Often, a close reading will focus on one example of a theme or pattern ... After you have established your thesis, you’ll need to write an essay that supports this argument with examples and analysis.

If you are selecting evidence for an essay, focus on key quotations and leave yourself room to explain them in detail. Remember that a close reading should prioritize depth over breadth.

To help students hone this skill, a structured format is crucial ... power of books. Reading not only enhances our knowledge ...

or upon the experience of reading itself, in ways that give each critical piece a very personal voice. For example, the 2016 essay Expert Textpert by James Ley (now an editor at The Conversation ...