Who is the author? What are the author's credentials?
What is the author's purpose: To inform? To persuade? To call to action?
Who is the expected audience?
When was the text written? Where was it published?
What kind of text is it: A book? A report? A scholarly article? A policy memo?
Does the text have illustrations, charts, or photos? Is it divided into subsections?
Annotate a written text.
What surprises, puzzles, or intrigues you about the text?
What question does the text attempt to answer? Or what problem does it attempt to solve?
What is the author's thesis, or central claim?
What type of evidence does the author provide to support the thesis? How persuasive is this evidence?
Converse with a written text.
What are the strengths and limitations of the text?
Has the author drawn conclusions that you want to question? Do you have a different interpretation of the evidence?
Does the text raise questions that it does not answer?
Does the author consider opposing points of view? Does the author seem to treat sources fairly?
Ask the “So what?” question.
Why does the author's thesis need to be argued, explained, or explored? What's at stake?
What has the author overlooked or failed to consider in presenting this thesis? What's missing?
Could a reasonable person draw different conclusions about the issue?
To put an author's thesis to the “So what?” test, use phrases like the following: The author overlooks this important point:… and The author's argument is convincing because….