Table 1 Text charting

How do we do macro-charting?

How do we do micro-charting?

• Break text down into sections—identify “chunks” or parts of the text that seem to work together to DO something for the overall argument.

• Break down sections of text by paragraph to analyze what each paragraph is doing for the overall argument.

• Draw lines between sections and label each one, annotating them with “doing” verbs: providing context, making a claim, supporting a claim, rebutting counter argument, illustrating with personal anecdote, describing the issue, etc.

• Detail the smaller “moves” and strategies made within paragraphs: note when, where, and how an author makes a claim, cites evidence, and/or supports his/her arguments using a rhetorical strategy.

Why do we do macro-charting?

Why do we do micro-charting?

• Macro-charting helps with under-standing structure of argument, as well as locating claims, supporting evidence, and main argument.

• Micro-charting can serve as a way to thoroughly understand in a detailed way how a text is put together.

• Macro-charting guides students toward identifying relationships between ideas.

• Micro-charting encourages readers to look more carefully and closely at a text and helps us to focus our reading on tasks asked for in prompts.

• Macro-charting brings awareness that behind every sentence there is an author with intent who makes rhetorical choices to achieve his/her aims.

• Micro-charting brings awareness of the specific rhetorical choices made throughout a text (addressing particular audiences by making deliberate moves).