Hypothesis Social Annotation Across Disciplines
Humanities & Arts
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Analyze or challenge main arguments within the text and provide evidence to support any claims.
- Identify and evaluate evidence provided by the author(s),
- Connect material to topics discussed prior to the course and explain the connection.
- Apply specific analytical frameworks or strategies to course content.
- Identify the text’s intended audience and critique author’s effectiveness in communicating with this audience.
- Ask questions about confusing points or define unknown terms/phrases.
Sample Assignments
- Using Social Annotation to Engage with Ethics
- Critical Reading Through Collaborative Annotation
- The Powerful Passages Strategy
STEM
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Annotate pre-labs or problem sets to identify confusion about assignment instructions.
- Identify errors and propose solutions in programming code or written solution sets (perhaps from prior term’s exams or submissions) or explain the reasoning of a solution’s steps.
- Embed images or videos in annotations, or links to other external sources, which better demonstrate concepts in course material.
- Translate technical information into layman’s terms.
- Describe an approach or strategy to solve a problem.
- Ask questions, define difficult syntax or vocabulary, or identify the information required to solve a problem.
Sample assignments
- Environmental Microbiology Primary Literature Annotation Assignment
- Biology Learning Objective Annotation Assignment (Exam Prep)
- Reading Assignment for Math Textbook
- Math Test Grading Using Hypothesis
Health Sciences
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Analyze methods, results, and evidence presented in primary research literature.
- Evaluate case studies or primary research literature from varying perspectives in healthcare settings.
- Describe appropriate responses or make predictions when reviewing cases.
- Connect materials presented in course readings to clinical experiences and explain connections.
- Apply specific skills or frameworks necessary for clinical settings (e.g., Tanner’s Clinical Judgement Model).
- Ask questions or define difficult vocabulary.
Sample assignments & resources
- Using Social Annotation to Connect Reading With Clinical Judgment in Nursing
- Case study: Hypothesis in Undergraduate Pharmacy Courses to Read Scientific Literature
- Video clip: Building Community in Classes with Difficult or Sensitive Subjects
Business & Economics
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Ask students to annotate lecture slides before or after class with questions or connections to the course text.
- Connect concepts in course materials to real-life examples and explain the connection.
- Identify key issues and details in case studies and why they were chosen; define essential terms and concepts.
- Embed external resources or videos illustrating concepts or examples from current events.
- Make predictions when reviewing cases; evaluate or offer potential solutions.
- Ask questions or define difficult vocabulary.
Sample assignments & resources
- Annotation of a Case Study
- Annotating Lecture Notes/Slides
- Video clip: Annotations to Create a Community of Practice in Accounting
Social Sciences
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Analyze methods, results, and evidence presented in primary research literature.
- Embed images, videos, and external links in annotations with examples of course concepts found in media and society;
explain the connections. - Describe how their thinking has changed or evolved regarding a complex or contentious issue/topic.
- Analyze course materials and critique texts from the point of view of a specific perspective or theory.
- Evaluate current events and opinion pieces using prominent theories and concepts explored in your course.
- Ask questions or define difficult vocabulary.
Sample assignments
- The Powerful Passages Strategy
- Water Rights: Articulating the Different Sides of an Argument
- Annotation as a Reading “Action”
- Reading an Academic Article: Annotation Assignment
Law and Legal Studies
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Identify key facts in a case and explain why they were chosen.
- Connect cases to relevant historical examples and explain the connection.
- Evaluate arguments and evidence in case examples and legal briefs.
- Analyze and critique texts from the point of view of a specific perspective or theory.
- Connect course materials and cases to current-day examples, providing descriptions and relevant links.
- Evaluate rulings and provide evidence for/against a particular ruling.
- Ask questions and define difficult vocabulary.
Resources
- Sample Assignment Instructions
- Getting Started Guides for your LMS
- For Students: Tips for Annotating
World Languages
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Annotate YouTube video transcripts in the target language, asking students to identify verb tenses, observe discussion topics, or add additional appropriate responses/examples in the target language.
- Annotate in small groups to identify subjects, practice verb conjugation, and identify unknown or new vocabulary.
- Embed images and videos in annotations to make audio and visual connections to text in the target language.
- Explain the reasoning behind a particular translation from the target language (verb tense choice, vocabulary, sentence
structure, etc). - Make connections between language and culture.
Resources
- Sample YouTube Video Assignment Instructions
- Case study: Improving Reading Kills in English Language Learners
- Example: Annotating in a Japanese Linguistics Course
Ideas For Any Discipline
Potential uses for social annotation
Ask students to…
- Annotate the syllabus.
- Annotate instructions for major course assessments and/or their corresponding rubrics (essays, projects, research
papers). - Annotate lecture slides or recorded lecture videos (via YouTube transcripts annotation).
- Annotate YouTube video transcripts related to course concepts, especially for confusing topics.
- Annotate study guides in preparation for exams.
Resources for students
Ready-to-use assignment instructions