Download - How To Read Critically!
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How to Read Critically!
Pragmatic tips for academic reading
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Pre-reading• Skim the text to get an idea of what the text is about. • Read the introduction.
• First and last sentence of each paragraph to see what the topics are.
• Read the conclusion.
• List what you already know about the subject.
• Read the author’s biography if available.
• Where was the author when the essay was written? Is this the author’s nationality?
• When was the essay written and what social, economic, and political issues were happening when it was written?
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Read Without Judgment• Try to simply read the text without criticizing the
author – give the author the benefit of the doubt.
• Underline words you are not sure about. Look at possible meanings by the context in which the word is presented.
• Annotate the text – make some notes about what is being said and why.
• Consider a causal summary of the author’s argument.
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Re-read the Text Critically• Look up specific meanings of words you did not know.
• Judge whether the author is offering a sound story or argument.
• Look for unity and reoccurring themes in the text.
• Decide if you agree or do not agree with the author and why you feel that way.
• Annotate the text more deeply – does the author support claims? Does the author bring up alternative arguments or opinions? Does he or she look at all points of view? No? Yes? Why?
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Take Notes• Everyone is different with how they make notes: in the text
itself, or on a separate piece of paper. Either way, you need to take good notes.
• Write down all words you may not understand and define them.
• Write down what you think the author’s thesis statement is.
• Write down how you think the author is trying to demonstrate his or her thesis.
• Write a summary about the essay/article in 1-2 paragraphs.
• Write down whether you agree with the author and why.