How to Read Critically!

Pragmatic tips for academic reading

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?

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.

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?

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.