Reading Critically Chapter 1

1. From Perspectives on Contemporary Issues: Readings Across the Disciplines - 5th Edition Reading CriticallyChapter 1

2. Nine Points To Reading Critically Prepare to Read Critically • Read the Title • Find Out About the Author • Determine the Purpose • Determine the Intended Audience • Locate the Thesis • Locate Key Points and Supporting Details • Make Marginal Notes as You Read • Summarize What You Have Read • Evaluate What You Have Read

3. Preparing to Read Critically Reading “critically” Reading “negatively” • Reading critically = Reading carefully, thoughtfully, and thoroughly to understand and to assess • Reading critically = Examining ideas and evidence • Reading critically = Distinguishing between fact and opinion, logic and fallacy • Reading critically = Engaging, Analyzing, and Evaluating in terms of relevance, accuracy, and importance

4. 1: Read the Title Before you read,Consider the Title • A title reveals the Subject – what the piece is about • A title tells something about the way in which the Way a Subject Will Be Treated • It may reveal the Position the author takes on the subject – (ex.) does he favor or oppose • It may reveal the Tone - the writer’s attitude toward the subject and audience - of the piece (ex.) does he ridicule or mock

5. 2: Find Out About the Author If information about the author is provided, Read It! • Knowingwho the writer is what he has published what his profession is gives the reader an idea of the authority/ reliability and relevance from which the author writes. • Check the headnote (usually after title) of an article for author’s bio

6. 3. Determine the Purpose The writer’s purpose varies according to his genre Nonfiction – Goals require different strategies • Persuasion – to convince of validity of the writer’s position and to move the reader to action • Exposition* – to inform or present an objective explanation by emphasizing ideas, events, or objects, but not writer’s view – may take many forms – cause-effect analysis, comparison -contrast, definition, classification, etc. • Expression – to emphasize the writer’s feelings and subjective view of his subject

7. 4. Determine the Intended Audience Writers make assumptions about their readers which influence • the tone they use • the evidence they select • the way they organize and develop their writing • their sentence structure, word choice, and diction Knowing the writer’s intended audience helps the reader understand his point of view and to explain the choices the writer makes – the writer makes assumptions concerning age, gender, history, interests, politics, beliefs, etc. of his audience

8. 5. Locate the Thesis Statement The thesis states the main idea of the essay. Typically it • Is one sentence but may be longer • Is explicitly stated but if not, must be clearly implied • Helps the writer focus the writing and guide the organization/development of key ideas • Provides direction to the reader • Assists in the reader’s understanding

9. 6. Locate Key Ideas and Support Active critical readers use a pen or highlighter • Underline, star, or highlight major points of development as you read • Look for the topic sentence in a paragraph • Just as the thesis statement states what the essay is about, the topic sentence states what the paragraph is about • The topic sentence should be explicitly stated or at least clearly implied.

10. 7. Make Marginal Notes In the margins, write your response to the passage or make note of important words, phrases, or passages • Note evidence or details that support key points • Note in the margin if something is unclear* • Circle words that you do not understand* • Note phrases that strike you as beautiful, as particularly logical or illogical, or as peculiar in some manner* * Look up these points later

11. 8. Summarize Writinga Summary is the test of the reader’s understanding • Look back at the underlining and notations • State in your own words; do not copy (know the three-word rule*) • what the writing is about • the main points the writer makes *More than 3 words without quote marks = a form of plagiarism

12. 9. Evaluate What You Have Read When you understand and can summarize, then you are read to respond • Consider whether the author achieves his stated purpose and whether his thesis is explained, developed, or argued: • Are there sufficient details? Is the evidence convincing? • Is the argument logical or reasonable? Are you persuaded? • Consider the author’s assertions. Can they be challenged? • If the purpose is to describe, is the language vivid? • Well written? Organized? Clear? Complete?

13. Summary of Chapter 1 • Consider the title • Try to learn something about the author • Determine the purpose of the writing • Determine the audience for whom the piece was written • Locate the thesis 6. Locate key ideas and supporting details • Make marginal notes • Summarize what you have read • Evaluate what you have read.