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

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

Before ReadingConsider the author, title, background knowledge

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?

THE TITLEWhat 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?

WHEN WAS THE ESSAY WRITTEN?

Do you know anything about the historical context?

If so, what do you expect the essay to say?

During readingEntry points, comprehension,

analysis

HOW TO ANALYZE AN ESSAYFirst, 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?

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.

After readingReflections

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?