When annotating a piece of writing, I typically go into the piece thinking about the different ways I will want to approach it. This may include having an idea about my perspective beforehand, or not having an opinion at all. Personally, it helps me to color code these to help me when later referencing the piece. In general, I choose one color highlighter to represent claims I agree with, a different for claims I disagree with, and a third for interesting comments that teach me something about the author of the piece. I also find it extremely important to have a pen when annotating. Writing myself notes along the margins turns the piece into a conversation. As a person who likes to challenge the ideas of others, I like to write what I would argue with if I were present. This causes a buildup of frustration if the author continues to argue ideas that I feel I could have taken care of much earlier in the piece; this often inspires the development of a thesis.
One thing I really appreciate about annotations is the informality of it. Being able to scribble quick thoughts that cross my mind, regardless of their level of immaturity or crassness helps me relate more to a piece and remain engaged. I like to be able to use my annotations to relate the work I am reading to my own life, whether it be personal experiences or things I have learned in school somewhere. I find it much more difficult to annotate electronically because of this, because I feel more disconnected with the text. In these cases, I tend to bold sections of text I am interested in, and occasionally I will make a comment. I think this shows my ability to dig into a text and the value of connecting with the piece for me.
