(1) Summarize the author’s work.

(2) Paraphrase the author’s explicit (or implicit) claim/working thesis that you plan to work with in your paper. 

(3) Who is the author and what is their expertise in the field?

(4) Locate the author’s argument and acknowledge the context (time, cultural climate, etc) in which they are working in.

(5) What and how is the definition/key term from the author’s work adding to your argument, conceptually? Does it challenge, support, or raise a new point not considered about your topic at hand?

(6) How do you plan to use the source in your series of writings and the larger final research paper?  Describe how you see it functioning (rhetorically, or rather, persuasively).