Control Checks, Highlighting, and Annotating

1. Control Checks, Highlighting, and Annotating Developed by the Academic Learning Center St. Cloud State University www.stcloudstate.edu/alc

2. Control Checks • Select stopping places throughout your reading assignment before you start to read. • Mark them with check marks (Control Checks) using a pencil or pen. • Stop at each check as you read and paraphrase or summarize in your mind what you just read.

3. Tips on How to Use Control Checks • Put them at the end of paragraphs, sections, or natural divisions within chapters. • The more checks, the closer you need to monitor your comprehension. • If you are familiar with the material, place fewer control checks.

4. How to Highlight • Develop a consistent system of highlighting. • Use the 15-25 percent rule of thumb: Highlight no more than 15-25% of any given page.

5. How to Highlight • Highlight main ideas and only key supporting details. • Avoid highlighting complete sentences. • Move quickly through the document as you highlight. • To review, put the highlighted phrases into sentences and speak aloud.

6. Why annotate? • Forces reader to pay attention. • Metacognition. • Select what is most important. • Alternate/Addition to note taking.

7. How to Annotate

8. One Specific Way to Annotate • First read the passage and reflect on the content. • Then, grab a pen. • Circle concepts or key terms • Underline main ideas. • Enumerate (1, 2, 3, etc) major supporting details. • Use alphabet (a, b, c) for minor supporting details. • Make abbreviated outline on margins or new sheet of paper.

9. Annotating Electronic Documents • Print a clean copy, and mark by hand. • Paste into Microsoft Word and use review features. • Convert to PDF and annotate electronically. • Use EverNote or OneNote.