Close reading is a method of literary analysis that involves a careful and sustained interpretation of a brief passage of a text. It emphasizes the single and the particular over the general, through close attention to individual words, syntax, and the order in which sentences unfold ideas, as well as formal structures. Close reading is thinking about both what is said in a passage (the content) and how it is said (the form), leading to possibilities for observation and insight. Close reading is important because it helps readers understand a text in-depth, comprehend how an author purposefully used certain words and literary techniques to elucidate overarching ideas, and develop their vocabulary.

The process of close reading involves reading closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it, citing specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Close reading requires strong concentration and is the opposite of skimming a text. It is typically accomplished with short passages, and the reader goes back and underlines information connected to the patterns observed in the previous step. Before focusing on the details of a text or passage, it is important to have an understanding of the text as a whole. A close reading should never be the first reading of a text.