Help with annotation/LInk to Orwell

Hey Kids:

I'm using the word "annotate" to describe two different activities. To annotate means, "to make notes," but the two assignments will look very different.

FIRST USAGE: When I say I want you to annotate "Politics and the English Language", I mean I want you to write in the margins, circle unfamiliar words, underline passages that strike you in some way, ask questions on the back...just write all over it. This is a strategy you will use on the AP exam, and in college when you own your own textbooks.

NOT HELPFUL: Highlighters. Ugh. First, you always have to remember to have a highlighter with you, and two weeks later, you will have a very colorful article, but no notes to tell you why you thought something was important. Highlighters have their uses, but making thoughtful annotation is not one of them.

My personal tool of choice: when I'm reading something dense that I want to understand, I find a mechanical pencil that has a fine point. I draw boxes around words; I write in the margins; I draw wavy lines, make asterisks, exclamation points, question marks, double underline, triple underline...

Mortimer Adler wrote the definitive argument for writing in your books. Read his article "How to Mark a Book" here.

SECOND USAGE: When I say I want you to write an annotated webography, I mean I want you to construct a page of notes using a specific format: Web page title, URL, approx. 130 words of description. I'll create a post or a link or something to describe this part of the assignment in detail. Haven't decided yet. Will work it out this weekend.