LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES WRITING GUIDE
By Anya Hoffman

You will be reading four main types of text in the Latin American Studies Major. Use these questions/suggestions as a guideline for approaching each text:

When reading a Primary Document ask yourself about the document's specific context:

• Who wrote the document?
• For what audience was he/she writing?
• What facts or events does the author mention?
• What major themes come up?
• What worldview does the author express?
• How does this document help us to understand history?

When reading a Historical Text:

• Skim the table of contents to get a feel for the book's argument.
• Look for major themes, such as interactions of different cultures.
• How does each culture understand the other? 
• Whose viewpoint are we getting?
• How do social actors justify their actions?
• Economic systems:  How do they change over time?  How do they organize social life?
• Note the tension between theory and practice. What is the difference between what individuals or groups say and what they actually do?
• Ask yourself where the author got his/her information.

When reading a Theoretical Text: 

• Figure out the author's thesis. What is he/she arguing? 
• What examples does the author use to prove his/her argument? 
• How can you apply this theory to other texts that you have read? 
• Do you have any serious questions about the author's argument? 
• Do you see any major problems or holes in it?

When reading a Fictional Text:

• Pinpoint the book's major themes. How does the author present these themes?
• What is the relationship between history and fiction in the book?
• Who is the author?
• What time period is the author writing about?
• What time period is the author writing in?
• Does the author manipulate history? If so, why?
• What worldviews does the book express?
• How can fiction help us understand history?