Some Suggestions for Reading Critically

The readings I assign throughout the semester have two purposes. Close reading and analysis of both the content and structure of these texts should help students improve their critical reading skills. More importantly, the texts serve as models of excellence for various styles of print journalism. 

When reading the assigned profiles, news stories, and feature articles, you should first arrive at an understanding of what the story is about. If you don't grasp the main idea of the article first, you can't successfully analyze the structure. Often profiles and other types of narrative journalism have micro and macro levels of meaning. The macro level idea connects the subject to a universal theme. Many times authors imply rather than directly state these "big picture" themes, thereby allowing readers to fully participate in the discovery. For example, the micro level of Chuck Palahniuk's profile of Marilyn Manson reveals a complex, intelligent artist who is surprisingly self-aware and optimistic. Palahniuk combines anecdotes, narrative, description, quotations, and symbolic and telling details that lead readers to an expected conclusion. The macro level seems to condemn reactionary judgments based on ignorance. In other words, the theme of "Reading Yourself" is "don't judge what you don't know."

Once you comprehend the meaning, note how the author has constructed her story. Try to identify unusual and striking leads, lead quotes, kickers, "telling details", and effective use of language. Does the story have a narrative element? If so, what is the chronology and narrative structure? What kinds of specific background facts does the author use? In "Reading Yourself" you should note, for example, that the author bases the structure of the profile on a Tarot card reading, a device which allows for multiple shifts in the chronology of the narrative, from present, to past, to future and back.

Finally, what is your reaction to the text? Is the reporting fair and balanced? What questions are left unanswered? How successful is the author in selecting and arranging the facts, key details, quotes, and background material of the story to communicate the main idea?