An annotation is a short explanation of a passage from a text.  You look at the passage, you interpret it, and explain why it’s important.  It’s a step up from just reading and answering a quiz question.

In practice, annotations can look very different from one another.  For the purposes of this class, here’s the formula I want you to use.

Product: A paper of no more than one typed page per assigned reading (preferably double or at least 1.5 spaced, 12pt font, 1” margins). 

Content:

1. Pick a direct quote from the essay you are writing about and type it onto the page.  This should include a page number from the essay, so that other people can find it. 

2. Explain what the quote means, in your own words.

3. Explain why the quote is an important part of the author’s overall argument.  Where does the quote come in the argument?  What is the author trying to do, in your opinion?  Be specific.

Annotations will be graded on the same scale as quizzes.  A good annotation picks an important passage, provides an interesting and convincing interpretation, and explains why it’s important to the author’s argument.  An excellent annotation finds a major turning point in an author’s argument and excels in its explanation. 

Note:  The annotation assignment is not an opinion or a response paper.  That’s what journals are for. 

Due Dates: Annotations are due at the beginning of class.  Annotations will occasionally be required; this will be announced in class and on the website.  We will have quizzes on other weeks, but any student who turns in annotations for the assigned readings at the beginning of class will be excused from the quiz.

Your first two annotations are due at the beginning of class on January 12th: one for Small and one for Denora.