You should ideally try to read the essay 2 or 3 times. What is important is that you develop your own methodology of reading your essays. Here is a basic guide. I hope that you can use the techniques here in your other classes as well.
1. Read the essay quickly through the first time, not spending more than half an hour. Try to formulate a GUT REACTION to the piece. Is it mediocre, enjoyable, stupid, outrageous, fun? |
2. During this first reading, use a PEN. NEVER USE A HIGHLIGHTER when marking up yos tour text. When you use a highlighter, you can never really tell WHAT INFORMATION is important. With a pen, you can circle specific words, draw question marks to areas that confuse you, or take basic notes. HIGHLIGHTING SUCKS! Try to use your pen to CIRCLE words you don't know, and use < > brackets when the text (at least to you) makes an interesting or shocking point. |
3. By the end of this reading, you should have a decent sense of the topic, perhaps the thesis, the structure of the essay, tone, and the basic style of the writing. REMEMBER, the earlier you can IDENTIFY PURPOSE, AUDIENCE, and STRUCTURE, the better your understanding of the text. |
4. After this first reading, leave the essay alone for at least a couple of hours. Think about things in your life that relate to the essay, things that angered you about the essay, or things you enjoyed about the essay after your first reading. |
5. During the second reading, read ANALYTICALLY. That is, try to read for better comprehension, beyond just the SURFACE of the text. For example, if the author keeps talking about flashlights in his or her essay, ask yourself--"Could the flashlights symbolize something? What do they symbolize? Why does the author always talk about the flashlights?" Ask questions and write them in the margin. If YOU DO NOT HAVE A CLUE ABOUT WHAT's going on in the essay, NO PROB, but try to indicate your confusion in the margins. USE THE MARGINS OF THE TEXT AS A SOUNDING BOARD. WRITE IN THE MARGINS YOUR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, NOTES, ETC. |
6. In the second reading, use a pen once again. Pay careful attention and identify important sections, words, or areas that just don't make sense. |
7. If you REALLY have to use a highlighter, go ahead and use one to identify important words, phrases, and ideas in your THIRD and final reading. |
| NOTE: You should, prior to writing your response, have read the piece at least THREE TIMES. In upper division classes, for more difficult essays, I can freely admit that I've read the essay more than THREE times to be fully prepared to discuss the text. |
Expectations for Reading Responses
In general, any teacher will tell you that what they are looking for is insightful, often original commentary that 1) cuts to the core of the piece read; 2) answers questions deftly rather than swiftly; 3) provides quotable evidence; 4) offers insightful analysis of those quotes. Ideally, a good response usually has 3 things that are completely related to basic PIE structure: a general claim, evidence supporting that claim, and analysis of that evidence.
As such, here is a sample of strong analysis based on a seven-line poem that I use in my English 100 class. The poem is Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool."
"WE REAL COOL"
--Gwendolyn Brooks
The Pool Players.
Seven at the Golden Shovel.
We Real Cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk Late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon. (642)
Sample Question: Why is the setting of this poem important?
Sample Answer: The setting of the Golden Shovel not only typifies the type of activities that go on at the pool hall, but also foreshadow the early deaths of the seven pool players. While there is no clear indication of a physical setting in terms of climate or geographical location, Brooks' decision to call the pool hall the Golden Shovel is a symbolic act. Most pool halls might give their establishments "cooler" names; even in Hawai'i, pool halls have cool names such as Hawaiian Brians' or Velvets; these names accentuate the fun or supposed grandeur of the activity. A shovel, golden or not, typically serves one purpose: it is used to dig a hole. Treasure-seekers or gravediggers use it as their most important tool. The narrators seem to be simultaneously living out the dual nature of the shovel's use: they seek hedonistic excess, and at the same time, are brought to dig their own graves because of that search. The word "Golden" implies that the pursuit for sensuality in this piece is valuable and worthwhile for these players, even though their lives may be at stake.
Commentary: The author has tried to employ what is known as "quote recycling" to set forward the juiciest and tastiest bits of quotes so as to comment on them strongly.
And here's an example of a response that is a rush-job, which usually results in a less than stellar grade.
Sample Question: Why is the setting of this poem important?
Sample Answer: The Golden Shovel is a bar. Bars usually attract drunks. That's why it's important. These kids are drunks.
The student, it can be argued, has made a strong assertion. Lacking quotable evidence, however, the student's claims cannot be significantly made legitimate in the reader's mind.