Why Read Critically? How will learning to read critically help me?
-
Upload
loraine-malone -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
0
Transcript of Why Read Critically? How will learning to read critically help me?
What is “critical reading”?
Critical reading differs from casual reading. This type of reading does not take a text at face value, but involves an examination of claims put forward by the author. It involves considering the text as whole, involving not just the printed words but clues provided by the construction of the work presented as well.
The purpose of critical reading
0To recognize an author’s purpose 0To understand tone and persuasive
elements0To recognize bias
The purpose of critical reading
0To recognize an author’s purpose …
0involves inferring a basis for why the author chose a particular topic
0To understand tone and persuasive elements…
0involves classifying the nature of language choices and literary style
0To recognize bias…
0involves classifying the nature of patterns of choice of content and language
Steps to effective critical reading
0Determine why the reading is important0How will the reading benefit you?0How is it relevant to your class, learning
or life?0What does your teacher expect you to
gain from it?
Steps to effective critical reading
0Preread the text looking for clues like…0How is the reading structured?
Are there subtitles? Boldfaced words? Words you are unsure of?
Steps to effective critical reading
0Using the title or subtitle…0Make predictions about the message of the text.0 Try reading the first and last paragraphs
and make a guess as what the body will be attempting to communicate.
Steps to effective critical reading
0Look at the author and publication information0Do you know anything about the author?
Who are they? What do they do for a living? What are their political views?
0Do you know anything about the publication? You would probably read articles from a newspaper, People magazine or the National Enquirer differently!
Steps to effective critical reading
0Mark the text0Begin by numbering the
paragraphs0This will help in later discussions about the text.
Steps to effective critical reading
0Mark the text some more.0Circle key terms, things that are…0Repeated0Defined0A central concept0Relevant to your reading purpose
Steps to effective critical reading
0Mark the text some more.0Look for data and statistics0Circle any numbers mentioned (in both
number and word form)0Underline context of statistics.0Create a “scorecard” of research
groups, recording the data reported from each.
Steps to effective critical reading
0Mark the text some more.0Underline author’s claims0A claim is an arguable statement made
by the author that expresses his opinion0Can appear anywhere in the text0Author may make several0May be inferred by author