Title of book or article
Blurb or author notes
Table of Contents: chapter titles or subheadings
Skimming first chapter
Skimming last chapter
Graphs, tables, and figures
2. What related knowledge do you already have regarding the topic of the reading?
3. Where did you get this knowledge?
4. Do you have any strong opinions or feelings about this topic? How might these affect the way you interpret the material?
1. What is the author�s main thesis? What are its origins?
2. How easy is it to determine the author�s main thesis? Is it stated up front or does it develop as you read?
3. What evidence does the author introduce to support the main thesis? What is left out? Does the decision of what is included and what is omitted affect who benefits and who suffers in the analysis?
4. What are the author�s sub-themes and how do they relate to the main thesis? Do they relate or are they just distractions?
5. What evidence does the author introduce to support the sub-themes? What is left out? Does the decision of what is included and what is omitted affect who benefits and who suffers in the analysis?
6. What is the author�s overall stance relative to this topic? How does it affect the way in which evidence is interpreted.
7. Who benefits and who suffers from this analysis/ argument? Does the author seem conscious of who benefits and who suffers?
8. If you found the author�s analysis/argument convincing, at what point and in what way did it convince you? If not, at what point did it fail to convince you?
9. What other reactions did you have to the reading?
Post Reading Strategies and Exercises:
_ Reverse outlines (for a model of reverse outlines, consult the Portland State University Writing Center: www.writingcenter.pdx.edu).
_ Provide opposing perspectives on a controversial issue and discuss them according to the questions given in this design.
_ Analyze a heavily symbolic piece. For example, find a piece that is heavily symbolic, metaphorical, or allegorical such as Plato�s short piece "The Allegory of the Cave." Break the class down in to small interpretive communities and have them run through some of the questions present in this design.
_ Read and discuss two different media accounts of the same event.
Some technical points to consider:
1. What sort of reading environment do you prefer? Home? The library? Outdoors? Other?
2. Do you do prefer to do your reading seated at a desk? Curled up in a comfy chair? Lying down on a bed or sofa? Other?
3. Do you have easy access to your ideal reading environment? If so, what is it? If not, what do you do to remedy it as much as possible?
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the following methods of making it easier for you to go back over the reading?
