1. THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN READING NON-FICTION- SPEECHES, ESSAYS, & ARTICLES

2. FICTION VS NON-FICTION Usually chronological Plot (story line) Characters Setting Conflict Mood Theme Very few if any pictures Broken into chapters (usually) Various way to be organized Thesis Main ideas Evidence Facts Examples Graphics Captions Headings Subheadings Short stories, novels, graphic novels, comic books Journal entries, articles (newspaper, magazine, etc,) essays, speeches

3. Before Reading Consider the author, title, background knowledge

4. THE AUTHOR Who wrote the essay? What do you expect him/her to say ? What are the author’s credentials/affiliations? What are his/her prejudices/biases? Are you familiar with the author’s other works related to the subject?

5. THE TITLE What is the title? What does it tell you about what the essay is about? What do you already know about the subject? What do you expect the essay to say about the subject- pay special attention to when it was given and who the author was?

6. WHEN WAS THE ESSAY WRITTEN? Do you know anything about the historical context? If so, what do you expect the essay to say?

7. During reading Entry points, comprehension, analysis

8. HOW TO ANALYZE AN ESSAY First, you need a pencil. Skim the essay to try to identify the main idea, what the essay is about, and the author’s stance on the topic. Identify key unfamiliar words (use context clues or decide if they have a positive or negative connotation). **What does it mean to skim?

9. Read the essay again- more slowly and carefully. What is the author trying to prove (this is the thesis)? What are the key concepts that support this thesis? What evidence is given to support each topic? Read the essay again. Look for devices that make the work effective.

10. After reading Reflections

11. What have you learned? How does it relate to what you already know? Did you find the argument convincing on its own terms? Can you think of information that makes you doubt the main points, even if the essay argued it well? How does the essay relate to other things you have read, particular about this topic?