An active reader has to be curious. An active reader has to ask questions. These questions include: What does the text mean? Why is the text important or why is it not? How can the text be used? The reader needs to process their thoughts and feelings about the text as they read. In order to engage more with the text, the reader can make predictions about what they think will happen. They can do this by looking at the title, table of contents, the context of the book, and the genre and purpose of the book. The reader can also draw upon their knowledge and past experiences. When reading a text, the reader should first find the central idea. This helps the reader understand the genre and purpose of the text. Then the reader should make predictions about the text and re-read the text to really understand the depth of the class. Annotating includes asking questions, connecting the text to knowledge and experiences, connecting the text to other texts, highlighting important terms, looking up unfamiliar terms, summarizing and trying to understand the meaning of the text.
Analysis means breaking apart a text and then figuring out how all the parts relate to each other. Interpretation means finding points and issues in the text that can be looked at from many perspectives. It is up to the reader to decide what perspective they see the text from. Synthesis is a summary of what the analysis means. Critical reading is thinking while reading. Critical reading includes being able to learn the difference between facts, opinions and beliefs. Readers need to be able to evaluate if the evidence is accurate, relevant, sufficient and representative. The reader should also figure out if the author has any assumptions and reasons for writing the text. It is important to understand the ethos, pathos, logos, purpose and context of a text. Ethos is based on ethics, logos is based on feelings, and pathos is based on emotions. It is important to analyze the diction of a text. The reader should realize the rhetorical context of the text, each text is written at specific time, place, and for a specific audience and purpose. Active reading and annotating takes practice and it helps the reader understand the text more deeply.
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