What strategies can be used to annotate a text?

Using strategies such as highlighting key points and writing margin notes is an effective way to annotate a text because it allows readers to engage actively with the material. Highlighting helps identify and emphasize important concepts, themes, or evidence that are crucial for understanding the text. Meanwhile, writing margin notes encourages critical thinking and personal reflection; it enables readers to jot down their thoughts, ask questions, and summarize ideas in their own words as they read. This active engagement promotes better comprehension and retention of the content, making it easier to analyze and reference later.

While there are other approaches to reading that do not involve annotation, such as reading silently without taking notes, these methods do not foster the same level of interaction with the text. Additionally, focusing only on the title and conclusion or summarizing just the introduction limits the reader's understanding and does not capture the nuances and details presented throughout the entire text. Effective annotation goes beyond surface-level engagement and allows for a deeper exploration of the material.