1. Close Textual Analysis

2. Work in sections: paragraph, page, subject, etc Analyze for intrinsic and extrinsic meaning, Relationship to the rest of the text, Rhetorical devices, Structure and aesthetics. Even though you are concentrating on a single portion of the communication, it is important that you read/listen to the entire work to understand its relationship to the whole.

3. Detailed Work Work to understand the denotative and connotative meanings of every word in the text. –Use your thesaurus and dictionary frequently so that you understand every possible meaning even when you think you know what is being said. Analyze sentence structure –(simple, complex, compound, compound-complex) and paragraph structure and progression. Does the passage describe a natural or artificial scene? What is the degree of plausibility, suspension of disbelief? How vivid and explicit is the descriptive language?

4. You Ask Many Questions Does it describe character as monologue or dialogue, explicit or unconscious? Does it describe an action, develop an argument or an idea? How is the passage sequenced, in other words, what comes before and after, and why? Is the passage devoted to exposition, complication, turning point, crisis, climax or resolution? What are the levels of empathy or emotional involvement? What comedic and tragic techniques or devices are used? In what person is the text written or delivered?

5. Keep asking Questions Who is the audience? Analyze language; pay close attention to both diction, or choice of words, (formal, informal, colloquial, concrete, abstract) and rhetorical devices. Meter can be analyzed. Prose passages can be looked at to determine rhythm. What socio-political or philosophical knowledge is necessary to understand the meaning of the passages. Compare and contrast multiple passages for similar theme, style or objective.

6. Pull the thing together It is not enough to just identify all these devices and answer the questions. –you must relate them to the whole, –evaluate their impact on dramatic structure, aesthetics, meaning, and objective. What patterns emerge?