Level One: Basic Reading

Q: What is the book about?

1. What kind of book is it? What is its subject?

2. Summarize what the book is about in one sentence.

3. What are the parts of the book? What is the order of the parts? Is there any relationship between the parts? Outline the book as a whole and its parts.

4. Define the problem or problems the author has tried to solve.

Q: What is the author saying, and how?

1. Interpret author's key words.

2. Grasp the author's leading propositions by dealing with the most important sentences.

3. Find or construct the author's arguments by examining the relevant sequence of sentences.

4. If possible, try to see if the author has solved the problems or questions posed; to what extent does s/he realize any lack of solutions to the problems?

Q: Is the book true? What is its significance? What of it?

1. Fairmindedness:

a. Suspend judgment while completing your outline of the book (that is, before agreeing, disagreeing, etc.)

b. Avoid being contentious (quarrelsome).

c. Give good reasons for any critical judgments you may have; thus, demonstrate the difference between opinion and knowledge.

2.. Consider the following criteria for points of criticism:

a. Is the author uninformed, misinformed, illogical?

b. Is the author's analysis or account incomplete?

Q: How do the various authors deal with the question?

1. Create a bibliography.

2. Inspect all the sources and modify the bibliography accordingly.

3. Find the most relevant passages in all the books.

4. Construct a list of neutral terms that can provide a basis for discussion of the authors' works. (Look for commonalities.)

5. Frame a set of questions that all the authors can be interpreted as answering (implicitly or explicitly). Devise a set of propositions for all the authors by doing the above.

6. Define the major and minor issues by ranging the authors' opposing answers to questions on one side of the issue or another.

7. Analyze the discussion by ordering the questions and issues in such a way as to throw the most light on the subject. More general issues should precede less general ones, and relations among issues should be clearly indicated.

(SOURCE: Adler, Mortimer and Charles Van Doren. How to Read a Book. New York: Touchstone, 1972.)

The above level four strategy could be well used on an assignment similar to the one that follows, especially Part B, the Personal Political Spectrum Analysis, from Dr. Manou Eskandari's Political Science 101 class at Santa Barbara City College. Since this assignment is used currently in classes, we will not outline an example but leave such work to the students.

Nasa

Political Science 101

In a 6-8 page, double spaced, typed paper which includes both your political socialization and personal political spectrum analysis, try to answer the following questions by incorporating them in your essay:

A. Political Socialization (first part of the paper):

1. What is the first political event you can remember? Describe it in as much detail as possible. How did your parents feel about the event?

2. What was the party identification of each of your parents?

3. Where your parents politically active?

4. Did you discuss politics with your parents?

5. What other people do you remember who influenced your opinions about politics?

B. Personal Political Spectrum Analysis (second part of paper):

1. Take three current national (not local or state) political issues. What are your present feelings and positions about these issues?

2. Indicate your reasons for supporting these positions and where this places you on the political spectrum for each issue. Looking at the issues combined, where would you place yourself on the political spectrum? (See pp. 200-205 for help as to how to do so, for both issues as well as guidance for "political spectrum".)