english

Reading as a Foundation

Close Reading as a Strategy: "Reading Out Of" a Text Rather Than "Reading Into" It

Close reading is the technique of carefully reading and analyzing a passage to understand its meaning, what it suggests, and how it connects to its context.

There are several strategies for getting to a meaningful close reading:

1. Taking Notes 

         How are words used? If the same term appears at the beginning and end, does it mean different things in both places?

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· Practice

· Read the following article:  Here's How Isaac Newton Remembered Everything He ReadLinks to an external site. .

· Then, answer: which Isaac Newton's notetaking technique helps you remember what you have read? Explain and provide an example.

Mochari, I. (2015).  Here's How Isaac Newton Remembered Everything He Read. INC. https://www.inc.com/ilan-mochari/how-isaac-newton-remembered-everything-he-read.html Links to an external site.

2. Analyzing a Passage

          (especially the use of words)

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·  Tips for analyzing the terms:

· Narrative Voice

· Who is speaking in this passage?

· What narrative perspective is being used in this passage?

· What characters does it give you access to?

· Tone:

· Is the speaker being direct, factual, open?

· Does the voice carry any emotion? Or is it detached from its subject?

· Do you hear irony (what is said is different from what is meant)? If so, where?

· Rhetorical and Literary devices:

· Do you notice any figurative language, such as metaphors and similes?

· Do you observe any imagery?

· Are the language and sentences sound important (e.g., rhyme, repetition, choppy or long sentences)?

· What is the effect of the literary devices and techniques? (e.g., do they add emphasis or connect key ideas?)

3. Constructing a Descriptive Thesis

Construct a summary that answers: HOW was the language used in the passage.? For example, you could argue that a passage uses short, simple sentences or that it uses irony or a combination of these things.

4. Construct an Argument About the Passage

Construct a thesis that answers: WHY is the language used in this way (or ways)?

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· Why might the author be using intellectual, elaborate, or plain words? 

· Why might the author be using complicated or simple sentences? 

· Who is the narrator? Why are we given access to the consciousness of these particular characters? Why not others?

· What might the images represent? Is there a common theme?

· Why might the tone of the passage be emotional (or detached)?

Practice Close Reading Skills

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· Apply the close reading strategies on this table with guide questions to create a one-page analysis of the article  COVID pounded nursing homes in a series of deadly outbreaks, says new reportLinks to an external site.  by Edward Sherman. 

Applying Closed Reading Strategies
Close Reading Strategies
Strategy	Your Answers
Taking Notes: How are words used?
Analyzing the passage: What narrative, voice, tone, and literary device does the author use?
Constructing a descriptive thesis: How was the language used in the passage?
Constructing an argument about the passage: Why was the language used in a particular way?

Check your understanding:  Click here to download a Word document with sample answers. Download Click here to download a Word document with sample answers.

5. Developing an Outline Based on Your Thesis, Examples, and Analysis

Outlining is an excellent way to plan how to organize an essay and be sure you are on the right track and are working in an organized manner. It helps you distinguish between ideas that are of equal importance and ones that are of lesser importance. You build your paper based on the framework created by the outline. There are two types of formal outlines: the topic outline and the sentence outline. This module focuses on the topic outline. Microsoft Word can make outlines.

See this post for instructions:  How to Make and Format an Outline in Microsoft WordLinks to an external site.

Carver, M. (2017).  How can I create an outline in Word easily? Maranatha Christian Academy. https://helpdesk.ma-kc.org/hc/en-us/articles/115002411287-How-can-I-create-an-outline-in-Word-easily-

       Here is an example of an outline:

Additional Resource

Create an Outline from Scratch

In Word, outlines are also called multilevel lists. The following steps show how to write a new outline from scratch.

Click  Home and, in the  Paragraph group, click the arrow next to  Multilevel List.

1. Choose an outline style from the  List Library. Point to each outline style in the library to view all the levels for the style.

2. Start typing to begin the list. Press Enter when you finish the line to start a new line.

3. To start a new list level, press the Tab key and begin typing

4. Press Enter to return to the previous list level.

Tips: 

· When you start a paragraph with an asterisk and a space ( * ) or with number 1 and a period ( 1.), Word displays the  AutoCorrect Options button and begins building a bulleted or numbered list. If you don't want a bulleted or numbered list, click the  AutoCorrect Options button and click  Stop Automatically Creating Bulleted Lists or  Stop Automatically Creating Numbered Lists.

References

Aquino-Cutcher, A., Asplin, W., Bohlke, D., & Lambert, J. (2015).  Final draft: Final draft level 3 student's book. Cambridge University Press.

Inoshita, A., Garland, K., Sims, K., Tsutsui, J. K., & Williams, T. (2019).  English composition: Connect, collaborate, communicate. University of Hawai’i at Manoa Outreach College.

Joy, S. (2023, November 1).  How to make and format an outline in Microsoft Word. Envato Tuts.  https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/make-outline-microsoft-word--cms-108084Links to an external site.

Mochari, I. (2015, October 19).  Here's how Isaac Newton remembered everything he read. The scientific genius had very specific habits when he pored over books in his favorite library. Inc.  https://www.inc.com/ilan-mochari/how-isaac-newton-remembered-everything-he-read.htmlLinks to an external site.

Sherman, T. (2021, May 27).  COVID pounded nursing homes in a series of deadly outbreaks, says new report. Nj.  https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/05/covid-pounded-nursing-homes-in-a-series-of-deadly-outbreaks-says-new-report.htmlLinks to an external site.