Why create annotated lists of URLs? While bookmarks are a convenient way to store and organize a list of URLs, bookmarks don't allow you to add comments about those URLs. Actually new browsers do now, but these comments are not accessible in list format.  Days or weeks after locating a web site, it can be difficult to remember exactly what it was you liked.  An annotation reminds you what you found important about that web site.  It keeps information about the web site with the address.

 

How can you create an annotated list of URLs?

There are several ways to make an annotated list of web addresses. Here is a simple, word processed way that works on almost all computers.

1. First open a word processing program of your choice on your computer.
2. Make the window a little smaller than the size of the screen and move it to the right side of the screen.
3. Now open your browser.
4. Make it a little smaller than the size of the screen and move it to the left side so you can see some of the word processing program's screen at the same time.
5. When you want to save and make comments on a URL, use the mouse to select the URL displayed on the "Location" (Netscape Navigator) or "Address" (Internet Explorer) field at the top of your browser. Usually one click in that field will select the whole URL.
6. Click on the Edit menu and select "Copy" or use the CTRL-C or Open Apple-C keys to copy the selected text.
7. Now click on the visible part of the word processing screen to activate that window and then paste the URL into the word processing program page.
8. You can now add comments describing the contents of the page at this URL.
9. Click on the visible part of the browser screen to activate that window.
10. Repeat the process to add to your annotated list of Internet information resources.

In some word processors, such as Microsoft Word, the URLs you paste in will become active hyperlinks (underlined in blue), so you can revisit the pages by simply clicking on the links.

Authored by Lora K. Kaisler 2003