Critical Reading Skills

Critical Reading and Thinking

• Critical reading is an active and analytical process of evaluating and interpreting written texts to understand the author's message, intent, and underlying assumptions.
• It involves identifying the author's purpose, tone, and audience, as well as recognizing biases, stereotypes, and assumptions that may influence the text's meaning.

Strategies for Critical Reading

• One effective strategy for critical reading is to ask questions while reading, such as:
  • What is the author's purpose and tone?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • What are the underlying assumptions and biases?
  • What evidence does the author provide to support their claims?
  • How does the text relate to prior knowledge or experience?

Critical Thinking

• Critical thinking is a systematic and logical approach to evaluating information, identifying patterns and relationships, and making informed decisions or judgments.
• It involves analyzing information, identifying biases and assumptions, and considering multiple perspectives to form a well-supported conclusion.

Characteristics of Critical Thinkers

• Critical thinkers are open-minded, curious, and willing to consider alternative perspectives and challenges to their own beliefs.
• They analyze information objectively, avoiding emotional or personal biases, and evaluate evidence to support their claims.
• Critical thinkers are also willing to revise or change their conclusions based on new information or evidence.

Critical Writing

• Critical writing stems from critical thinking and involves expressing one's own analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of information in a clear and concise manner.
• It requires the ability to identify and challenge assumptions, evaluate evidence, and present a well-supported argument or claim.