Using Perusall to Increase Student Engagement with Assigned Readings

Authors

• Diana Moore, CUNY John Jay CollegeFollow

Document Type

Assignment

Publication Date

6-2026

Abstract

This assignment uses collaborative annotation through Perusall to encourage students to complete course readings and engage more actively with assigned texts. Advance discussion questions and peer annotations help students identify key ideas, develop critical reading skills, and improve their ability to summarize and synthesize information. By grading annotations for completion rather than length, the assignment promotes authentic student voices, supports the development of effective reading habits, and reduces reliance on AI-generated responses.

Comments

For more assignments from the Distinguish Teaching Academy go to https://johnjaydistinguishedteaching.commons.gc.cuny.edu.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.