PACT for Critical Reading
Questions for Reading Like a Writer
Adapted for PACT from: Bunn, Mike. "How to Read Like a Writer." Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing (2011): 71-86. Web. 21 July 2015. See especially pages 79-85.
Purpose
What is the author's purpose for this piece of writing? Where does that come across?
Audience
Who is the intended audience? How can you tell?
Conventions
- What do you know (or can you learn) about the context – the situation or circumstances--that created this text? When and why was it written? What was or is expected in this situation? Where was it published? Where and why is it read?
- What is the genre or type of writing? Is this a scholarly essay? A feature article? What would you call it? What conventions do you associate with this type of writing? (e.g., what length? What style or tone? What order or structure? Does it fit your expectations or surprise you?)
- [Given the audience and purpose] how effective is the language the author uses? Is it too formal? Too informal? Perfectly appropriate? [When would you want to use formal language? When would it make more sense to be conversational? Something in between?]
- What kinds of evidence does the author use to support his/her claims? Does he/she use statistics? Quotes from famous people? Personal anecdotes or personal stories? Does he/she cite books or articles?
- How appropriate or effective is the evidence? Would a different type of evidence, or some combination of evidence, be more effective? Explain.
Trouble
- Are there places in the writing that you find confusing? What about the writing in those places makes it unclear or confusing?
T can also = Transitions
- How does the author move from one idea to another in the writing? Are the transitions between ideas effective? How else might he/she have transitioned between ideas?
T can also = Technique
- Analyze a specific passage:
- What is the technique that the author is using here?
- Setting a scene?
- Stating a purpose?
- Setting up the organization of the essay?
- Introducing a source?
- Interpreting or explaining the relevance of the source/s?
- Describing methods?
- Illustrating with an example or story?
- Illustrating with a visual?
- Anticipating questions or resistance?
- Analyzing data?
- Using a metaphor or analogy to explain?
- Discussing implications or making connections?
- Asking new questions?
- Drawing a conclusion? Calling for action?
- Is this technique effective?
- What would be the advantages and disadvantages if I tried this same technique in my writing?