Critical Thinking Supplement – 1
First, a caveat...I am not citing any sources here because I'm using excerpts from
classroom handouts that have been around for a few years. Also, the information should
be general knowledge about process and strategies. If you are aware that some of this
material is actually very close to another source, please email me and I will add the
citation.
Critical Reading
Critical reading takes practice as this is not how we have been taught to read – we have
been taught to read for information, not patterns of thought.
Most important in critical reading is to make judgments about how a text is put together.
DO NOT read to gather information. DO READ to examine ways of thinking about a
subject. Ask such questions as "How does this text work? How is the point argued? Is
anything overlooked? What evidence and proof is presented?" Be critical!
How Do I Read to Look for Ways of Thinking?
1. Determine the thesis or purpose of the writing – what is the writer trying to prove?
2. Make some judgments about context. Is this a current piece of writing? If not, how
does that affect your interpretation? Does the writing appear to be intended for a
particular group of people? Were any other groups excluded?
3. What kind of reasoning does the writer employ? Are concepts defined? Does the
writer appeal to any particular theory or concept? How is the argument ordered, and
what is revealed? Does the writer approach the argument from any particular discipline
(i.e. a biological perspective, a philosophical perspective)?
4. Examine the evidence. Is it sufficient? Does it properly develop the argument?
Having worked through steps 1-3, you are in a better position to grasp how the evidence
is used.
5. A critical reading may also involve evaluation. Is this a strong argument? Why or
why not? Are there inconsistencies or biases? What might an opposing argument be and
does the writer take that into account?
You can also give a critical reading by looking at the literary devices, which a
writer uses to imply meaning. How do the devices enhance or detract from the meaning
of the text? Such devices may include the following, to name but a few:
simile
rhetorical question
metaphor
alliteration
cause and effect
hyperbole
analogy
antithesis
appealing to the senses
understatement
economy of words
allusion
example
appeal to authority
compare and contrast
important transitional words
narrative perspective
tone
parallel structure
connotation and denotation
diction
syntax
Finally, remember to annotate as you read and re-read. To annotate is to
mark or make critical or explanatory notes on a literary work or subject. An annotation is
generally an informational or descriptive note, added by way of comment or explanation,
especially about a book. Annotating as you read helps you stay focused on the text and
engage with your reading. It also helps to refresh your memory when you re-read a
passage and enables you to quickly identify where useful passages are.