How to apply analytical reading
Analytical reading is the third level of reading proposed by Adler and Van Doren in How to Read a Book. Once a book or text is deemed relevant or worthy of a deeper reading (see How to apply inspectional reading), the rules prescribed here aims to guide readers towards a deeper and critical understanding of the author's main points, by answering three of the four fundamental questions:
- What is the book about as a whole?
- What is being said in detail, and how?
- Is the book true, in whole or in part?
- What of it?
Stage I: Structure
What is the book about as a whole?
- Classify the book according to kind and subject matter
- State the unity of the book with the utmost brevity
- Enumerate the major parts of the book in their order and relation, and outline these parts as you have outlined the whole.
- Define the problems the author tried to solve
Stage II: Interpretive
What is being said in detail and how?
- Come to terms with author by interpreting his key words
- Grasp the author's leading propositions by dealing with his most important sentences
- Locate or construct the basic arguments in the book by finding them in the connection of sentences
- Determine which problems the author has or hasn't solved
Stage III: Critical
Is the book true, in whole or in part? What of it?
- Do not begin criticism until you understand the book (have completed your outline and interpretation)
- Do not disagree disputatiously or contentiously
- Demonstrate that you recognize the difference between knowledge and mere personal opinion by presenting good reasons for any critical judgement you make
Special criteria for points of criticism
- Show wherein the author is uninformed
- Show wherein the author is misinformed
- Show wherein the author is illogical
- Show wherein the author's analysis or account is incomplete
These rules represent the ideal; you are a good reader to the degree in which you approximate it.