Annotations for College Prep Summer Reading

ANNOTATIONS FOR COLLEGE PREP SUMMER READING

If you have purchased your own book, you may mark it up with highlighting, underlining, and notes in the margin. If you are borrowing a copy, your annotations should be listed on other paper. As you are reading, you may want to mark instances of the following topics with post-it notes so that it will not disturb your flow of reading and go back and list them later. Alternately, you may want to create six sheets of paper where you can list examples as you find them. The first bullet under each category below is for those who have their own books; the second, for those who do not. Refer to the rubric on the reverse for how your annotations will be graded. Make sure that there are not any more than five consecutive pages not marked.

 Characters o A running list is kept inside front cover with character, page number first introduced, and a brief description; identify the character as dynamic or flat, and identify the novel’s protagonist and antagonist; also, identify the type(s) of conflict(s) in which the character is involved (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. self, man vs. the supernatural) o Listed same as above but on separate paper  Vocabulary o Highlight (make sure to have a key) or underline words you are unsure of, writing in the margin the definition once you’ve looked it up o List words you’re unsure of with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote & definition  Questions o In the margin write questions regarding character’s motivation (Why is he doing this?), predictions (What will happen as a result of this?), or others examples of exploration or uncertainty. This should read as a dialogue between you, the characters, narrator, and the author. o List questions as stated above with page numbers & paragraph numbers  Examples of Literary Devices (metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, etc.) o Highlight with different colors (with a key on inside cover or first pages) or underline & label in margin o List with page number and pertinent portion of identifying quote  Connections o Highlight (make sure to have a key) & write in margin the connection you’ve made between the text and your personal life, other things you have read, seen in a movie or on t.v., heard of in a song, or have experienced through any other personal knowledge o List with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote & the connection you’ve made  Symbols o Highlight (make sure to have a key) each instance you notice & discuss the meaning at some point, or underline, labeling the example as symbol & discuss the meaning at some point Your meaning may change as you progress through the novel and your understanding of the novel broadens. This is okay, and should be noted in the margin. You may mark something as a potential symbol early in your reading of the novel, and then discover later that it is not a symbol or that it means something different from your initial interpretation. o List with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote & discussion of meaning  Theme o Highlight (make sure to have a key) or underline each instance you notice a passage that pertains to a theme or themes of the book, labeling the passage according to theme; the same applies to the theme as it does to symbols. It is okay to identify a possible theme and realize later that your initial interpretation does not develop into the theme as you had anticipated. o List with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote & theme

 Conflict (Rising Action of Plot) o Highlight (make sure to have a key) or underline each instance you notice a passage that identifies a conflict, labeling the passage according to the type of conflict (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. self, man vs. the supernatural) o List with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote and the type of conflict

 WOWS (things you just like, but that may not be pertinent to any other annotation) o In the margin, identify these passages with WOW, an *, or a star o List with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote

 Plot o Highlight (make sure to have a key) or underline each instance you notice a passage that identifies part of the plot (exposition, climax, falling action, resolution) in another annotation o List with page number, pertinent portion of identifying quote and the part of the plot RUBRIC FOR ANNOTATIONS FOR INDEPENDENT READING

 Complete. All the topics are covered fully, and all passages important to the full understanding of the story have been duly noted. 100  Discriminating. To highlight everything is to highlight nothing. The highlighting You are an expert (or underlining or listing) is NOT excessive and indiscriminate. to on this text!  Comprehension. The text has NOT been taken at face value. The annotations reveal an understanding of the nuances and complexities of the text. 93  Diverse. The interpretations are varied, not relying on the repetition of a few of the same insights over and over.

 Has the completeness of the A level above.  What differentiates the A level from the B level is the depth of comprehension. 92 You comprehend the Here, the comprehension lacks the understanding of the complexities of the text. text but have  What also differentiates the A level from the B level is the originality of the to missed some deeper insights. The B level relies on insights that are either too obvious or too shallow. meanings. While at the A level, you get the idea that there is nothing more to be seen, at the 85 B level, you see slight room for improvement.

 The selection and density of annotations suggests that the annotator recognized You show a limited the central, important details of the story—the primary who, what, when, where, 84 understanding of how, why, etc.—but the subtle passages that relate to deeper meaning have the text, but you escaped attention. to also have some  There are instances where the highlighting has become excessive and/or misinterpretations. indiscriminate—lacking a clear purpose behind them. 77  The pattern of annotations creates the impression that the reader’s comprehension does not go beyond the more overt detail.  Interpretations are about half the time obvious, and there are misinterpretations here and there.  The selection and density of annotations is desultory: a little here, a little there. Although all topics as listed on the first page are covered, the annotations are 76 You missed more sparse in some areas. insights than you  Though sparse, what has been annotated is sufficient to allow the conviction that to hit. the reader has read the entire story although likely with only half attention.  There are numerous instances where the annotations have become excessive 70 and/or indiscriminate—lacking a clear purpose behind them.  The annotations reveal only the most minimal grasp of the basic facts of the story.  The interpretations are about half the time obvious, and misreadings appear often enough for interpretation problems.  Incomplete. A total scam! The annotation patterns suggest that the reader read the bulk of the story but not all: 10% or more of the story was skipped or 69 Oh, no! Your unfinished. Also, one or more of the annotation topics was skipped. highlighter or pen  The annotation patterns convey the appearance of intentional subterfuge: to ran dry! Time to scattered, random annotations of utterly trivial passages. The annotator seems buy a new one! intent upon creating the appearance that the material has been read. 0