Says. Means. Matters.
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Says. Means. Matters.
Says, Means, Matters is a tool to help analyze and understand literature or informational text. Here's how you can use it to build an essay:
Identify Direct Quotes: Identify direct quotes from the text that stand out or seem significant. These quotes will form the "Says" part of your organizer. They should be relevant to the main argument or theme of your essay.
Paraphrase and Interpret: Next, paraphrase these quotes in your own words. This is the "Means" part of the organizer. Here, you're interpreting what the author tries to convey through these quotes. This step requires a deep understanding of the text and its context.
Analyze Importance: Finally, analyze why these quotes matter. This is the "Matters" part of the organizer. You should explain the significance of these quotes in the context of your essay. Why are they important? What do they reveal about the text or the author's intentions? How do they support your argument or theme?