Guidelines for analyzing a written text

• What questions (stated or unstated) does the author address? Or what problem does the author attempt to solve?
• What is the author’s thesis, or central idea?
• How does the author structure the text? What are the key parts, and how do they relate to one another and to the thesis?
• Who is the intended audience? What strategies has the author used to generate interest in the argument and to persuade readers of its merit?
• What evidence does the author use to support the thesis? How persuasive is the evidence?
• Does the author anticipate objections and counter opposing views?
• Does the author use any faulty reasoning?