How+to+mark+a+text

__How to Read for Discussion (Marking Up Your Book) __  In order to get the most out of your reading, you need to read actively – that is, you need to keep track of your reactions to the text. You want to be aware of: Marking your book will slow down your reading speed just a bit, but not as much as you might fear. Marking will help you appreciate more of what you read, as well as remember it more fully, so it is well worth the little extra time you will give. It is, however, possible to mark too much in a text, just as it’s possible to mark too little. If you underline or highlight too much, later you will not be able to remember why you marked all this material: so it’s wise to mark sparingly or have a strong notation system. Here are some suggestions: 1. **Circle or box a character’s name** when he/she first appears, or appears after a long absence in the story. 2. **Jot a word or phrase at the top of the page** to remind yourself of an important plot event or moment of character change on that page. 3. **Underline key words or images** that you realize the author is repeating, and using to create a pattern in the text. 4. If you see **a pattern of references** emerging, go back to find the earlier reference(s), and **jot down the other page references** on each page so that you can follow the pattern. 5. **Use a star or asterisk or vertical lines in the margin** to mark a passage that strikes you strongly – that articulates a powerful insight, or is beautifully written, or that you want to discuss in class. 6. As often as possible, **include a comment in the margin** in addition to your symbolic notation to give yourself a more concrete idea of what you were noticing. 7. **Use a question mark in the margin** to mark a passage that is complex or confusing. 8. **Use the final page of a chapter** (usually there’s some empty space) to jot a few words or phrases about the key events of that chapter (either plot events, character development, or development of a theme). 9. **Use a system of textual reference** — colored pencils, colored tabs, colored highlighters, geometric symbols – to indicate different aspects of annotation. Make a key to your symbolic/colored coding at the front of your book. This will help you find passages quickly. Adapted from M. Ott handout; Findlay 2005
 * key character introductions
 * major plot points
 * passages that strike you strongly
 * phrases or passages you find confusing or strange
 * elements of the writer’s particular style.