Are there any words or terms you do not understand?ĭespite having been forced to teach himself to read and write, Douglass’s vocabulary is extensive and sophisticated enough to challenge many twenty-first century readers. How does the author support these claims? Is there ample evidence? Sound reasoning?ĭouglass’s support is his personal story, and he offers many examples of how his literacy gave him the intellectual tools to see beyond his enslavement, to understand how slave literacy threatened white slave owners, and to plan and carry out his escape.ģ. That claim is clear even if not directly stated.Ģ. Though unstated, the main claim of Douglass’s Narrative is that literacy is powerful and can open one’s mind and spirit. What are the main claims (or main ideas) or thesis of the article?
Again, we recommend annotation to you as a means of recording your critical reading and thinking process.Ĭlick here to see an annotated copy of Douglass’s first few paragraphs. Below we model how you might make annotations on a separate page.ġ. You will see lots of overlap here with the critical reading questions introduced in the previous section. Since you’ve begun to read Douglass’s chapter, we’ve tried to prompt your thinking about important elements of his text. We offer the following questions as a guide for identifying the kinds of occasions that are widely understood to be important moments in any text. Let’s return to Frederick Douglass to continue our discussion of annotation.Īs you are reading, with pen or pencil in hand, you might wonder, when should I make a note? When do I write in the margin or insert a comment box? The short answer, really, is anytime you think you have come across something important. Another option is to ask your professor or someone else to read the passage, and see if they can explain it, or offer a helpful or interesting perspective you have not considered.Īnnotating Frederick Douglass’s 1845 Narrative
It may be that you will need to look up and read some additional background sources. Make note of passages that confuse you and remind yourself to come back to them. Grappling with subject matter that is difficult or unfamiliar is the essence of learning. Make any notes that seem important to you for any reason.Īs we suggested in the section on critical reading, make notes not only when you have a clear response or question, but also when you are puzzled or simply not sure what to think. Remember, there are any number of ways to make notes while you read and an unlimited amount of questions you might ask of a text. Please note, annotating is the best way to record your critical reading! As you read on, you will see that there is quite a bit of overlap between our recommended annotating process and the critical reading exercises we recommend above. Think of your annotations as a record of your thinking through and engaging the text. But unlike posts to a Facebook page, which may seem random and silly at times, annotations of texts you plan to use in your research are part of the critical reading process we discuss in previous sections. Likewise, annotations you make in a text can demonstrate that you are engaging with the materials in a careful and meaningful way. In either instance, the comment you made shows that you were engaged in your friend’s ideas. Our teachers told us, and we pass on the advice, that you can’t really read critically without a pen or pencil in your hand. You may have commented, for example, on a friend’s paper you read in high school, or you may have posted a remark on another friend’s Facebook page or Twitter account. Annotating means to make notes in the margin or in a separate space as you read. One way to record your engagement with a text is through annotations. Unlike skimming a text, which may provide you with only a general understanding of the materials, we believe that an active and critical engagement with a text will provide you with a greater understanding of that text as well as the ability to make connections, analysis, and interpretations of your own. Did the result look anything like this?Įngaging actively and critically with a text is often referred to as “close reading,” and in terms of the learning goals for the course, it is an integral part of the research and writing experience. You have likely been asked to annotate, or, make notes about, something you have read. Keeping a Record of Your Reading Process: Annotating Texts
0 kommentar(er)
