© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Guide to College Reading, 6/e Kathleen T. McWhorter Chapter 14 Evaluating: Asking Critical Questions PowerPoint by JoAnn Yaworski

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers This Chapter Will Show You How to:  Judge the accuracy and value of what you read.  Ask questions to evaluate what you read.

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers How Can I Evaluate What I Read?  What is the source of the material?  Is an Internet source reliable?  What is the authority of the author?  Does the author make assumptions?  Is the author biased?  Is the writing slanted?  How does the author support his or her ideas?  Does the author make value judgments?

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers What Is the Source of the Material?  An advertisement in Time magazine.  An article in Reader’s Digest.  An article in Software Review.

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers The Source Gives Clues to the Kind of Information the Article will Contain.  An encyclopedia entry titled “Dreams.”  An article in Woman’s Day titled “A Dreamy Way to Predict the Future.”  An article in Psychological Review titled “An Examination of Research on Dreams.”  Research on “Dreams.”

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Is an Internet Source Reliable?  Check the author.  Discover the purpose of the posting.  Check the date of the posting.  Check the sponsoring organization of the site.  Check links (addresses of other sources suggested by the Web site).  Cross-check your information.

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers What Is the Authority of the Author?  Expertise in or experience with a subject  Credentials  Biography

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Does the Writer Make Assumptions? An assumption is an idea, theory, or principle that the writer believes to be true. Is the assumption true? Do you agree with the assumption?

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Is the Author Biased?  Is the writer acting as a reporter – presenting facts?  Is the writer acting as a salesperson – providing only favorable information?  Are there other views toward the subject that the writer does not discuss?

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers What, If Any, Details Suit the Author’s Purpose?  What types of facts has the author omitted?  How would the inclusion of these facts change your reaction or impression? Ex: favorable response: “Alex is a tall, muscular, and well built. He is a friendly person and seldom becomes angry or upset. He enjoys sharing jokes and stories with his friends.” Ex: unfavorable response: “Alex has a long nose and his teeth are crooked. He talks about himself a lot and doesn’t seem to listen to what others are saying. Alex wears rumpled clothes that are too big for him.”

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers How Does the Writer Support His or Her Ideas? Watch for the use of:  Generalizations  Statements of opinion  Personal experience  Statistics as evidence

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Generalizations  A generalization is a statement that is made about an entire group or class of individuals or items based on experience with some members of that group. Examples: “Dogs are vicious and nasty.” “College students are more interesting in having fun than in learning.” “Parents want their children to grow up to be just like them.”

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Statements of Fact  Facts are statements that can be verified. They can be proven true or false: My car insurance costs $1500. The theory of instinct was formulated by Konrad Lorenz. Greenpeace is an organization dedicated to preserving the sea and its animals.

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Statements of Opinions  Opinions are statements that express a writer’s feelings, attitudes, or beliefs. They are neither true nor false. Here are a few examples of each: My car insurance is too expensive. The slaughter of baby seals for their pelts should be outlawed. Population growth should be regulated through mandatory birth control.

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Personal Experience  Do not accept personal experience as proof.  Do not generalize the experience.

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Judgment Words Here are a list of words that suggest interpretation, judgment, evaluation, or expression of feelings. BadGoodWorthless WonderfulFrighteningWorse BetterDisgustingLovely WorstBestAmazing

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Words That Express Opinion ApparentlyThis suggestsIn my view PresumablyPossiblyIt is likely that According toIn my opinionIt is believed

© 2003 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Visit the Longman Companion Website Take a Road Trip to the American Southwest! Visit the Inference module in your Reading Road Trip CD-ROM for multimedia tutorials, exercises, and tests.