Outcome #3
When I approach a reading that requires me to think critically and analyze, I almost always have a pen with me. Marking up a text is somewhat second nature to me. The first read through of a piece is one of the most crucial times to achieve understanding in my opinion. Whether understanding is achieved right away or more thinking and analysis is required, looking back on your initial notes is most beneficial. Susan Gilroy’s piece agrees, and she mentions how you are essentially creating a “dialogue” between the text and the reader when you are active and engage with it. Deciding what should be marked up or emphasized is specific to the text. However, Gilroy makes the point of making notes that essentially turn the text into “language that is meaningful to you”. I share the same ideas as Gilroy, and believe that translating a text, especially when it is difficult to understand, into something that you recognize is the most useful strategy, especially if you will be returning to the text. Asking the important questions on the first read through will make returning to the text much more helpful. When I am reading through a text the most important thing in my head is to identify the author’s main, and what they are arguing throughout. I tend to highlight specific points in the text that directly support the main argument or thesis of the paper. Making notes on the main points usually makes finding useful quotes a much quicker process. My strategies for annotating have not changed much as the course has progressed, but I have gained a better understanding as to why annotating is so important in achieving the greatest level of understanding when interacting with a text. Below is the link to some of my annotated pages from “Considering the Lobster”, and the link to some of my informal reading responses that I have worked on throughout the semester.
