A COMMON PROBLEM IN ASSIGNING BOOK REPORTS IS HOW TO TEST WHETHER STUDENTS ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK OR WHETHER THEY RELY ON SOURCES BESIDES THE BOOK ITSELF. A SINGLE-BOOK APPROACH DEVISED TO GIVE SOME DEGREE OF CERTITUDE THAT STUDENTS READ THE BOOK BLENDS THREE ELEMENTS--(1) ACTUAL READING OF THE BOOK AS CHECKED BY AN OBJECTIVE TEST, (2) DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BOOK AS EVALUATED BY A WRITTEN ANALYSIS, AND (3) APPRECIATION AND ENJOYMENT OF THE BOOK AS SHOWN BY SOME REMARKS ON MERIT, STYLE, AND BEAUTY. WHEN THE BOOK IS ASSIGNED THE STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO LOOK FOR ELEMENTS SUCH AS STYLISTIC TRAITS, REMARKS ON THE SETTING, OR WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS OF THE AUTHOR. FROM FIVE SUGGESTED TOPICS EACH STUDENT CHOOSES ONE ON WHICH TO BASE A WRITTEN ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK. A 5-MINUTE OBJECTIVE TEST IS ALSO GIVEN AFTER WHICH THE TEST QUESTIONS ARE DISCUSSED. CRITICAL READING IS ENCOURAGED BY ASKING STUDENTS TO TAKE A STANCE, PROVE A POINT, RAISE A VITAL QUESTION, OR UNCOVER EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT STATEMENTS IN THEIR ORAL AND WRITTEN WORK. THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN "JOURNAL OF READING," VOLUME 10, APRIL 1967. (NS)