Marked Up and Stuck: How Over-Annotating Your Sources Is Quietly Derailing Your Research
Most students believe that thorough annotation signals thorough research—but the opposite is often true. When nearly every sentence in a source carries a highlight or margin note, the signal disappears into the noise. This article examines the psychology behind annotation overload and offers a practical framework for reading sources in a way that actually serves your argument.
Jul 17, 2026