Read the introductory sections, such as the author's notes, introduction or prologue. These will give you some insight as to the author's purpose for composing the work.
Take careful notes of the key ideas and main points of the work as you read. Write on a notepad or make annotations in the margins. These will help you to reference ideas and answer questions later. Include in these notes the definitions of words that are particularly interesting or new to you.
Ask questions as you are reading. This may include such as questions as: Where am I in the story now? How do I feel about what I just read? Why did the author write this? What is going to happen next? These questions will help you to critically analyze the text, determine its possible relevance and anticipate its direction. Write key questions in the margins or on your notepad.
Look for the elements of the author's reasoning as you are reading. This includes such things as purpose, the question at issue in the work, the author's point of view, information, concepts, implications, assumptions, conclusions, context and alternatives.
Apply such standards of critical thinking to your review of the text after you have finished reading it. This include clearness, accuracy; importance and relevance, sufficiency, breadth and depth, and precision.
Read any postscripts that follow the main body of the text, such as an epilogue or a section about the author. These can be just as valuable to your critical analysis as the first sections of the work. Citations and References indicate other sources of material that can possibly broaden your understanding of the author's message.