Ripples in the margins of the page, passages with a highlighter applied, underlined words, many people find this tainting when it comes to paper books. This irritation does not occur with digital works, because all notes can be hidden with one click. So you can really let yourself go on digital paper. By placing annotations, you enter into a conversation with what you are reading, as it were.
Tip 01: Ebooks
Notes and highlighting improve reading comprehension, help retain ideas, visualize connections and make it easier to find important details later. All ebook readers have built-in annotation tools. Placing a marker in a text block is often a matter of dragging your finger over the text. You can also add notes. In the iBooks app on Mac, iPhone, or iPad, click or tap the icon Notes to add comments to the selection. To view all comments and highlights on an iOS device, tap the menu icon (three horizontal bars at the top left), then tap the tab Notes.
Color codes
Use the different colors consistently to give your annotations some meaning. For example, you can add green highlighting to passages you completely agree with and pink highlighting to text you're not sure about.
Tip 02: Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is the very first browser that makes it possible to add annotations to web pages and PDF files. Surf to the page that interests you or right-click on a PDF document and select Open with Microsoft Edge. Then use the button with the pin: Add notes. Then you have a virtual ballpoint pen and highlighter to scribble directly on web pages and PDF documents. With both tools it is possible to change the pen thickness and color. With the eraser you remove these markings. There is also a button to add a typed note in a box. You can add comments to your heart's content and each note can be hidden or dragged. Right below each note is a trash can icon to delete the note. When you're on the cutouticon, the mouse pointer changes to a crosshair. Drag a rectangular area that will be copied to the clipboard. There is also a button to save the annotations in OneNote, to add them to the favorites or the reading list. Via the button To share does it come Windows Sharepanel appears where all the sharing apps appear.
You can make notes public, then the comments will be visible to everyone who visits the webpage Tip 03: Hypothesis
But plug-ins are now also available for Chrome and Firefox that enable annotations on online pages. Hypothesis is one such. This plugin is open source and supported by a non-profit organization. The big difference with Edge is that you have to create an account to save notes, because they are stored in the cloud instead of on your PC. On the other hand, you can make the notes public so that anyone who visits the webpage and has Hypothesis can see the notes. Hypothesis is mainly used in (American) education, because for each project you can create groups of participants with whom you exchange the annotations.
Tip 04: Acrobat Reader
The PDF format was developed by Adobe. The latest version of the free reading software, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, features the most complete set of annotation and commenting tools for PDF. The commenting tools are only available in PDFs for which the Remarks is enabled. If that is not the case, you must first activate the comment rights. You can do this by opening the PDF and then choosing File / Save as another file / Extended PDF Reader / Enable Commenting and Measurement. Then you choose Tools / Note to open the dedicated toolbar. The comments you add to the document appear one after the other in the right pane. That way you follow the history of the additions.
Tip 05: Text replacement
The buttons of the text and drawing tools are very clear. You will recognize the tool to add notes at a glance. You can highlight text, cross out, draw arrows and shapes, even add clouds. However, there are also some special tools such as the tool Add text replacement note. This crosses out the selected text and at the same time a box appears where you enter the text to replace the crossed out passage. If you want to place a suggestion for a piece of text that should come somewhere between existing text, click on the button Insert text at cursor. That's the up arrow icon.
You can also add recorded comments to PDF files via the built-in sound recorder. Tip 06: Embed files
Via the button with the paperclip you add files to a PDF that the reader can view. That can be images, Office files, charts, you name it. When you move the PDF file to another location, the embedded file will move with it. Please note that the user who receives such an attachment must have the appropriate application to open the attachment. In the same way it is possible to record comments. Use the paperclip button to choose the assignment Record sound. Then click on the location where the sound clip should be. Adobe Reader DC then opens the Sound Recorder.
Tip 07: Dynamic Stamps
Two more annotation tools from Adobe Reader stand out. After you make an initial comment, the tool changes to the Selectiontool. If you want to use the same tool several times in succession, you use the pin, which stands for Keep tool selected.
The stamps are very nice. The most common stamps are available, such as For information, Approved, Concept and so forth. There are also dynamic stamps that adapt to the user and the time of day. In this way, for example, you put a stamp with your name to indicate that you approved the document at a certain time. In the menu you will find the option to add custom stamps to the basic set.
Tip 08: Dropbox
Those who use Dropbox can also comment on images and documents without the need for additional software. These annotations can only be made via the Dropbox website or via the Dropbox mobile app for iOS. These comments are only available to the owner of the file and people with whom the file has been shared. Dropbox's file activity alerts you when someone has left a comment on one of your files. On the Dropbox website, select the file you want to comment, then open the tab in the right column Remarks. The tools to post comments are quite limited. But you can tag someone in such a comment. Enter the @ symbol followed by the name of your friend or colleague. The tagged person will receive a notification from Dropbox that they have been tagged.
