Notice Board

Distinguished visiting professor and author, Dr. Johanna Winant of West Virginia University, will be discussing her forthcoming collection, Close Reading for the 21st Century (Princeton University Press, October 2025) in the Curriculum Lab (Level 11, University Library). This event is strongly recommended for anyone planning to become a teacher, especially an English teacher.

What is close reading?

• It is the practice of paying attention to a passage of text to account for at least one aspect of its meaning, and to make an argument about how it works.
• It is the foundation of academic literature as well as most forms of popular writing about culture.
• It is a skill—a craft—and much like the work of a mechanic, or a pianist, or a dancer, you learn how to do it by doing it, assisted by the guidance of expert practitioners.
• It is a practice for becoming a better reader, thinker, and writer about literature. And further: understanding close reading will make you a better reader, thinker, and writer about anything that you examine in detail and explain to someone else.

Few can claim to have studied the practice as closely and as thoroughly as Johanna Winant, co-editor of the forthcoming Close Reading for the 21st Century (Princeton University Press, October 2025). Join us for a workshop about Close Reading and how we can use it at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 5 in the Curriculum Lab. Snacks and refreshments will be provided!