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Digital Initiatives Toolkit: Online Annotation with Hypothes.is

What is Hypothes.is?

Hypothes.is is a free, open-source annotation tool that allows students to highlight, comment, and discuss any web-based content directly in their browser. It creates a collaborative "layer" on top of online readings where students can engage with texts and each other.

Why use Hypothes.is? 

✓ Increases reading engagement - Makes passive reading active
✓ Makes thinking visible - See what students are understanding (or struggling with)
✓ Builds community - Students learn from each other's insights
✓ Works everywhere - Any webpage, online PDF, or web-based document
✓ Free forever - No institutional purchase required

Technical Requirements

  • Free Hypothes.is account (email signup)
  • Works on any device with a web browser
  • Chrome extension recommended (but bookmarklet works on all browsers)
  • Internet connection required
  • Works with: web articles, online PDFs, Google Docs (published to web), OER textbooks, any public URL

Getting Started in 3 Steps

1. CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

  • Go to hypothes.is and sign up (takes 30 seconds)

  • Install the Chrome extension OR use the bookmarklet for any browser

2. SET UP YOUR CLASS GROUP

  • Go to hypothes.is/groups/new

  • Create a private group (e.g., "HIST 202 - Spring 2025")
  • Copy the group join link to share with students

3. ASSIGN & ANNOTATE

  • Share your group join link with students (via LMS or email)

  • Assign web-based readings as usual
  • Add instruction: "Make at least 2 annotations and reply to 1 classmate using Hypothes.is"
  • Students activate Hypothes.is on the reading and all class annotations appear

Resources and Support

Quick Start Guide: web.hypothes.is/help/
Video Tutorials: Search "Hypothes.is" on YouTube
Teaching Strategies: hypothes.is/education/
Support: help@hypothes.is

Sample Assignments

Pre-Class Preparation
Require 2-3 annotations before discussion. Review student annotations to tailor class conversation.

Close Reading Practice
"Annotate the author's main argument" or "Identify rhetorical strategies with #rhetoric tag"

Collaborative Research
Students build shared knowledge base by annotating primary sources or research materials.

Peer Review
Students annotate each other's drafts (published to web) with feedback tags like #suggestion or #question.

Instructor Modeling
Add your own annotations to guide reading and model expert analysis.

Grading Tips

Many faculty make annotations worth 10-15% of participation grade using a simple rubric:

  • Excellent (A): Substantive annotations that advance understanding, thoughtful replies to peers
  • Proficient (B): Clear engagement with text, some peer interaction
  • Developing (C): Minimal annotations, surface-level comments
  • Incomplete (F): Does not meet minimum requirements

You can export all annotations as CSV for record-keeping.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"I can't see classmates' annotations"
→ Make sure Hypothes.is is set to your CLASS GROUP (not "Public")

"The extension won't work"
→ Try the bookmarklet instead, or check browser permissions

"PDFs won't annotate"
→ Need the direct PDF URL (not a download link). Check library database settings.

"Students aren't participating"
→ Make it worth points and send reminders before due dates

Key Features

Highlight & Annotate - Select any text and add comments with formatting, links, or images

Reply & Discuss - Create threaded conversations directly on the text

Tag & Organize - Use hashtags to categorize annotations (#question, #theme, #evidence)

Private Groups - Class annotations only visible to group members (not the whole web)

Best Practices

✓ Model it first - Make sample annotations to show expectations
✓ Quality over quantity - Define what "substantive" means (connect to course concepts, ask genuine questions, cite specific passages)
✓ Create focused prompts - Better than generic "annotate this"
✓ Encourage dialogue - Reward students who engage with classmates' thinking
✓ Start small - Try with one assignment first