How do social annotation tools help students learn? We conducted research in three unique university classrooms to find out.

Alice Fleerackers

![](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939.png){.alignnone
.wp-image-2118 .size-full loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1439"
height="572"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939.png 1439w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939-300x119.png 300w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939-768x305.png 768w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939-1024x407.png 1024w"
sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, 1439px"}

***By Alice Fleerackers, Juan Pablo Alperin, Esteban Morales, and Remi
Kalir***

Picture the last time you sat down to read an article for class. If your
university experience was anything like most students', chances are, you
were alone.

While solitary reading has benefits and is a common aspect of learning
in higher education, it may not be the most effective way to read.
[Research
suggests](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S109675161100056X){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"} that social annotation (SA) tools---which
allow students to highlight and comment on digital course materials as
they read---have impressive educational benefits. SA tools can help with
students' reading comprehension, peer review, motivation, attitudes
toward technology, and much more.

But *how* does SA help students learn? To find out, we introduced the SA
tool [Hypothesis](http://hypothes.is){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"} into three different undergraduate courses at
Simon Fraser University: one in Gerontology, one in Publishing, and one
in Women, Sexuality & Gender Studies. Together, students created more
than 2,000 annotations atop more than 250 course readings over the
course of a semester---all of which we collected and coded for evidence
of learning. We also asked students about their experiences with the
tool in an online survey at the end of the semester; 33 students across
the courses completed our survey.

The outcomes of our research were thought-provoking and inspiring---and
we're eager to publish the full results soon. But for now, we're sharing
a sneak peek of the preliminary findings, right here on the ScholCommLab
blog:

# **Social annotation helps (most) students learn ** {#social-annotation-helps-most-students-learn}

Overall, students in all three courses agreed that Hypothesis was a
useful tool for learning. More than 70% reported that it helped them
learn. Over 70% said it helped them understand other points of view, and
more than 65% said it encouraged them to think about the course content
outside of the classroom.

### ***"I think annotations should be incorporated into every class with weekly course readings! It ensures that students are thoroughly reading course material and coming to class with a decent understanding of the week's material."*** *** *** {#i-think-annotations-should-be-incorporated-into-every-class-with-weekly-course-readings-it-ensures-that-students-are-thoroughly-reading-course-material-and-coming-to-class-with-a-decent-understanding-of-the-weeks-material.}

![students reported that annotating with hypothesis helped them learn
(bar
chart)](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.12-PM-1.png){.aligncenter
.wp-image-2133 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="625" height="380"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.12-PM-1.png 690w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.12-PM-1-300x182.png 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px"}

We also saw evidence of learning in the annotations themselves. When we
analyzed each comment and question left by the students for [different
forms of learning](https://repository.isls.org/handle/1/221), we found
that students in all three courses relied on the tool for
*interpretation*, using Hypothesis to draw hypotheses or conclusions,
summarize information, or suggest problem solutions. *Elaboration*
activities, like defining difficult terms or connecting ideas with
examples, were also common, followed by *questioning* and *clarifying*
activities.

![Bar chart highlighting the most common types of
annotations](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM.png){.size-full
.wp-image-2120 .aligncenter loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="926"
height="648"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM.png 926w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM-300x210.png 300w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM-768x537.png 768w"
sizes="(max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px"}

# **Social annotation helps students feel connected**

Using Hypothesis also made it easier for students to build community
within their courses. More than 60% said annotating helped them feel
connected to their peers, and almost 70% said it increased the amount of
interaction they had with others in the class.

![bar chart illustrating responses to the statement \"annotating helped
me share my knowledge and experience with my peers.\" High agreement
across all three classes.
](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.31-PM.png){.aligncenter
.wp-image-2119 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="625" height="366"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.31-PM.png 627w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.31-PM-300x176.png 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px"}

These social benefits may have been especially important for shy
students, as well as those for whom English was a learned language:

### ***"I am quite introverted and shy so speaking out in class is very intimidating. Engaging with classmates online and through annotations allowed me to contribute to class discussions."** * {#i-am-quite-introverted-and-shy-so-speaking-out-in-class-is-very-intimidating.-engaging-with-classmates-online-and-through-annotations-allowed-me-to-contribute-to-class-discussions.}

# **Formal incentives inspire students to annotate**

Overall, students in all three courses were positive about their
experience with Hypothesis, but when asked *why* they annotated,
students offered up a diverse array of responses. For example, some said
they annotated for personal learning, using Hypothesis as a way to
prepare for essays or exams. Others said they were motivated by social
reasons---using annotations as a way to connect with their peers:

### ***"I like the idea of talking with my classmates and working through ideas together. Reading multiple interpretations of different ideas also adds diversity."*** {#i-like-the-idea-of-talking-with-my-classmates-and-working-through-ideas-together.-reading-multiple-interpretations-of-different-ideas-also-adds-diversity.}

But although many students listed many different reasons for annotating,
motivations like "Participation marks" or "It was required for my class"
were by far the most common. No matter how much students enjoyed using
Hypothesis, our results revealed that the importance of formal
incentives cannot be underestimated.

The instructors who took part in this study seemed to acknowledge this,
too. All three chose to incentivize annotations in some way, either by
offering bonus marks for completing weekly annotations, or by using a
[detailed grading
rubric](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hypothes.is-participation-rubric.pdf){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"}.

# **How can educators use SA tools to support student learning?**

So where does this leave us? Together, our results reveal that SA tools
and practices can play an important role in many university courses. By
creating a space for discussion within the course readings themselves,
SA tools like Hypothesis can help students learn, share ideas,
understand new perspectives, and feel connected with one another.

But our findings also suggest that these benefits are only possible when
annotations are formally incentivized. Although students themselves
acknowledge the benefits of annotating, grades and participation marks
remain their top motivation for doing so. To help spark interest in
annotation, instructors need to provide clear guidelines that reward
high quality contributions.

**For an example of how to grade social annotations, check out this**
[**marking rubric by Dr. Sharon
Koehn**](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hypothes.is-participation-rubric.pdf){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"}**. To find out more about this [ISTLD Dewey
Fellowship](https://www.sfu.ca/istld.html){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"}-funded research, sign up for the**
[**ScholCommLab's
newsletter**](http://www.scholcommlab.ca/stay-up-to-date/){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"} **or watch Juan Alperin's \#ianno19
presentation:**


<em>
 <strong>
  By Alice Fleerackers, Juan Pablo Alperin, Esteban Morales, and Remi Kalir
 </strong>
</em>
Picture the last time you sat down to read an article for class. If your university experience was anything like most students’, chances are, you were alone. While solitary reading has benefits and is a common aspect of learning in higher education, it may not be the most effective way to read.

Comment, reply, repeat: Engaging students with social annotation

Europe PMC Team

::: {dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"}
::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[Scientific communication does not stop at the moment of publication.
Scientific discussions in the form of post-publication peer review can
provide valuable insights for published articles, bring up an
alternative research perspective, or even present updates for published
research. At Europe PMC it's part of our mission to support innovation
in scientific publishing, and we believe that community feedback
constitutes an important part of scholarly communication process. That's
why we are proud to partner with
]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}[[Hypothes.is]{style="color: #1155cc; font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}](https://web.hypothes.is/){style="text-decoration-line: none;"}[,
a non-profit organisation developing open annotation tools, to display
post-publication comments from PubMed Commons on articles in Europe
PMC.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

## [What is PubMed Commons?]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"} {#what-is-pubmed-commons dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"}

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[PubMed Commons was a post-publication peer review forum for authors run
by the NLM (National Library of Medicine). It has been an important
venue for scientific discourse of published research literature. With
PubMed Commons' departure in
]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}[[February
2018]{style="color: #1155cc; font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}](https://ncbiinsights.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2018/02/01/pubmed-commons-to-be-discontinued/){style="text-decoration-line: none;"}[,
comments for over 6000 PubMed-indexed articles have been carefully
]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}[[preserved
by
Hypothes.is]{style="color: #1155cc; font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}](https://web.hypothes.is/blog/archiving-pmc-comments/){style="text-decoration-line: none;"}[.
Every PubMed Commons comment along with replies has been transformed
into a Hypothes.is annotation, available for access and
reuse.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[To ensure that PubMed Commons comments can be publicly accessed and
explored in appropriate context, we have exposed available comments on
publication pages using an open API provided by
Hypothes.is.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

## [How can I view publication comments?]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"} {#how-can-i-view-publication-comments dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"}

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[You can see the comments appear on article abstract and full text
pages. The link to the comments labeled as "PubMed Commons Archive" is
displayed in the right-hand menu, just below the annotations
tool.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Xv2DLHC0U7INVJqYLOEtYkgTDChVDr5sXfja4KLfrBJ-Mi_QpcTKa7YgojXD1XYwkwY3-pMUvN1icmlhkXFIr65N-5V-ithRaYZy9TsSyAiItAkNc5_45DkTYrqzptJ9k82Wq8qA){decoding="async"
loading="lazy" height="257"
style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);"
width="602"}]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[Example: link to PubMed Commons comments appears on one of the articles
in Europe PMC
(]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}[[PMID:28322189]{style="color: #1155cc; font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}](https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/28322189){style="text-decoration-line: none;"}[)]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[All comments appear in a sidebar menu in chronological order. They are
presented as "page notes" -- comments on a document as a whole, in
contrast to annotations that are linked to a specific word or sentence
in the
article.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gQEY8d_HHzH7Yx_ZwfU6YCpYRwO7ZczzTiZMZBa72HV-nbkrzA3DlMpH5nOlNziZVLb8czz54vwbhNaxfTtCN96C2eiDUeeNivTgQzLYbgKV2TcMdieB68j7rrz2v0BmnmdafT12){decoding="async"
loading="lazy" height="256"
style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);"
width="602"}]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[Comments are visible publicly without an account. They are displayed in
view-only mode, and there is currently no option to add new comments in
Europe PMC. Only comments from PubMed Commons archive are displayed on
Europe PMC website, but you can explore and add other public annotations
on Europe PMC articles with open tools from
]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}[[Hypothes.is]{style="color: #1155cc; font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}](https://web.hypothes.is/){style="text-decoration-line: none;"}[.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::

::: {dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"}
[We hope that this effort will provide better visibility for scholarly
commentaries as an important part of the scholarly
record.]{style="font-family: \"arial\"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"}
:::
:::


[Scientific communication does not stop at the moment of publication. Scientific discussions in the form of post-publication peer review can provide valuable insights for published articles, bring up an alternative research perspective, or even present updates for published research.

Messaggi di Rogue Scholar

Comment, reply, repeat: Engaging students with social annotation

Bringing PubMed Commons to Europe PMC