How this works
“Friction” is any moment a text makes you pause — confusion, agreement, doubt, a connection, something that matters, or a place you wish you had an example. Marking these moments and reflecting on them is how careful readers think about their own thinking.
- Load a reading below: use the built-in sample, or paste your own assigned text.
- Select any words, phrase, or sentence in the reading (drag with a mouse, or press-and-hold on a phone).
- In the bar at the bottom of the screen, tap one or more kinds of friction you felt — a single passage can be confusing and important at once — then press Add to log.
- A short reflection prompt appears for each label in your Friction log. Answer each in a sentence or two.
- Check the Synthesis matrix to see your tags side by side, answer the wrap-up questions, and generate a copyable summary to paste into Blackboard.
Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere. Everything stays in this browser tab and disappears when you close it, so copy your summary before you leave.
Your reading
Your friction log
Each marked moment lands here with a reflection prompt for every label you applied. Aim for at least four markers across at least two different friction types — and notice the passages where more than one kind of friction overlaps.
No moments marked yet. Select some text above to begin.
Synthesis matrix
Every passage you tagged, laid out against the six kinds of friction. Reading across a row shows where one passage triggered several reactions at once; reading down a column shows your habits as a reader. Use the patterns here to write your reflection below.
Step back & synthesize
These three questions turn a pile of reactions into an account of how your reading changed.
Your visual report
Turn everything above into a visual report — a friction snapshot, a distribution chart, your matrix, and every reflection — then save it as a PDF or web page to upload to Blackboard.
“Save as PDF” opens your browser’s print box — pick Save as PDF as the destination. Upload the PDF (or the downloaded .html file) to your Blackboard assignment so your instructor can see it.