L language -
word choice, vocabulary
Syn syntax - word
Str structure -
parallels, repetitions, patterns, etc
C context -
ε ethos -
π pathos -
λ logos - logic
Strategies for Close Reading and Annotation
Getting Ready to Read
-- Defining a key term; journal response; debating/discussing an opinion or
belief or hypothetical situation that relates to the material.
Surveying the Text
-- where and when was article/novel published? What can you find out about the
author? What does the title/subtitle suggest about the piece? Do you know who
the intended audience is?
Making Predictions and Asking Questions
Reading with the Grain
-- read for understanding through the lens of the author
Answer the questions/predictions raised in Pre-Reading--
write your comments in the margin or on post-it’s
Circle words that you don’t understand
-- take the time to define unknown words.
Reading Against the Grain
-- question the text wearing different lenses; play the
disbelieving or doubting game. Continue writing in margins.
Analyze Stylistic Choices
-- how would you describe the style? Informal? Academic? Controversial? What
rhetoric does the author use to make his/her claim or theme believable?
Look for and circle ‘loaded’ words
-- connotations used to evoke a response from the reader.
Consider the Structure of a Text
Physical division of an article or essay
-- draw lines separating the introduction, body and conclusion of the article.
-- note rhetorical function an