Questions to help you understand the readings:

1.    The main purpose of the essay is?  (State as accurately as possible the author's purpose for writing the essay.)

2.    The key question that the author is addressing is? (Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when s/he wrote the essay.)

3.    The most important information in this essay is?  (Figure out the facts, experiences, expert opinion, data the author is using to support his/her conclusions.)

4.    The main inferences/conclusions in this essay are?  ( Identify the key conclusions the author comes to and presents in the essay.)

5.    The key concepts we need to understand in this essay are? (Figure out the most important ideas you would have to understand in order to grasp the author's line of reasoning.)

6.    The main assumption(s) underlying the author's thinking is (are)? (Figure out what the author is taking for granted--that which might be questioned.)

7.     The main point(s) of view presented in this essay  is (are)?  (What is the author looking at, and how is s/he seeing it?)