What is text coding?

• A. A method for scoring essays.
• B. An active reading strategy to support comprehension of informational texts, involving notes in margins.
• C. A technique for silent reading.
• D. A type of spelling exercise.

Answer: (B)

Text coding is an active reading strategy where you interact with informational texts by writing notes in the margins and using simple codes or symbols to mark important ideas, evidence, connections, and questions. This helps you identify the main points, see how ideas fit together, and capture details you’ll need for understanding, recalling, or writing about the text later. It turns reading into a dialogue with the text, so you stay engaged and can quickly review what you learned. It isn’t about scoring essays, silent reading alone, or spelling practice; it’s a method for boosting comprehension and retention by annotating as you read. For example, you might mark a paragraph with a note like “main idea here,” circle a key fact, and jot a question in the margin to revisit later.