Improve Reading By Annotating: The Smart Transfer

Here’s a demonstration of how you should read, annotate, and summarize an article.  The original article can be found at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/education/edlife/22merrow-profile-4.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=junior%20collegetransfer%20University%20of%20California&st=cse&oref=slogin

To help me better understand and remember the reading, I annotated this article at:

http://www.spirfit.org/CUNY/Downloads/SmartTransferArticle/TheSmartTransfer_Annotated3.pdf

Notice on my annotated copy that I also wrote down the main idea, attitude, and tone of the author after reading the article. 

Using my annotations, I wrote my summary as shown at:

http://www.spirfit.org/CUNY/Downloads/SmartTransferArticle/SmartTransferSummary.pdf

In CUNY English classes, knowing how to annotate (including writing the main idea, attitude, and tone of the author in a sentence each) and to summarize (as shown in the above samples) will help you do well in the reading exams.  It will also help you partially with the writing exams (as most of the writing exams involve writing in response to a reading.)  Understanding the reading well will get you half way on the road to doing well.

If you are my student, I recommend that you print out the above sample annotated copy of "The Smart Transfer" and my summary. This will help you remember how to do the same (or do something similar) for reading assignments and writing assignments about the readings (commonly given by CUNY professors).

 

Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com