BBI 3420 Critical Reading and Thinking Reading and Thinking Strategies BBI3420 PJJ 2009/2010 Dr...

BBI 3420Critical Reading and

ThinkingReading and Thinking

Strategies

BBI3420 PJJ 2009/2010Dr Shameem Rafik-Galea

Reading strategiesReading strategiesStrategies that can help students read Strategies that can help students read more quickly and effectively include:more quickly and effectively include:

PreviewingPreviewing PredictingPredicting Skimming and scanningSkimming and scanning AnnotatingAnnotating ContextualizingContextualizing QuestioningQuestioning

BBI3420 PJJ 2009/2010 Dr Shameem Rafik-Galea

Reading strategiesReading strategies Guessing from contextsGuessing from contexts ReflectingReflecting Outlining and summarizingOutlining and summarizing Evaluating an argumentEvaluating an argument Comparing and contrasting related Comparing and contrasting related

readingsreadings ParaphrasingParaphrasing


Critical ThinkingCritical ThinkingQUOTE:QUOTE:

““THINKING IS THE ULTIMATE HUMAN THINKING IS THE ULTIMATE HUMAN RESOURCE”RESOURCE”

AND YET MOST PEOPLE, CONVINCED THEY AND YET MOST PEOPLE, CONVINCED THEY ARE COMPETENT AT THINKING (LIKE HUMOUR ARE COMPETENT AT THINKING (LIKE HUMOUR

AND SEX), AND SEX), MAKE NO EFFORTS TO IMPROVE.MAKE NO EFFORTS TO IMPROVE.

(De Bono, 1985)(De Bono, 1985)


READING READING FUNDAMENTALSFUNDAMENTALS

ACTACT ~ Active Critical Thinking ~ Active Critical ThinkingSkill 1Skill 1 ~ Understanding the ~ Understanding the Subject, the Main Ideas & Subject, the Main Ideas & Supporting Ideas.Supporting Ideas.Skill 2Skill 2 ~ Understanding Point of ~ Understanding Point of View, Argument and View, Argument and Supporting details.Supporting details.


ACT ~ Active Critical ThinkingACT ~ Active Critical Thinking (6 step system for reading, thinking & studying)(6 step system for reading, thinking & studying)

Step 1 ~ ~ PrereadPreread – – overview of all major ideas in readingoverview of all major ideas in reading– – activate your background knowledge.activate your background knowledge.

Step 2 ~ ~ Read Read

– – able to read actively, interact with the able to read actively, interact with the material with increased material with increased comprehension.comprehension.


Step 3Step 3 ~ ~ Analyze What You ReadAnalyze What You Read – – recognizing the author’s point of view, recognizing the author’s point of view, arguments and supporting details.arguments and supporting details.– – provides a basis for making your own provides a basis for making your own judgments.judgments.

Step 4 Step 4 ~ ~ Remember What’s ImportantRemember What’s Important – – decide what you need to rememberdecide what you need to remember– – learn techniques to aid your memory.learn techniques to aid your memory.


Step 5 Step 5 ~ ~ Make use of What you readMake use of What you read – – in class discussionsin class discussions– – written assignmentswritten assignments– – oral reports oral reports – – tests.tests.

Step 6Step 6 ~ ~ Evaluate Your ACT SkillsEvaluate Your ACT Skills – – you will be able to analyze the you will be able to analyze the feedbackfeedback you receive in Step 5. you receive in Step 5.


Skill 1~ Understanding the Subject, the Main Idea & Skill 1~ Understanding the Subject, the Main Idea &

Supporting Details Supporting Details..Identifying the SubjectParagraph 1

Males and females in our culture speak different body languages. Males use power cues, such as expanded limb positions and serious facial expressions to create an overall impression of power, dominance, high status and activity. Females, on the other hand, use affiliative displays, such as smiles and head cants, to create an overall impression of submissiveness, subordination, low status and passivity.The subject is……. ?

• body language in men & women• men & women• power and submission


Paragraph 2Paragraph 2 The tricky aspect of inflation is that rising prices often The tricky aspect of inflation is that rising prices often

result in lower real incomes for buyers who can’t buy as result in lower real incomes for buyers who can’t buy as much with their dollars. But from a seller’s viewpoint, rising much with their dollars. But from a seller’s viewpoint, rising prices for their products and services mean higher incomes. prices for their products and services mean higher incomes. (Of course, the seller would probably have to pay higher (Of course, the seller would probably have to pay higher prices for the resources they use.) Thus, the central problem prices for the resources they use.) Thus, the central problem with inflation is to identify who wins and who loses.with inflation is to identify who wins and who loses.

What is the subject of paragraph 2?

• the effects of unemployment.• the effects of recession.• higher costs of resources.• the problem with inflation.


Understanding the Main IdeaUnderstanding the Main Idea

The main idea is the main point the author is making about the subject, the The main idea is the main point the author is making about the subject, the idea the writer intends to prove.idea the writer intends to prove.

Paragraph 1

Males and females in our culture speak different body languages. Males use power cues, such as expanded limb positions and serious facial expressions to create an overall impression of power, dominance, high status and activity. Females, on the other hand, use affiliative displays, such as smiles and head cants, to create an overall impression of submissiveness, subordination, low status and passivity.The main idea of paragraph 1 is that ………

• males & females in our culture use different body language.

•males use power cues, such as expanded limb positions & serious facial expressions.


Paragraph 2Paragraph 2

The tricky aspect of inflation is that rising prices often result in lower The tricky aspect of inflation is that rising prices often result in lower real incomes for buyers who can’t buy as much with their dollars. But real incomes for buyers who can’t buy as much with their dollars. But from a seller’s viewpoint, rising prices for their products and services from a seller’s viewpoint, rising prices for their products and services mean higher incomes. (Of course, the seller would probably have to pay mean higher incomes. (Of course, the seller would probably have to pay higher prices for the resources they use.) Thus, the central problem with higher prices for the resources they use.) Thus, the central problem with inflation is to identify who wins and who loses.inflation is to identify who wins and who loses.

What’s the main idea in paragraph 2?What’s the main idea in paragraph 2?

The main idea must be broad enough to include every sentence in the paragraph.

More often than not, the main idea is at the beginning of a paragraph, but sometimes it is in the middle or at the end.


Finding the Supporting DetailsFinding the Supporting Details

The 3The 3rdrd part of each paragraph is support for the main idea. part of each paragraph is support for the main idea. In paragraph 1 the author gives examples of expressions & postures In paragraph 1 the author gives examples of expressions & postures

used used by males & females to create different overall impressions. by males & females to create different overall impressions. The paragraph can be outlined as follows:The paragraph can be outlined as follows:

1.1. (Main idea) (Main idea) Males & females in our culture speak different body Males & females in our culture speak different body languages.languages.

A. (Supporting example) A. (Supporting example) Males use power cues, such as expanded Males use power cues, such as expanded limb positions and serious facial expressions to create an overall limb positions and serious facial expressions to create an overall impression of power, dominance, high status and activity.impression of power, dominance, high status and activity.

B. (Supporting example) B. (Supporting example) Females use affiliative displays, such as Females use affiliative displays, such as smiles and head cants, to create an overall impression of smiles and head cants, to create an overall impression of submissiveness, subordination, low status and passivity.submissiveness, subordination, low status and passivity.



The tricky aspect of inflation is that rising prices often result in The tricky aspect of inflation is that rising prices often result in lower real incomes for buyers who can’t buy as much with their lower real incomes for buyers who can’t buy as much with their dollars. But from a seller’s viewpoint, rising prices for their dollars. But from a seller’s viewpoint, rising prices for their products and services mean higher incomes. (Of course, the products and services mean higher incomes. (Of course, the seller would probably have to pay higher prices for the seller would probably have to pay higher prices for the resources they use.) Thus, the central problem with inflation is resources they use.) Thus, the central problem with inflation is to identify who wins and who loses.to identify who wins and who loses.

Main idea?

A. Supporting reason

B. Supporting Reason


IMPLIED MAIN IDEAIMPLIED MAIN IDEA Sometimes the main idea is implied Sometimes the main idea is implied

rather than stated. You have to infer rather than stated. You have to infer what the author is saying by reading what the author is saying by reading between the lines.between the lines.

Study the following paragraph and Study the following paragraph and identify the implied main idea.identify the implied main idea.



To get a clearer idea of what happens, imagine a To get a clearer idea of what happens, imagine a woman with a family of three young children receiving woman with a family of three young children receiving Aid for families with Dependent Children(AFDC). The Aid for families with Dependent Children(AFDC). The father has disappeared. The mother receives father has disappeared. The mother receives assistance in the form of cash, food stamps, and assistance in the form of cash, food stamps, and medical care. If the woman finds a job, for every $100 medical care. If the woman finds a job, for every $100 she earns, she will have to pay $7 in Social Security she earns, she will have to pay $7 in Social Security taxes. Typically she will lose about $53 in AFDC taxes. Typically she will lose about $53 in AFDC benefits and $25 worth of food stamps. Taxes benefits and $25 worth of food stamps. Taxes (assuming no income (assuming no income ttax) and lost benefits total $67; ax) and lost benefits total $67; for every $100 she earns, she increases her net for every $100 she earns, she increases her net income by only $33. The marginal tax rate on work is income by only $33. The marginal tax rate on work is thus 67 percent, a much higher rate than the thus 67 percent, a much higher rate than the maximum tax rate paid on earned income. (The maximum tax rate paid on earned income. (The maximum federal income tax rate on individuals, maximum federal income tax rate on individuals, excluding Social Security taxes is 28 percent)excluding Social Security taxes is 28 percent)


Which is the implied main idea?Which is the implied main idea?

Welfare mothers don’t want to work.Welfare mothers don’t want to work. Welfare mothers don’t get much for Welfare mothers don’t get much for

their work.their work. Welfare mothers should work.Welfare mothers should work. Welfare mothers should get a lower Welfare mothers should get a lower

income tax rate.income tax rate.


Outlining the Main Idea and Supporting Outlining the Main Idea and Supporting DetailsDetails

Outlining gives you a way to visualise the Outlining gives you a way to visualise the relationship between the main idea and the relationship between the main idea and the supporting details and therefore helps you to supporting details and therefore helps you to understand what you have read. understand what you have read.

Outline para 3. Note that there are two levels of Outline para 3. Note that there are two levels of supporting details: major and minor ( the minor supporting details: major and minor ( the minor details support the major ones).details support the major ones).


I.____________________I.____________________ (Implied main idea)(Implied main idea)A.______________________A.______________________ (supporting fact/major detail)(supporting fact/major detail) 1. ______________________1. ______________________ (Minor Detail)(Minor Detail)

2. ______________________2. ______________________ (Minor detail)(Minor detail) 3. ______________________3. ______________________ (Minor detail)(Minor detail)B._________________________B._________________________ (Supporting fact/major detail)(Supporting fact/major detail)


Para 3 should be outlined as Para 3 should be outlined as follows:follows:

I.I. Welfare mothers don’t get much for their Welfare mothers don’t get much for their work.work.

A. For every S100 they earn, they keep only A. For every S100 they earn, they keep only $33.$33.

1. They pay $7 in Social Security taxes.1. They pay $7 in Social Security taxes. 2. They lose $53 in AFDC benefits.2. They lose $53 in AFDC benefits. 3. They lose $25 in food stamps.3. They lose $25 in food stamps.

B. Their marginal tax rate is 67%.B. Their marginal tax rate is 67%.


BBI 3420 Critical Reading and Thinking Reading and Thinking Strategies BBI3420 PJJ 2009/2010 Dr...

Documents

Transcript of BBI 3420 Critical Reading and Thinking Reading and Thinking Strategies BBI3420 PJJ 2009/2010 Dr...