Active Reading with Hypothesis

A complete guide to web annotation for active, engaged reading

What is Hypothesis?

Hypothesis is a free, open-source annotation tool that lets you highlight and comment on any web page or PDF. Think of it like writing in the margins—but on the internet.

You can:

• Take private notes while reading online
• Join a group (like a class) to share highlights and responses
• Build a visible trail of thinking—"digital breadcrumbs"

To annotate any page, use the Chrome extension, or simply paste the link into https://via.hypothes.is/

Getting Started

1. Create an account: Go to https://hypothes.is/
2. Install the Chrome extension (recommended) or use via.hypothes.is as a prefix on any link
3. Sign in and open the sidebar by clicking the extension or visiting the "via" link
4. Join your class group if provided—this keeps annotations private to your learning community

The Two Primary Annotation Types

• Highlight – marks a passage, like using a highlighter
• Annotate – lets you add a note (text, links, markdown, even images) to that highlight

Use tags to connect themes, topics, or group research efforts.

Active Reading Strategy (Tag-Based System)

Since Hypothesis doesn't use highlight colors, use tags and annotation conventions to replicate color-coded active reading.

Use multiple tags if needed (e.g., main-idea, literacy).

Good Annotation Example

Highlight: "Digital agency refers to one's ability to make choices in digital spaces."

Annotation: This is the key takeaway from the section. It connects to our work on student autonomy.

Tags: main-idea, digital-agency

Classroom Implementation

Minimum Requirements

• Annotate at least 3 key passages per reading
• For each passage, add:
  • An explanation of its significance
  • A connection to a class theme or another reading
• Use tags to label themes and annotation types

Thematic Collection Activity

Choose a major theme and use Hypothesis to collect and annotate passages from different readings that relate to that theme. Share annotated collections for class discussion.

Annotating YouTube Videos

YouTube videos can't be directly annotated, but you can annotate transcripts.

Option 1: Use DocDrop

1. Copy the YouTube URL
2. Go to https://docdrop.org/
3. Paste the link—it generates a transcript page with Hypothesis enabled
4. Annotate the transcript as you would a normal article

Option 2: YouTube Transcript Method

1. Open the video
2. Click the three dots (⋮) below the video → Show transcript
3. Copy the transcript to a Google Doc or paste into https://youtubetranscript.com/
4. Annotate using Hypothesis via the Via proxy tool

Option 3: Embedded Video Pages

If a page has a YouTube video embedded with notes below it, annotate the surrounding text. Use timestamp references (e.g., "@2:34 — This is where they mention digital agency.")

Reading Notes in Hypothesis

When you open the app, you have several options:

• User icon (top right): Sign out, modify account, or review public annotations
• Share icon: Share the page with Hypothesis prefix for collaborative annotation
• "Public" link: View/create public annotations or switch to a private group
• Eye icon: Hide/reveal highlights and annotations from others
• Document icon: Create a page-level note (vs. highlighting specific text)

Tips for Success

• Revisit your annotations often—especially your questions
• Use tags consistently so you can filter by theme
• Keep notes clear and in your own words—this aids retention
• Your public annotation stream is available at https://hypothes.is/stream?q=user:USERNAME

Quick Reference Links

• Hypothesis Quick Start Guide
• Annotation Tips for Students
• DocDrop for YouTube Annotation

Related Concepts

• Digital Literacy Framework
• Critical Reading Strategies
• Social Annotation in Education