Critical reading Introduction

Lesson aims To expand the understanding of critical reading by studying an Internet article and listening to an academic podcast To develop and enhance note-taking skills To develop and enhance skills for critical reading

Critical reading why you are reading actively extract information Reading university texts requires a more strategic approach from that used when you read for pleasure. When you read for university you need to know why you are reading something and how to actively extract information. Critical writing involve reflection use them critically make your own argument Critical writing depends on critical reading. Most of the papers you write will involve reflection on written texts - the thinking and research that has already been done on your subject. In order to write your own analysis of this subject, you will need to do careful critical reading of sources and to use them critically to make your own argument.

‘Critical reading’ – listening and note- taking practice Listen to the podcast on critical reading and take notes. There will be questions after… choose whichever style of notes you feel most comfortable with.

In pairs, go through your notes and order the following headings. Mark different parts in your notes. Determining the target audience Finding bias Identify text’s purpose and usefulness Evaluating the evidence Arguing with the text What is ‘critical reading’? Previewing the text Responding to the text Taking notes on the text Why to read critically? When to read critically?

In groups, compare and complete your notes. Focus on the following headings and prepare short summaries. You will have to present your summary to the whole class. Determining the target audience Finding bias Identify text’s purpose and usefulness Evaluating the evidence Arguing with the text What is ‘critical reading’? Previewing the text Responding to the text Taking notes on the text Why to read critically? When to read critically? Group 1 – Group 2 – Group 3 – Group 4 –

paying a lot of attention to the text interacting with the text ‘a dialog’ with the text looking for the main points, but also the supporting details questioning the text responding to it What is ‘critical reading’? Why to read critically? When to read critically? to better understand the text to remember the text better to make your own writing and your own research stronger to make your own writing much better to make you a better thinker in general when you really need to know a text to prepare for a test on a textbook to write an essay based on a text If you want to remember the text

Identify text’s purpose and usefulness Taking notes on the text annotate the text synthesising summarising paraphrasing ask questions about the text: why was this text produced? why did the author create this text? what was the author’s motive? (inform, entertain, persuade, get money) is this a relevant text? is this a meaningful text? how does that relate to other things I’ve read about this subject? what’s the author’s treatment of the text like? what’s their stance on the issue they’re writing about? Previewing the text before you read the text word for word skim the text look at the title look at the topic sentences look at the thesis to get an idea of what is going to be about

Determining the target audience Evaluating the evidence take a look at the evidence offered by the author if they make a point, do they back it up? if they do back it up, how? what do they use to back it up? are they using good, credible sources? try and figure out if they’re making a good enough case for their claim, or if they’re basing a lot of it on assumptions or faulty logic who was this written for? is this written for a certain group of people? are they writing for everyone? (that’s not always a good thing) is it written for students? people in a certain field? people of certain political stances? Responding to the text think about your initial responses: did you like it? did you think it was interesting? would you re-read it? would you recommend it? is it useful for your research? what makes it something that you did (not) find interesting? is it the author’s style? is it their tone? is it the topic? What is it?

Finding bias Arguing with the text everyone naturally has certain biases. it’s almost impossible to be totally neutral on a topic those do come into writing naturally does this author have a motive? what is his/her motive? What is their bias? (essays that seem really, really biased, one way or the other, are not always the best things in the world) is the author representing all the different perspectives on their issue? think about the other points of view other ways that you can approach the topic how you could argue with the essay? can you argue with the essay? what things you could say in opposition to the author? What other types of evidence could you give? how would you argue with the text/the author?

References Bailey N., How to Read Critically, podcast, English 101, Harrisburg Area Community College, iTunes University, 2010 [accessed December 2012]