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.

Test your critical reading skills with this quiz that focuses on analyzing and evaluating information from various sources. Explore strategies for engaging deeply with texts, questioning knowledge claims, and recognizing errors.