Linda Elder

Excellent little treatise on how to read a paragraph. This is something everyone should have learned in High School, but few actually do. While most people handle reading fairly well, to many simply skim over writings and don't pay sufficient attention to the meaning of the writing. Thus, while many people have read books, a few years later many people cannot remember anything in-depth about them. This pamphlet is designed to change that, and to teach not only how to understand, but also to remember what has been read. The main points are to paraphrase what has been read, to show that you understand what the writer means. Secondly, the reader needs to identify the thesis of the paragraph, and how it defines the thought. This is interpreting the paragraph. The third step is to analyze the logic of the paragraph, and if it fulfills the logical progression of thought. The fourth step is evaluation, and determining how well the author explains their meaning. The fifth step, role-playing, is used in oral presentations only. The examples given are clear and familiar to most Americans.… (more)