Use this to collect observations, then select what supports your interpretation. You do not need one paragraph per box. Print the grid or type into the notes cells, then download your writing below. Choose PDF for annotation, Word for editing, or Markdown. PDF and Word exports preserve a filled-in grid with the prompts and your notes. Markdown uses a simpler layout. Nothing is sent online; download before closing or reloading.
| Reading move | Evidence and thinking |
|---|---|
| Title: a first hypothesis Before reading, what possibilities does the title suggest? Keep the prediction provisional. | |
| Paraphrase Establish what literally happens. Who speaks? What changes? Summarize briefly in your own words. | |
| Connotation Select precise language, imagery, sound or form. Explain what each choice adds beyond literal meaning. | |
| Attitude Describe the speaker’s attitude with evidence. Do not automatically equate the speaker with the poet. | |
| Shifts Locate a change in voice, tone, imagery, time or argument. What becomes possible after it? | |
| Title: reconsidered Return to your first hypothesis. How has the whole poem changed your understanding? | |
| Theme Write a defensible claim about meaning, not a one-word topic. Test it against the whole poem. |
Worked example: mrrinka.com/resources/reading-methods/tpcastt