Close Reading Strategies and Techniques

The video tutorial introduces the concept of close reading, emphasizing its importance in understanding complex texts. It explains that close reading involves multiple readings and annotating texts to engage with the material actively. The tutorial outlines five steps for effective close reading, including numbering paragraphs, chunking text, purposeful highlighting, and margin notes. It also describes the THIEVES strategy for annotation and provides examples of what close reading is and is not. Finally, it discusses a post-reading assignment to reinforce the learning process.

What is the primary purpose of close reading?

• To read as quickly as possible

• To memorize the text

• To carefully and purposefully understand the text

• To rewrite the text in your own words

How does close reading help with difficult passages?

• It makes them disappear

• It helps you interpret them

• It allows you to skip them

• It simplifies them automatically

What is a key aspect of the close reading process?

• Reading the text only once

• Reading the text multiple times

• Ignoring the text

• Reading the text backwards

What does annotating a text involve?

• Adding critical and explanatory notes

• Highlighting every word

• Ignoring the text

• Reading silently

Which of the following is NOT a form of annotating?

• Circling important words

• Ignoring the text

• Highlighting with purpose

• Writing notes in the margins

What is an example of what close reading does not look like?

• Actively engaging with the text

• Playing with a dog while reading

• Taking notes in the margins

• Highlighting key points

What is the first step in practicing close reading?

• Highlighting the text

• Numbering the paragraphs

• Ignoring the text

• Reading the text once

What does 'chunking the text' mean?

• Reading the text backwards

• Reading the text in one go

• Breaking the text into smaller sections

• Ignoring the text

What should you do when underlining or highlighting?

• Underline every word

• Do it randomly

• Do it with a purpose

• Ignore it

What should be written in the left margin?

• Random thoughts

• What you believe the author is saying

• The author's biography

• The title of the text