1. Close and Critical Reading
A quick guide to 4 questions

2. Question 1
What does the text say? At the literal level summarize the text in your own words.

3. What does the text say? At the literal level summarize the text in your own words.
A properly crafted paragraph with an introduction, body of evidence, and a conclusion.
Answers the 5W's - Who, What, When, Where, and Why?
Avoids using "In the article…"
Make sure that writing conventions are being observed (Spelling/grammar/punctuation).

4. Question 2
How does it say it? How does the author develop the text convey the purpose? (What are the style, format, genre, organization, features, etc.?)

5. How does it say it? How does the author develop the text convey the purpose? (What are the style, format, genre, organization, features, etc.?)
Who is the author and what is the name of the material?
What type of writing is it? fiction or nonfiction?
What genre is it? Mystery, horror, comedy, drama, romance, science fiction, fantasy, news, poetry?
Why? Is it inform, to entertain, to be funny, to be persuasive?
What about the format stands out? Bold fonts, images, subheadings, quotes
What figurative language if any was used? Alliteration, assonance, idioms, onomatopoeia, rhyme, similes, metaphors?

6. Question 3
What does the text mean? (What theme/concept is the author trying to get across?)

7. What does the text mean? (What theme/concept is the author trying to get across?)
Does it fit into one of the universal themes many writers use? (Judgment/Survival/Love/Heroism/Good and Evil/Coming of Age)
Does it follow one of the conflicts most common in writing? (man vs. man / man vs. nature / man vs. society / man vs. self)
What examples provide the evidence needed to support the chosen theme? (Needs to use proper citations)

8. Question 4
So what? (What does the message/theme/concept mean in your life and/or the lives of others? Why is it worth sharing/telling? What significance does it have in your life or the lives of others?)

9. So what? (What does the message/theme/concept mean in your life and/or the lives of others? Why is it worth sharing/telling? What significance does it have in your life or the lives of others?)
Do not answer that a theme does not relate to your life. Focus instead on how it could, or find a connection that can be made.
Find the connections (text to text / text to world / text to self)
text to text (other written works or forms of media like song)
text to world (historic perspective / current events)
text to self (personal narrative written as such)
What examples provide the evidence needed to support the chosen connection? (Needs to use proper citations)

10. Anything Else? Answers need to be relevant with supporting details
Proper citations
Grade level word choice
Conventions always matter