Social annotation or web annotation is a system where various users can modify a web page or web resources to add or remove information without altering the original source. A web annotation adds an interactive layer to an existing web page where people can share information to help illuminate its content as well as add meaningful critiques to foster discussions. I have used two Social Annotation platforms, Genius and Hypothesi.is, to add some clarification to certain parts of Henry Adams’ “The Education of Henry Adams.” I have made the exact same annotations using both platforms under the username of “derosag.”
I chose to use both platforms in order to highlight their differences. Genius allows for books, albums, images, etc. to be uploaded to their website and provides a nice looking and user friendly format for sources to be annotated. Hypotheis.is at this time is more of an in-browser tool. While the annotations are cataloged at the Hypothes.is website, the annotations are best viewed at their original source. These differences will be more obvious when the annotations are viewed.
Genius Annotation: The Education of Henry Adams
Hypothes.is Annotation: The Education of Henry Adams