CRITICAL
READING
AS
REASONING
Reading
critically does not,
necessarily, mean being critical of
what you read.
Both reading and thinking critically
don’t mean being ‘critical’ about some
idea, argument, or piece of writingclaiming that it is somehow faulty or
flawed.
 Critical reading means engaging in
what you read by asking yourself
questions such as, ‘what is the author
trying to say?’ or ‘what is the main
argument being presented?
Critical reading goes further
than just being satisfied with
what a text says, it also
involves reflecting on what
the text describes, and
analysing what the text
actually means, in the
context of your studies.

AS A CRITICAL READER YOU
SHOULD REFLECT ON:
What the text says
 What the text describes
 Interpretation of the text

CRITICAL READING
requires you to evaluate the
arguments in a text
 need to distinguish fact from opinion
 being aware of opinions and
assumptions (positive and negative)
 aware of the writer’s background,
assumptions and purposes

WHAT IS REASONING?
According to MerriamWebster Dictionary, reasoning
is an act of giving statements
for justification and
explanation. It is the ability of
someone to defend something
by giving out reasons.
EVALUATIVE STATEMENTS
It is a way of giving better explanations
 It presents a value of judgement based on a
set of criteria
 It is used in giving a sound judgment- a
judgment that can be backs up or supported by
valid reasons or proofs
 It is the writers way of explaining why a
strength is a strength and a weakness is a
weakness based on the evidence gathered.

FORMULATION OF THE
EVALUATIVE STATEMENT
formulated after having read
the text carefully and critically.
 Grasping the essence of the text
and checking for possible
fallacies in the argument.

2 STEPS IN COMPOSING YOUR
EVALUATIVE STATEMENT
1.
2.
Formulating assertions about the
content and the properties of a text
Formulating the meaningful
counterclaim in response to a claim
made in a text.
Assertion. When someone makes a statement
investing his strong belief in it, as it is true
though it may not be, it is called assertion.
 Counterclaim. When someone makes an
opposing counterclaim statement or argument to
a claim, he is making a counterclaim.
 Hedges. Is a word or phrase that minimizes
negative impact of criticism.
 When you are presenting your counterclaim, you
are providing criticism since you are stating that
the claim is not true.
 Hadges. Used to give a courteous tone in your
writing.
