Today I went over the steps necessary for reading an essay in class (inserted below). I then handed out the reading "Why We Crave Horror Movies" by Stephen King. This is due for Monday (if you were here; Tuesday if you weren't).
In order to read an essay (or any other piece of literature)
1. Look at the title, brainstorm and write down possible meanings of the essay you get from it (right on the page).
2. Using a highlighter, begin reading, highlighting key information (5 w’s) (thesis, main points, evidence), words you don’t understand, and putting question marks beside any “changes” in direction or meaning that seem odd.
3. AFTER EACH PARAGRAPH pause, see if you can remember what you read and, on the page, paraphrase the paragraph based on what you remember (if you can’t remember, you were NOT reading actively… read the paragraph over and attempt this again). PAUSING AND PARAPHRASING AFTER EACH PARAGRAPH GUARANTEES THAT YOU ARE NOT WASTING TIME…. ALL OF US HAVE READ SOMETHING IN ITS ENTIRETY AND ENDED UP ON AUTOMATIC PILOT (remembering nothing). This way, you catch yourself before you REALLY lose time!
4. ON THE PAGE define the words you have highlighted that you do not understand.
5. Once you have finished all of this, summarize in a paragraph on the second page of the reading, what the essay is about.
6. Also on the page, number the paragraphs in this essay.
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