Annotating texts or visuals

When you read, mark up the work—on the pages themselves if you own the work, on photocopies or sticky notes if you don’t. If your assignment is to write about a text or a visual (such as an advertisement or a photo), spend time annotating before you start writing.

Tips for annotating texts or visuals

• Underline key concepts and important issues.
• Note possible contradictions in an argument.
• Assess the key findings or recommendations.
• Raise questions for further investigation.

Annotated visual (Equal Exchange advertisement)

Annotated article

Annotated visual (McDonald’s advertisement)

Annotated paragraph

Related topics:

Reading

Talking and listening

Listing

Clustering

Freewriting, keeping a journal, and blogging

Asking questions

Active reading: Annotating a written or a visual text