Annotating Essays

Annotation simply means commentary. In other words, when you annotate a text, you comment on it.

To do so, you respond to the text. For instance, say you read a passage about justice that speaks to you in a particular way. You might write your response like this:

Paragraph 2, page 137: I totally identify with Smith's concept of the hazards of dualistic thinking. How many times have I heard someone reduce a complex issue to a simplistic matter of black and white when, in fact, there are many shades of grey? Why don't people see the grey? How would they feel if they were so harshly judged? I'm reminded of the story of "Les Miserables," in which a man is hunted and imprisoned his entire life because he stole a loaf of bread for his hungry, impoverished family. Yes, stealing is wrong. But, was this man a thief in the truest sense of the word? Who wouldn't steal a loaf of bread rather than watch his family starve? Stories like this one demonstrate that the world cannot be reduced to right and wrong. It's just not always that simple.

Note that this response is a reaction. It's not a detailed analysis. It's not necessarily exact or correct. Rather, it's a form of free writing that allows one to place his/her initial reactions on paper and allows one to examine ideas and develop insights. These ideas and insights may not come immediately. But, the seed has been planted. The mind will continue to work on the concepts of the text because the text has been reflected upon. Next thing you know, you're having an "ah-ha" experience, as in, "Ah-ha! Now I know what he was talking about!" or "Ah-ha, now I know his argument was wrong, and here's why . . ."

You can annotate to respond, as in the example above. However, you can also annotate in order to discern a writer's methods or logic. For example, you're reading a cause/effect essay and you read that the events of 9/11 are no more horrible than any other act of war, specifically from those of the war...