A paper-first reading field guide
Separate an Example From the Main Claim
Write the main claim in your own words, label the example’s job, and note what the example cannot establish by itself. Return to the claim before deciding whether the evidence is enough.
A memorable example can eclipse the claim it was meant to illustrate. Three short fields restore the distinction.
Step 1
Anchor the location
Record the page or chapter before interpreting the moment. Add the current reading boundary when later knowledge could change the note.
Step 2
Main claim
Paraphrase the argument at the level the author actually states it.
Step 3
Example’s job
Mark whether the example illustrates, tests, motivates, or challenges the claim.
Step 4
What it cannot prove
Write the boundary that prevents one case from becoming universal evidence.