“A good discussion increases the dimensions of everyone who takes part.” —Randolph Bourne

What is hypothes.is?

Reading and discussion do not have to stop when class ends—Hypothes.is lets students engage with texts and classmates in a dynamic, interactive way. In short, hypothes.is is a collaborative annotation platform, allows for group discussions through the annotation of course texts, offering an interactive way to engage with the material. The platform functions similarly to social media, where users can comment, reply, and highlight sections of text in real-time, providing a familiar, accessible way to discuss readings outside the classroom. That is a great opportunity for those of you who may feel shy about speaking up in class to engage with both the texts and your peers voicing your thoughts without any pressure.

How to Create a Hypothesis Account, Install the Chrome Extension, and Join the Class Group

Step 1: Important Note: Use a Chromium-Based Browser

Before you begin, make sure you are using a supported browser for using Hypothesis. These are Chromium-based browsers that include Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Other browsers, such as Firefox or Safari, do not support the extension directly, which will make it very difficult to install the Hypothesis extension.

Step 2: Create a Hypothesis Account

Open your browser and go to Hypothes.is. Click the Sign-up button in the top-right corner of the homepage. Fill out the registration form with your email address, username, and password. Agree to the terms of service by checking the appropriate box and completing the registration process. Hypothesis will send a verification email to your inbox. Open the email and click the link to verify your email address.

##Step 3: Install the Hypothesis Chrome Extension

Visit the Installation Guide:

Go to this Hypothesis help page to see instructions and get the link to the Chrome Web Store.

Go to the Chrome Web Store:

You can also directly access the extension page on the Chrome Web Store through this link: Hypothesis Web & PDF Annotation.

Add the Extension:

On the Chrome Web Store page, click the Add to Chrome button. A confirmation pop-up will appear. Click Add extension to proceed. Once installed, you will see the Hypothesis icon in your browser toolbar. If you do not see it, click the puzzle icon (extensions menu) and pin the Hypothesis extension for easy access.

Step 4: Join the Class Group

Join and access the class group:

To collaborate and view shared annotations in your class, you need to join the class group. Click on this link to join the group: ENGL4000 - Love & Discourse. After clicking the link, sign in to your Hypothesis account (if you are not already). Click the Join Group button on the page to become a member of the group. Once you have joined, you can view, add, and respond to annotations that are shared with this group.

Step 5: PDF Viewer

Chromium-based browsers, like Chrome and Microsoft Edge, have a built-in PDF viewer that allows you to open PDF files directly in the browser. However, this feature may not be enabled by default on all systems. For Hypothes.is to work on macOS, Windows, and Linux, it’s important that PDFs display directly in the browser. Follow these steps to enable this feature.

To Enable the PDF Viewer in Chrome:

Open Chrome Settings by clicking the three vertical dots (the “More” icon) in the top-right corner. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Additional content settings > PDF documents. Toggle the option on so that PDFs open directly in Chrome. To Enable the PDF Viewer in Microsoft Edge: Open Edge Settings by clicking the three horizontal dots (the “More” icon) in the top-right corner. Navigate to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > PDF documents. Toggle the option off for Always download PDF files to ensure PDFs open directly in Edge.

Step 6: Start annotating

Find your texts

Log in to your Moodle account and navigate to the course page. Find the PDF of the assigned readings for discussion. (Instead of downloading the PDFs, please, open them directly in your browser.)

Activate Hypothesis:

Once the PDF is open in your browser, click the Hypothesis icon in the toolbar. This will open the Hypothesis sidebar on the right-hand side of the page. Highlight any text in the PDF you want to comment on. Click Annotate to add your notes or thoughts on the selected text. You can also choose to Highlight text without leaving a comment. Ensure that your annotations are shared with the group members. In the sidebar, make sure you are annotating under the ENGL4000 group, otherwise, none will be able to visualise them. For more detailed instructions on group annotations, refer to this guide. By following these steps, you should now have a Hypothesis account and be ready to collaborate with your classmates by annotating PDFs directly from Moodle. If you have any questions or need additional support, please feel free to reach out to me.

General Instructions on Virtual Class-Discussion You should use the Hypothesis tool to annotate the secondary sources assigned to each module. In this way, annotations will reflect your understanding of the text, key insights, and questions for class discussion. Follow the instructions below to complete the assignment:

Access the Assigned Reading: Log into your Moodle account and navigate to the course page. Find the PDF of the assigned reading that you will annotate. Check the syllabus or reach out in case of doubts.
Annotate the Texts Before you begin, make sure you are in the correct group on Hypothes.is. As you read, highlight passages or sections that stand out to you—whether they are important, insightful, or unclear. For each annotation, explain: Why you chose that passage. Any insights or connections to class discussions, previous readings, or broader course themes. Any questions or points of confusion you may have. Provide at least 3 annotations.
Engaging with Classmates: After completing your annotations, review the annotations made by your classmates. Respond to at least 2 annotations by expanding on their points or offering a different perspective. Once you have completed your annotations and responded to at least two classmates, no additional submission is required. Your work within the group annotations will serve as your submission.

This should be a Pass/Fail component, directly impacting student’s Attendance and Participation grade. The effort they will decide to invest in this task will contribute to your success in the course. Students should be encouraged to view this as an opportunity to deepen your understanding and make your learning more meaningful by reviewing your class’ annotations periodically to brush up on your knowledge. This assignment should be seen as an opportunity to actively engage with the text and peers’ perspectives without forgetting to enjoy every exchange!