When you close read, you start with the text itself. While you may already be familiar with the author, close reading requires you to initially view the text in isolation.  Try to put anything you already know about the history or background of the text to the side. For at least your first few readings, don't consider anything outside the text. If the text is short, it’s best to read it at least 3 or 4 times. Read it through once, as you normally would, for comprehension. Then you're ready to dive into a close reading. After a quick read-through, you should have a general idea what the text you just read is about. You may want to jot down a few words that describe the main idea or theme of what you just read. You might also notice a particular image or idea that recurs throughout the text. A recurring image may have symbolic meaning. Make note of these as well. If the text is short, you can take notes during your second read-through. If it’s long, you can take notes as you read the first time. Go slowly and annotate the text as you read, underlining key words and making notes in the margins.  If something is confusing to you or doesn't make sense, put a question mark next to the line. You may also want to jot down a thought or question that you have about it. Make notes in the margins (or on a separate sheet of paper if you're reading from a library book) discussing your thoughts and reactions to the text as you read. Think of yourself as in a conversation with the author of the text. Be careful not to highlight or underline too much. If you find yourself thinking that everything is important, stop and read through it again to find the purpose of the work before you start annotating. As you're reading, the text will make you feel a certain way. Keep tabs on how the text is making you feel, and dig into why the text is affecting you that way. You might also make notes if it brings up things in your own life.  For example, if you are reading a passage about a young woman attending university for the first time, it might bring up memories of your own first days of school. Depending on how that experience was for you, the passage may make you feel wistful, anxious, or nostalgic. Some passages you read may stir up feelings of anger or resentment based on your religious, political, or ethical beliefs. Note these as well. Later on when you're putting the work in context, you can evaluate the author's intentions or reasons for including those passages in the work. Having to guess at the meaning of a word can destroy your understanding of the text. Particularly if you're reading something written hundreds of years ago, words used may have a different meaning than they do now. Be sure to specify the meaning based on the context of the work.  Some words also may have different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. In some disciplines, such as sociology or law, you may encounter common words that are actually terms of art that have a specialized meaning within that field. Keep a list of words you have to look up so you can refer to it later. This can also help you increase your vocabulary. At this point, you'll have a general reaction to the text as a whole. You may like it or dislike it, or you may have a more emotional reaction to the subject matter. In some cases, you may find that you enjoyed reading something that you ordinarily wouldn't have been interested in.  You can use deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, or a mixture of both. Take note of your process and the reasons behind your reasoning when considering how to react to the text or parts of it. Dig into your reactions and think about why you had the reaction you did. For example, you may have related to the subject matter personally. It may be something you know a lot about or have strong feelings about. If your reaction is based on something outside the text, such as your personal feelings or beliefs, you may want to put that aside while you analyze the text itself. You can come back to it later when you're putting the work in context.
Read without any background understanding. Identify the main ideas or themes. Take notes as you read. Monitor your reaction to the text. Look up any words you don't know. Formulate your initial reaction to the text.