The Art of Reading Between the Lines: A 2-Day Guide to Effective Text Annotation

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  • Build close reading skills by identifying key themes and authorial intent in both fiction and nonfiction texts.
  • Support and challenge author's argument based on annotations.
  • Enhance critical thinking skills by analyzing literal and symbolic meanings, and interpreting and analyzing complex ideas, arguments, and narratives within fiction and nonfiction literature.
  • Understand what it means to analyze ideas, syntax, and word choice to reveal an author’s purpose
  • Thoroughly engage with a text, applying effective annotation techniques, such as highlighting, underlining, and margin notes, to mark important passages and make connections within the text.
  • Recognize strategies for active reading and engagement with fiction texts, including identifying and analyzing character development, plot structure, and other story elements.
   • Explore alternative methods of annotation for texts that cannot be directly marked, such as using sticky notes, digital tools, or annotation symbols.
  • Improve reading comprehension and retention by creating a personalized system of annotations that supports understanding and facilitates future review of the material.