Note: Certain features described and shown in this guide are planned for release on 9/24/26.
Overview
In a Harmonize Social Reading activity, you and your classmates can read and discuss a shared PDF directly in Harmonize. You can highlight text, leave comments, add pins, and reply to annotations from others.
Your instructor may also set requirements for how many annotations or replies you need to complete and when they are due.
Interactive Demo
Use the interactive tutorial below to learn how to add annotations and participate in a Social Reading activity. Some tips for using the tutorial:
- Get ready to interact! When the tutorial pauses and flashes a purple dot, select it to move forward.
- Move at your own pace. Use the navigation controls in the tutorial to move backward or forward through the steps.
- Prefer text instructions? Everything you need to participate in a Social Reading activity is also covered in the sections below.
Check Your Instructions and Requirements
Before you begin reading, review the instructions your instructor has provided at the top of the activity.
You may also see Requirements showing what you need to complete and when it is due. For example, your instructor might require a certain number of annotations and replies on separate due dates.
Add an Annotation
There are two main ways to add an annotation to the PDF:
- Highlight text when you want to comment on a specific passage.
- Drop a pin when you want to comment on an image, diagram, blank area, an entire page, or something else that cannot easily be highlighted.
Highlight Text
- Select the Highlighter tool on the upper left side of the document.
- Select the text you want to highlight.
- Select Add New Comment.
- Enter your comment in the annotations panel.
- If you want, click on the color swatch to choose a different color for your highlight.
- Select Publish.
Note: Once you've created an annotation or reply, you must publish or delete it before starting another comment.
Drop a Pin
Pins let you leave a comment anywhere on the page, even when there is no text to highlight.
To add a pin:
- Select the Pin tool.
- Select the location on the page where you want to place the pin.
- Enter your comment in the annotations panel.
- Select Publish.
Reply to an Annotation
Social Reading is designed for conversation, so you can respond directly to annotations left by your classmates or instructor.
When you find an annotation you want to respond to:
- Select Add a reply.
- Enter your response.
- Select Publish.
Note: When you reply directly to someone, Harmonize automatically mentions that person in your reply.
If an annotation already has replies, you can open the thread to read the conversation and add your own response. Just select "View # replies & add your own."
Navigate Annotations and the Document
As you move through the PDF, the Annotations panel on the right shows comments associated with the document.
Find the Annotation for a Highlight or Pin
If you see a highlight or pin in the PDF and want to know what someone said, select it. The corresponding annotation will appear in the panel. Notice that both the annotation and the highlighted text have a black box around them for emphasis.
Find the Highlight or Pin for an Annotation
You can also start from the annotation itself.
- If you see an annotation in the panel and want to find the part of the PDF it refers to, select View.
- Harmonize will bring the corresponding highlight or pin into view.
Move Through Annotations
As you read through the PDF, the annotation panel advances along with the document.
You can also use the navigation arrows at the top of the annotation panel to move backward or forward through annotations.
Focus on One Annotation
If the page contains many highlights and pins, select an annotation and then use the eye icon at the top of the document to temporarily hide the others.
This can make it easier to focus on the annotation you are currently reading.
Adjust the Document Size
Use the magnifying glass controls or the viewing-size menu at the top of the PDF to zoom in or out.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts in Social Reading
You can navigate Social Reading using keyboard shortcuts.
Shifting Focus to Document
- On Windows: Ctrl + Alt + T
- On a Mac: ⌘ + Option + T
Highlighting
- To activate the highlighter: T
- To add a comment to highlighted text: T (if necessary, use "pass next key through" command first)
Pinning
- To create a pin: P
- To move the pin: Arrow keys
- To move the pin quickly: Shift + arrow keys
- To drop the pin: Space or Enter
Notes for Assistive Tool Users
Screen reader users
- Pass Next Key Through. You may need to use your screen reader's "pass next key through" command before using certain keyboard shortcuts, especially if your screen reader uses the same keys for different shortcuts.
- Native Selection Mode. If you use a screen reader, you may need to turn on native text selection mode in order to highlight text.
Keyboard navigation users
- Browser Cursor Mode. If you navigate with a keyboard only (but do not use a screen reader), you will need to activate browser cursor mode to highlight text.
Review Your Activity
Want to check what you have already contributed?
At the top of the Social Reading activity, select Your Activity to review the annotations and replies you have made in the document.
Note: You cannot add annotations or replies while reviewing work in Your Activity.
FAQs
Q. Why don't I see the Highlighter tool on my phone or tablet?
- The Highlighter tool is not available when using Social Reading on a mobile device.
- You can still leave an annotation by using the Pin tool. Place a pin near the passage or other content you want to discuss and enter your comment in the annotations panel.
Q. I don't see any way to highlight or pin. What's going on?
- It's possible that you're in Activity view. Relaunch the activity from your course, and avoid clicking "Your Activity."
Q. When should I use a pin instead of a highlight?
- Use a highlight when your comment refers to specific selectable text.
- Use a pin when you want to comment on an image, chart, diagram, blank area, an entire page, or other content you cannot highlight.
Q. Can I mention another person in an annotation?
- Yes. You can use an @mention to tag another Harmonize user in a comment or reply.
- When you reply directly to someone's annotation, Harmonize automatically mentions that person, so you usually do not need to add the mention yourself.
Q. Why can't I start another annotation?
- You might have an unfinished annotation. If you have an unfinished annotation or reply open, you must either Publish or Delete it before creating another one.