What Is an Analytical Reading?

Good reading skills require much more than just basic

comprehension. Analytical reading is an approach that
probes more deeply to understand the message and goal
of the piece you read. Standardized tests such as the ACT
and SAT, as well as classroom assignments like book
reports and papers, may test your ability to read
analytically.

Breaking it Down
Analytical readers break a book or text down into each of
its parts, strive to understand how the work relates to
other works and society as a whole, and examine the role
of each character.
For example, you might begin by identifying the conflict
and resolution of a story, and then assess what role each
character plays. From there, you might be able to find
similarities to and parallels with other works of literature,
political beliefs and general themes.

Preparing to Read
One way to read analytically is to skim the text first and
then return to a deeper reading. Whether you're reading
for the first or second time, though, you'll need to get into
a quiet location and gather supplies, such as a pen and
notebook. If the work is particularly dense or challenging,
read the commentary first or consult the study guides
provided by your teacher. This can often help you place a
work in clearer context, making analytical reading an
easier and smoother undertaking.

Reading Techniques
There's no single way to read analytically, so find a
method that works for you. You might highlight relevant
passages, take notes or jot down thoughts on a particular
character or theme as you read.
If you're required to answer questions about what you
read, consult the questions as you are reading, and then
form your responses as soon as you're done.

Re-Reading
Sometimes it's insufficient to only read a work once. A
book such as "Ulysses," for example, is so challenging
that it's unlikely you'll understand much of anything on
the first pass. When you re-read a book, do so with a
particular goal in mind, such as understanding the goals of
a particular character or gaining more insight into the
work's historical context.
Importance of Analytical Reading Skills
Analytical or critical reading means approaching any
book with a grain of doubt to deal with given information
on deductive or inductive methods. It is about a deep
understanding of what is said and in what manner.
This method helps to grasp the means the author uses to
reach a certain goal and provide insight into any type of
writing. It is an active reading technique that requires a lot
of patience and focus.
There are several approaches and strategies that can help
achieve this goal. As in any analysis, a person needs to
dissect the book up to components and make a conclusion
based on it.
What can it help you with:
• Develop critical thinking necessary in everyday life;
• Help to study more effectively as you will get a deeper
understanding of what you are reading;
• Become a better writer as you can apply new skills to
your writing;
• Be more aware of any information you receive, whether
it is news or academic research;
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• Be proactive in your books’ perception.
Develop Critical Reading Step-by-Step
The first principle is to be active about the way you
approach the text, whether it is a scientific article,
explanatory book, or a fiction novel. Although they have
different purposes, writing style, and delivery, they still
have common features.
Start with gathering information about the book.
It means defining what type of book you are working
with, and it matters for several reasons. The type of
writing and the purpose impact how the text is structured,
what figures are used, and gives the context.  Classify
what type of book it is.
Pay attention to the title and description – what are
they about?
Can you predict the main idea? It would be harder with
fiction books, but with explanatory writing, it works
wonderfully. Try to state what the book is about.
If you are not sure how to stay focus on it, ask pros
from ca.essaywritingservice.com for help. It is OK if
you don’t get it right – analytical skills are all about trying
and learning from experience.
Think about the possible problems or issues the author
addresses in the book.
Expectations help to have a critical approach. For
example, if the title says “Ways to Be a Productive
Student” and the text has nothing to do with it – it is a
point of criticism. This is what will help you to make a
conclusion.
Learn about the historical context behind the text
when appropriate.
Nothing is created in a vacuum. Even if it is a fiction
novel, it can be written in response to the events of a
particular age or era. The piece is most likely to be
connected to a set of ideas and beliefs of the time.
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Define the structure of the text.
The house is built of bricks, where every brick matters.
The way they are organized makes sense in a final picture
– the building. The structure of the text also consists of
“bricks” that help to create something bigger. It is
important to know how to do it if you want to be a better
writer.
Take notes.
Underline the key statements, dates, or numbers. Take
notes of what the author’s claims are. Find the arguments
or common themes that appear in the book.
Analyze whether the arguments are clear, concise, and
credible.
How does the author approach the problem? Are there
any gaps in this approach? Can you add anything to the
critique of the text?
Interpretation of fiction.
Fiction is entirely different from academic writing. Here,
a reader is almost like a detective that picks clues and
needs to find the underlying meaning. It requires one to
make active analysis of figures of speech, metaphors
used, narration, etc.
Make a conclusion.
Was the text relevant to the title and description? What
was the main message and theme? How did the author
approach it? Were the arguments clear?
Always use logical reasoning for text critique. Show
whether the author is uninformed or misinformed on the
topic or illogical, use examples from the book. If the
argumentation of the author is incomplete, comment on
that.
Use It in Your Writing
Analytical skills can be trained in different ways, by
observation, reading, and even playing board games,
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such as chess. But it is important to implement them in
your writing.
1. Define the type of text you are working on. What are
the common structures used? What are the appropriate
forms?
2. Write down the main message and the supporting
arguments beforehand. Always keep in mind what you
want to say.
3. Plan out the structure carefully. It is the same as
working on essays – the text should unfold in a certain
way to be powerful, logical, and informative.
4. Always do proper research to show that you are
informed on the matter.
5. Be critical of your own writing, re-read it, and define
the clarity, readability, and logic of it.
In Summary
Analytical reading is all about active information
perception. It helps to divide text up to the smallest
structural pieces to have a deeper understanding of how it
works and why it works. It offers the ability to think
critically, be more aware of the language structures and
their purposes.
Inferences
Making inferences is a comprehension strategy used by
proficient readers to “read between the lines,” make
connections, and draw conclusions about the text’s
meaning and purpose. You already make inferences all of
the time. For example, imagine you go over to a friend’s
house and they point at the sofa and say, “Don’t sit there,
Cindy came over with her baby again.” What could you
logically conclude? First, you know there must be a
reason not to sit where your friend is pointing. Next, the
reason not to sit there is related to the fact that Cindy just
visited with her baby. You don’t know what exactly
happened, but you can make an inference and don’t need
to ask any more questions to know that you do not want to
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sit there. Practice making inferences Imagine you witness
the following unrelated situations—what can you infer
about each one?
1. You see a woman pushing a baby stroller down the
street.
2. You are at a corner and see two parked cars at an
intersection, and the driver in back starts honking his
horn.
3. You are walking down the street, and suddenly a dog
comes running out of an opened door with its tail between
its legs.
Hybrid cars are good for the environment, but they may
not perform as well as cars that run only on gasoline. The
Toyota Prius gets great gas mileage and has low
emissions making it a good “green” option. However,
many people think that it is unattractive. The Prius also
cannot accelerate as quickly as other models, and cannot
hold as many passengers as larger gas-fueled SUVs and
vans. Compared to similar gas-fueled options, hybrid cars
also cost more money up front. A new hybrid car costs
almost $3,500 more than the same car configured to run
just on gasoline. Which of the following can you infer
from the passage?
1. hybrid cars are more dangerous than other options
2. Toyota is making a lot of money from the Prius
3. cars that use gasoline are going to destroy the
environment
4. hybrid cars may not be the best choice for everyone
All four answers are about hybrid cars in some way, but
none of the answers can be found directly from the text.
Read through and see what hints you can find from the
text.

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