Engaged, critical reading requires more than simply opening a
book and reading words on a page; often, that is not enough to achieve true
comprehension of a work. For everything that your read in college and
beyond, you’ll need to have a clear understanding of the content and be able
to apply that content in a variety of ways, including class discussions,
papers and tests.
With works of literature, the same is true but there is another, even more
important dimension: aesthetic appreciation. You’ll need to view the
work as a piece of art to be admired, not just a text to be summarized and
remembered for a test. What is beautiful in the language of the piece?
What struck you in the work’s imagery and description? What was especially
powerful about the work?
In working with any kind of text, there are three key approaches you can
take to increase your understanding and appreciation of it.
- Summary—a
clear, concise description of the work’s content or plot. You should
be able to identify the work’s thesis/theme, and any other important aspects.
- Analysis—your
interpretation of the work. What does it mean? Why is it significant?
How does its content or theme connect with other works you know or with socio-political
issues you are familiar with?
- Critique—your
opinion of the work. Is it any good? Why or why not? What
is its strengths or weaknesses?
- While you
should be able to summarize everything that you read, for class discussions
and papers you need to focus on analyzing and critiquing the work.
To help you get the most out of your reading for this class, you will be
required to keep a double-entry (dialogic) notebook. As its name implies,
a double-entry notebook helps you develop a dialogue with a piece of writing;
in a sense, you will be “talking back” to the work.
A double-entry notebook is a regular notebook where you divide each page
in half. On the left side, you take notes from each reading, including
content facts, interesting/important lines, unfamiliar words or terms, connections
to other works, etc. Essentially, you make a note of anything that strikes
you as important or interesting about the piece.
Once you’ve finished reading the work (for at least the second time, if
you’re good), you go back and look at the notes you’ve taken. Read
through them carefully, and, on the right side of your notebook, comment
on your notes. What do your notes mean? What do they reveal about
the piece’s meaning or significance? Why do you think this particular
line caught your attention? How can you use this information in your
own writing and in class discussions? This is where you should develop
your critical questions.
A double-entry notebook can be kept in any type of class where reading is
important. Kept diligently, a double-entry notebook can truly increase
your understanding and aesthetic appreciation of the works that you read.
It will also be invaluable in helping you write papers, improve your vocabulary
and prepare for tests.
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