Critical Reading Comprehension

• Critical reading is an introduction to the why, what and hows of critical reading.

Read to Understand: SQ3R Formula

• The SQ3R formula helps with reading comprehension.
• Steps of SQ3R Formula
• Reading the text.
• Taking notes
• Annotating main points.
• Summarizing or paraphrasing.
• Integrating sources into reports.

What is Critical Reading?

• Includes reflecting on the text.
• Includes what it says, describing it, and interpreting the meaning.
• Involves analysis, interpretation, judgment, and questioning.
• Critical reading is more than just close and careful reading.
• Paraphrasing key points is involved in critical reading.
• It involves using examples to compare and contrast readings.
• A meaningful interpretation of a text requires analysis.

Why Read Critically?

• Reading critically takes different views into account
• The interpretation of information relies on an individuals perspective.

How to Read Critically

• Readers must analyze and interpret information
• Requires consideration of text
• Identify what the text states directly.
• How it conveys the information
• The style and structure used
• Requires recognition of the author's intent with persuasive elements
• Inferences are made by deduction and reasoning from evidence, rather than explicit statements.

Who is the Author?

• Consider who the author is
• Consider why they are writing,
• Consider their qualifications or experience.
• Consider if the author shows bias.
• Bias is prejudice for or against something compared with another.
• Authority and credibility can be judged from these questions.

Authority

• Authority is the power to influence through recognized knowledge.
• Experts and professionals can have authority through their expertise.
• Training, education, experience, and recognition contribute to authority.
• Journalist can have authority through sources

Credentials

• Experts with extensive experience can be trusted on a subject
• An example of a such expert would be a director at NIH, Bethesda, MD from 1984 to present, with the achievements to match

Credibility

• Credibility is the quality of being believable or trusted
• Credibility is acquired through familiarity, habits and authority of experts
• Credibility varies according to contact
• It is not expected that a dentist would sell cars, but conduct dentistry

Bias In Writing

• Bias means someone may not be credible
• Academic writing should be objective to generate trust
• Subject writing is biased writing
• Bias can weaken arguments, and can come from:
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Class
• Economic status
• Ability

Examples of writing with and without Bias

• "Ahmed spends very little money" - Not biased, objective observation
• "Ahmed is thrifty" - Favorably biased
• "Ahmed is cheap" - Unfavorably biased

Bias Incident Example

• Headline "Tech Giant's Return-to-Office Mandate Sparks Mixed Reactions Among Employees" from the Financial Times
  • Is there bias?
  • What is the authors point of view?
  • Intention?
• This is a example of balanced manner, with broad perspective and neutral tone
• Acknowledging different view points
• Feedback is positive and negative
• Inclusion of expert opinions
• Broader industry implications

Another Bias Incident example

• Headline "Back to the Office? Big Tech's New Policy Feels Like a Step Backward" from TechWorkerDaily.com
  • Is there bias?
  • What is the authors point of view?
  • Intention?

Evidence

• Another word for proof is evidence
• Is is the facts that support a belief
• Can be qualitative or quantitative
• Arguments without evidence lack credibility

Forms of Evidence Given Examples

• Example: "I've never trusted Donald Trump, I just think he's unreliable. Look at his face, there's no way he's an honest person."
• A lack of trust, and his face are given as evidence
• Example: "During his time as President, Donald Trump made 30,573 untruths"

Inference and Assumptions

• When reading critically people infer from the text
• Take extra care that inferences are reasonable.
• Inferences that are not reasonable may fall into the assumption
• Assumptions are accepted as but lack proof.

Point of View

• Point of view needs to be considered since the interpretation of evidence depends of your point of view
• Duck or Rabbit example

Evidence - Quantitative

• Quantitative evidence or data can be measured objectively.
• Consists of data like:
• Numbers
• Equation results
• Measurements
• statistics.
• Effectively describes who, what, where, and when.
• Example would be "5 Marbles of 1.5cm Diameter"

Evidence - Qualitative

• Qualitative evidence is descriptive information used when talking about an individual’s social reality
• Non-numerical through:
• Interviews
• Surveys
• Focus groups
• Art
• Qualitative evidence describes the process of "why" or "how" something happened.

Evidence - Qualitative or Quantitative?

• Scenario: Why do people like the iPhone?
• Qualitative research through interviews and surveys
• Scenario: Bugatti Chiron faster than the Veyron?
• Quantitative measurements of weight and horsepower.
• Scenario: Research dentist visit?
• Both through interviews about pain, and tests

Evidence Gathering

• Types of textual evidence:
• Factual statements
• Expert opinion
• Data
• Statistics
• Measurements
• Descriptions
• Quantitative descriptions

Evidence Usage

• Authors use evidence to support their assertions or claims.
• An assertion (or claim) is a statement of truth

Claims:

• Authors have claims
• A claim is a theory that needs proof
• Focus on a central idea, and smaller supporting claims
• Good reasoning and relevant evident supports claims.

Pick a Good Claims:

• A good claim is:
• "State tax on cigarettes will begin in 2017."
• A poor claim is:
• "Increasing the state tax on cigarettes will negatively affect not only the nicotine addict, but his or her family as well."
• "Taxing cigarettes has been done in other countries, as has fining people for smoking, and it has not reduced the number of smokers."

Intent

• A theory that needs proof
• Claims reveal intent or purpose
• Purposes from COMM1010 include:
• Inform
• Persuade
• Instruct
• Entertain

Examples of Intent

• "The word is terracide... Dynamite cuts and rips apart mountains"
• Author is trying to persuade the reader that strip mining is bad
• "To make a delicious New England pie, proceed as follows: take... Dry it for a couple of days in a mild temperature. Pour on stewed dried apples"
• Author is being satirical about New England cooking

Key Reminders when Reading:

• Is it credible evidence? Is it relevant to the topic
• Is the evidence biased? Is the author biased?
• What was the author's intent when writing?
• Do you agree with parts of the text, and does it matter?
• Is it a credible text? Are the authors experts?
• What assumptions are made about the topic?
• What is claim being made? What is the authors point of view?
• Questions to ask yourself while reading:
• What does the text say?
• What does the text mean?