Text Analysis

Texts represent indispensable working material and structure elements in politics lessons or seminars, whether as a source of information, or as provocation, to stimulate discussion, or as a commentary to promote the formation of individual opinions and judgements in those learning.

Prerequisite for working with texts is the reading skill of the pupil, i.e. the ability to read texts, understand them, independently extract information from them and link this information together and link it to previous knowledge.
 

Why do texts have to be carefully and critically analysed?

Beyond the literal meaning the written word can communicate a completely different meaning, since the author is selectively conscious and, as a rule, biased. Missing information can also retain a value as information.
 

Approach

How do you analyse a text?

1. Read it, get an idea of its meaning

2. Clarify meaning of uncertain terms (research, ask)

3. Understand the text - aids for comprehending texts:
a. Find a new heading
b. Sum up section for section using your own words

4. Analyse the contents using open questions:
a. What happened where and when?
b. Who is involved?
c. How did the event conclude the result and why did this happen?
d. What happened prior to the event and what consequences did it have?
e. What relation does the event have?
(historical, political, social, cultural, geographic)
f. What is of interest to me personally?

5. Highlight key terms and positions in the text

6. Query the text:
a. What type of text is concerned? (commentary, speech, legal text etc.)
b. What and in which environment did the text originate?
c. What was the occasion of the text and what intention does it have?
d. In which language was the text written? (possible translation problems)
e. Who has the text been written for? (target audience)
f. Who is the author and what position does he take?

7. Sum up the core information in the text and visualise if necessary

8. Read the text carefully and check and supplement the summary
 

What should the texts be like?

What needs to be observed when preparing a text analysis?

Selection of the texts:

	not too long (approx. as much as 2 pages only)
	Do not overtax the pupils
	Use as short a text as possible (statements must remain intact in their context)
	Must fit in with the main intention of the teaching unit
	Should comprise all aspects of politics (three dimensions of the political situation - polity, politics, policy - and political cycle, see the Main Subject Group "Teaching Politics")
	Must be appropriate to the teaching phase in which they are used and the function they are supposed to fulfil - examples:

Preparation by the teacher

Framework for text analysis:

	Carry out text analysis yourself in preparation
	Identify and explain preparatively central terms and passages that may cause problems of understanding for the pupils
	Collect background information (author, context etc.)
	Check whether there are other ways of understanding the text
	Formulate specific open questions as an aid for the pupil