Close Reading

Guidelines for Close Reading 1. Be an active reader: Assume all the details are significant. 2. What is going on, literally? 3. Who? What? When? Where? Why? 4. Make a list of (or underline) words that stand out for you.

5. Do you notice any slang? Puns? Scientific/technical language? Dialect? 6. Pay attention to the sound of the passage as you read it aloud. 7. Are there series of words that begin with the same letter (alliteration)? That rhyme with one another? Are there “noise words” (onomatopoeias) like “crash” or “bang”? Are there words that are repeated over and over? 8. Are the sentences simple or complex? Do the sentences vary? Are they long or short? Is there a lot of punctuation? 9. What appeals to your senses? Are there sounds, smells, touch, taste, or visual images described? 10. Do you see any similes or metaphors? Symbols? 11. How do you feel when you read? Condescended to? Sad? Amused? 12. What is the speaker’s attitude towards his or her readers? His or her subject matter? 13. What does this passage tell us about the book, as a whole? How does this passage connect to the larger themes of the book, and the class?