever a wrong understanding of a book? I heard that every person has their own understanding of the meaning, it's never just one, is that true?
    Community Answer
    Yes, there can be a wrong interpretation, but that doesn't mean there's only ever one right answer. For example, if you read about a couple's fight, there might be several valid reasons for why they are fighting, but if you said the neighbor's dog was at fault, you'd probably be wrong.
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      Tips

      • There's no "right" or "wrong" way to annotate books. Keeping things tidy and following a system may help you stay organized, but in the end, as long as you're annotating your books in a way that makes sense to you, it doesn't matter how you do it!
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If you can, try to have fun with your annotations! Diving in and analyzing a text to death can actually be really enjoyable, if you're reading a book you like. (This might not always be the case for things you're forced to read for school!)
      • If you have time, quickly skim through the book again after you finish reading it and make additional notes. Knowing you'll be reviewing the book after you finish it may help you stress less over what to take notes on the first time through.
      • Unless you have to annotate the book for school, only make annotations if you actually want to. If it stresses you out or interrupts the reading flow, just read the book straight and enjoy the ride!
      • Don't overthink your annotations. If you overthink what to make notes about, you'll end up making notes about every little thing, making your annotations kind of pointless!
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      References

      1. ↑ https://research.ewu.edu/writers_c_read_study_strategies
      2. ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/annotating/
      3. ↑ https://www.kellogg.edu/upload/eng151text/chapter/text-how-to-annotate/index.html
      4. ↑ https://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Annotating-a-Text/
      5. ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-comprehension-tips/
      6. ↑ https://www.kellogg.edu/upload/eng151text/chapter/text-how-to-annotate/index.html
      7. ↑ https://loomis.libguides.com/c.php?g=564994&p=8344030
      8. ↑ https://research.ewu.edu/writers_c_read_study_strategies
      9. ↑ https://research.ewu.edu/writers_c_read_study_strategies
      1. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494418301828
      2. ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/annotating/
      3. ↑ https://thediaryofareader.com/2023/05/11/how-to-guide-for-annotating-books-like-a-pro/
      4. ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/using-highlighters/
      5. ↑ https://research.ewu.edu/writers_c_read_study_strategies

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To annotate a book, grab a highlighter or pencil if you can mark the book, or a pad of sticky notes if you can't. Read the book slowly and carefully, underlining, highlighting, or noting interesting parts as you encounter them. Draw circles around key words and phrases, and include reflections, comments, and questions in the margins. If you're annotating a longer book, write short summaries on sticky notes at the end of each section to jog your memory. For tips on choosing what to mark and note, scroll down!

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