Here’s my method when working with printed, bound books. (My method is slightly different when reading longer books online.) While I’m reading a text–let’s say a work of literature–I’m always reading for four things at once. To be more accurate, I’m selectively re-reading passages and pages multiple times to find and annotate my text for these 4 things. I take notes on them as I read and re-read, and I mark them in different places in my text.
- Noting plot and details: events, setting, time markers, main character descriptions.
- I write these plot clues (names, events, years) at the very top of the page in the corner, where I can find them quickly while flipping through the book.
- Attention to the language at the level of the word and sentence: words or phrases that are figurative and seem meaningful, words I don’t understand and need to look up, ideas or words that I’ve noticed are repeated in the text, noting analyses of tone
- I underline the language in the text that I find significant and want to think more about. (I tend to overdo-it on the underlining! But that’s just me.)
- I write my analyses and ideas about the language in the margin next to the underline.
- Questions about the text:
- I tend to write my questions or big ideas at the bottom of the page, or sometimes at the end of the chapter where there is more blank space to write and ruminate.
- Passages that I want to return to: I often mark these with colored flags, like these. I’m not requiring you to buy them or do this, but I have found this very helpful and continue to use them, especially the ones you can write on. Then, you can write a keyword on the flag to remind you why you flagged a certain passage or to help you locate that passage quickly.
While my method may not work precisely for your particular reading or thinking style, it accomplishes the most important elements of reading carefully, critically, and in a way that will help you create conversation with others and the text.
Let’s Do This
Reread the sections you are designated. Take notes in your text for plot and details, attention to language, questions, and passages to return to. Be ready to talk with the class about:
- What you overlooked or didn’t catch on your first reading that you learned on your second? (Don’t be shy about this — there are certain texts I have taught many, many times, and I’m always seeing and learning new things with each rereading!)
- Indicate 1 or 2 of the passages that you flagged to return to. Why did you pick those passages? Did you have a question, or find it significant for a certain reason?
- From your rereading, identify an open-ended (not yes/no) question to ask of the text. Write your question down on an index card. Your question could be about
- something you don’t understand and what it means?
- what the importance of figurative language is in a passage?
- how this passage relates to another passage or section of the reading?
- the significance of the passage to any other readings or pertinent topics on our class –