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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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