Content, central topic, themes, and issues

To get an idea of the text's main theme and its development:

• examine the title, chapter, and/or section headings and sub-headings, and try to predict the kinds of issues the text might deal with
• try to think of related texts and ideas that might help you decide what ideas and themes the words in the title and headings refer to
• scan the contents pages and index to see if the issues that concern you are discussed, and if so, whether extensively or only briefly
• skim through the introduction and perhaps the conclusion looking specifically for statements about the main issues dealt with by the text
• look at graphs, diagrams, and tables
• scan summaries at the end of chapters or sections

To get a better understanding of a text:

• skim specific parts of the text
• scan to find where a particular idea is mentioned and discussed, or to find a specific bit of information
• pay close attention to the introduction and conclusion, for they will indicate fairly clearly what the text is discussing and why it is discussing it
• read critically, as discussed in Effective Reading - ask yourself questions about the text, keeping in mind what you want to get from it, and what it is trying to achieve

The level of the text

Who are the readers the text is intended for? Is it written for the general public, high school students, university students, or academics? Is it likely to deal with the issues at a level of complexity and thoroughness that will suit your needs as a university student?

Check:

• the blurb on the back of the book
• the introduction
• the publisher (maybe they have published many good books in a particular field)
• the presentation of the book
• style and complexity of writing
• use of graphical material

These can help you guess the probable level of the book.

The purpose or objective of the text

Try to answer these questions:

• Is it a textbook, attempting to introduce students to important issues and concepts?
• Is it an academic discussion of issues, and if so, what is its purpose?
• Is it to evaluate a variety of perspectives or approaches to an issue?
• Is it to present a new argument or a new perspective on old issues?
• Is it presenting new research?
• Is it focusing on the concepts or methodology of a specific area of knowledge?
• Is it less an academic text (even though it may discuss academic-type issues) and more directed toward a general readership? Is it an attempt to introduce general readers to recent developments and ideas?

The stance the text adopts toward its subject matter

Perspective

Can you recognise what kind of perspective the text might be taking (e.g. Marxist, feminist, religious, conservative, socialist, liberal. etc.)? This is not always easy to determine, but with thought and practice you will find ways of recognising perspective. For instance, do any of the words in the title suggest a perspective (e.g. a title The Contradictions of Women's Oppression may suggest an approach which is both Marxist and feminist)?

You might then look at the index pages to check for authors and concepts which are likely to be drawn on in Marxist and feminist writings. You might check the bibliography to see whether authors you know are referenced. You might check the index pages again, find a reference to one or two of the authors or ideas, look them up in the text, and see what position the author seems to take toward them, and whether he/she approves or disapproves of them.

If you are looking at an article with no index, skim through the text looking for significant words in the text or sub-headings, and then read more closely around those words or ideas in the text.