Master Program of Literature

Critical Reading

Master Program of Literature Study on Translation

L

earning

O

utcomes

By the end of this lecture, EXPECTEDLY students will:

•_{Better understand what critical thinking and}

critical reading are

•_{Know why critical thinking and critical}

reading are important

•_{Have some knowledge of model of critical}

thinking and elaboration on critical reading

•_{Accept the challenge to think critically in}

Part 1:

On Being Critical

and

The use of the term

“critical”

•

“Critical” in this context means

– _{“to analyse and evaluate” –}

•

It does

not

mean

“Disciplined,

self-directed

thinking . . . ”*

T H I N

K I N G

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?

“ (Thinking) . . . which exemplifes the perfections of thinking. . .”*

T H

I N K

I N G

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?

In “everyday” language:

• _{Thinking “outside”}

the box

• _{Thinking about}

thinking

• _{“Unlimited” thinking}

• _{Divergent thinking}

T H I N

K I N G

T H I N

K I N

G “_{process of actively and skillfully}The intellectually disciplined

conceptualizing, applying,

analyzing, synthesizing,

and evaluating information.”*

T H I N

K I N G “Critical thinking is the art of analyzing

and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.”*

T H I N K

I N G

“Critical thinking is . . .

• _{Self-disciplined} • _{Self-monitored}

• _{Self-corrective thinking.}”*

*The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, 5th _{ed. The Foundation}

T H I N

K I N G It concerns itself with 8 elements of thought

• _{Point of view} • _Purpose

• _{Questions at issue}

• _{Implications and consequences} • _Information

• _{Interpretation and Inference}

• _Concepts

• _Assumptions

*The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts

Point of View

What are the . . .

– _{Frames of reference} – _Perspectives

– _Orientations

Purpose

What are the

• _Goals

• Objectives

What does critical thinking involve?

•

Making logical inferences

(based upon the information presented)

•

Drawing logical

conclusions

(based upon the information presented)

•

Higher levels of thinking,

•

Conceptualizing

•

Applying

•

Analyzing

•

Synthesizing

•

Evaluating

• Conceptualizing—

developing a “mind picture”

• Applying—putting conceptual info to use

• Analyzing—closely examining,

tearing apart or breaking down to

really look at

• Synthesizing—pulling things together in a well-organized

logical way

• Evaluating—making

ACTIVITIES

TIME PERMITTING, WORK THROUGH

ACTIVITIES IN YOUR BOOKLET.

BE SURE TO THINK CRITICALLY!

Why is Critical

Thinking

W

hy

I

s

C

ritical

T

hinking

I

mportant

?



. . .

it underlies the basic

elements of communication



. . . it plays an important part in

social change. . .



. . . it is a path to freedom from

half-truths and deceptions

Critical thinking helps us develop:

• _{Intellectual Humility} • _{Intellectual Autonomy} • _{Intellectual Integrity} • _{Intellectual Courage}

• _{Intellectual Perseverance} • _{Confdence in Reason}

• _{Intellectual Empathy} • _{Fairmindedness}

Characteristics of

“cultivated” critical

thinkers

Cultivated critical thinkers . . .

• _{Raises vital questions}

and problems,

formulating them

clearly and precisely;

A well cultivated critical thinker . . .

Raise vital questions Formulate questions

and problems clearly, precisely By :

--raising vital questions

• _{Gathers and assesses}

relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it efectively,

•_Gather

information

•_{Analyze and}

assess it

• _{Evaluate it}

By:

• _{Comes to}

well-reasoned conclusions and solutions,

testing them against relevant criteria and standards;

Draw conclusions Find solutions

Use relevant criteria to test them

By:

--drawing conclusions from the information presented

Keep an open mind

By

• _Communicates

efectively with others in fguring out

solutions to complex problems.

Network w/others; keep lines of

communication open

By networking with others and maintaining open lines of communication with them

Dare to think

outside the box!

To become a cultivated critical thinker:

• Develop a sense of observation and curiosity

• Become interested in fnding new solutions

• Share ideas

• Ask pertinent questions

• Assess statements and arguments

Also . . .

• Examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions; wei gh them against truth

• Listen to others, think about what they say,

give feedback

Part 2:

On Reading

and

reading: a differentiated practice

No text is neutral. All texts position readers to accept certain views of the world. Readers,

however, have the reciprocal power to counter that positioning.

1. Dominant: reading in agreement with the text.

2. Alternative: reading in mild disagreement across the text.

3. Resistant: reading in opposition to the text.

Good Reader vs. Poor

Reader

• _{Read with purpose}

• _{Read and assimilate}

thought

• _{Read critically and ask}

questions to evaluate the author arguments

• _{Read a variety of books} • _{Enjoy reading}

• _{Read aimlessly} • _{Get loss in the}

muddle of word

• _Swallow

everything

• _{One tracker}

reading

• _{Hate to read,}

What is “critical reading?”

• _{Preface – “Critical” is not intended to have}

a negative meaning in the context of “critical reading.”

• _{Defnition: An active approach to reading}

that involves an in depth examination of the text. Memorization and understanding of the text is achieved. Additionally, the text is broken down into its components

and examined critically in order to achieve a meaningful understanding of the

Passive vs. Active Reading

• _{Passive Reading: - (4 traits)} • _{1. Largely inactive process.}

• 2. Low motivation to examine the text

critically or at an in-depth level.

• 3. Important pieces of data and

assumptions may be glossed over and missed.

• _{4. Data and assumptions that are}

perceived by the passive reader are

Passive vs. Active Reading

• Active Reading: - Active reading involves

interacting with the text and therefore requires signifcantly more energy than passive reading.

• Critical reading ALWAYS involves active reading. The active reader invests sufcient efort to

understand the text and commit important details to memory.

• _{The active reader identifes important pieces of}

What Is Critical Reading?

• _{To non-critical readers, texts provide facts.}

Readers gain knowledge by memorizing the

statements within a text.

• _{To the critical reader, any single text}

provides but one portrayal of the facts, one individual’s “take” on the subject matter.

Critical readers thus recognize not only what

a text says, but also how the author convey

Critical Reading

The critical reader acknowledges that

writers make choice; the critical

reader makes judgments about the

text.

– _{Content: e.g., evidence, examples,}

details

– _{Language: e.g., “politicians” or}

“senators”

– _{Structure:e.g., comparison/contrast,}

A critical reader

•

attempts to understand and analyse

the reasoning in the text

•

evaluates the evidence ofered

•

recognises assumptions

•

takes a challenging and questioning

A critical reader doesn

’

t

•

accept the authority of the text

without question

•

take a passive and purely receptive

role towards the text

•

‘

write of

’

the text immediately if

the writer

’

s meaning is not

immediately clear

•

quickly dismiss the text because the

To what extent do these everyday

reading tasks require a critical reading

approach?

• _{reading the instructions to set the thermostat on}

your

• heating boiler

• reading a local newspaper report about an attack on an Asian shopkeeper

• reading a primary school prospectus for your child

• reading a course outline

• reading descriptions of 2 sofas in diferent furniture catalogues

Critical Reading

So all texts, to a certain extent,

require critical reading. It is not

about criticising everything you read

- it

’

s about asking questions about

the text: its purpose, the claims

Some general questions to think about

• _{Can I believe everything I read?}

• Are experts always right?

• _{What makes me take more notice of one}

academic writer and less of another?

• _{What makes a scholarly, rigorous piece of}

research, and what makes research fndings weak or strong?

Some questions to think about when

surveying a text

• Who is the writer writing for?

• Who is the publisher?

• Is it in the interests of the author/publisher to make a particular claim?

• Which sources has the writer cited?

• What sort of adjectives are used?

• How does the writer rely on authority?

• What does the writer present as fact?

Some questions you can use to

interrogate the text

…

Does this follow? How do you know? Where is your evidence?

Who exactly said this and when? Is this a fact or an opinion?

Why? Why not? What exactly? Are you assuming x is true here? Where can I check this out?

Interacting with the text

You don

’

t have to fully agree or

disagree with what the writer is

Part 2.1.

Goals of Critical Reading

1.to

recognize

an author’s

purpose

  

         

2.to

understand tone and

persuasive elements

More specifcally;

1. recognizing

purpose

involves

inferring a basis for choices of

content and language

2. recognizing

tone and persuasive

elements

involves classifying the

nature of language choices

3. recognizing

bias

involves

On Recognizing

Author’s Purpose

• _{Understanding the way a passage is organized}

may help you determine the author’s purpose.

• _{Consider the italicized introduction, the main}

idea, and the tone; by examining them

together, you may discover what the author’s purpose is.

• _{Think about what point the writer is making,}

how he or she organizes ideas, and the words used, which will reveal tone (attitude/possible feelings).

On Recognizing Attitude, Mood, and

Tone

1. The terms attitude, mood, and tone

often refer to the author’s slant on a

subject, or the author’s emotions or

feelings.

2. Attitude and tone are related in that

the tone of a selection often refects

his or her attitude.

Tone

• _{Tone is often described as the way an}

author feels about both the topic and the reader.

• _{The tone in a selection can be formal,}

casual, playful, serious, sarcastic, or any other attitude one can imagine.

• _{Connotative and denotative language is a}

very useful tool for expressing attitude and tone.

• _{Writers use words on purpose to create a}

Helpful Hints

Pay attention to the author’s choice of details. The author has a purpose, and the reader must

determine what that purpose is.

_{The author’s purpose can be found in the choice}

of details which reveal attitude or tone.

In order to fully understand author’s purpose, it is important for the reader to recognizing the details provided by the choice of words the author uses.

_{As stated before, purpose and tone are closely}

related, so if you immediately recognize the

Typical Attitude, Mood, and Tone

Questions:

1. What is the author’s attitude about this subject?

2. Which description best portrays the author’s feelings?

3. Which of these words adds to the mood (tone/attitude) of the selection?

A few more important notes about

Critical Reading Questions

• _{Some of the passages are short, some are long,}

and some are paired.

– If you take the time to read a long passage, try to answer all the questions for that passage. (Time management!)

– _{It may be easier to preview the questions when}

approaching a shorter question because you will hopefully recognize the answer quickly.

– _{When given two passages together, try this strategy:}

• Read the frst passage, and answer the questions for that passage.

• Then, read the second passage, and answer the remaining

questions, some of which will deal strictly with the second passage and some of which will deal with both passages.

One Last Thing…

• _{Always annotate the text:}

– Circle tone words

– Underline important details

– Note transitional phrases/words

– Circle defnitions provided

53

On Recognizing Bias

Good critical readers must be aware of their own biases

and the biases of others.

A bias is a strong leaning in either a positive or negative direction. A bias is very similar to a prejudice.

54

Subjective material generally places more emphasis on opinions than facts,

and it is more likely to display a strong bias.

A critical reader will study the author’s line of reasoning, notice whether opinions are supported by facts and reasons,

and then decide if the author’s bias

55

As you are reading textbook material,

keep in mind that the authors also have biases.

Their biases will influence the way they present the material. Although textbooks primarily deal with factual material,

authors must decide what facts to include and omit, and what facts to emphasize.

Pay attention to the author’s tone and choice of words to determine if a bias is present.

Such caution is especially important

56

Denotative and Connotative Language

When you look a word up in the dictionary, you are determining its exact meaning without the suggestions or implications

that it may have taken on.

57

The connotative meaning of a word

refers to the ideas or feelings suggested by the word. Words that have the same denotative meaning can have much different connotative meanings. The connotation of a word can tell you a lot about

58

Words that are heavily connotative are often referred to as

“loaded” or “emotionally charged.”

Writers who have a particular point of view and want to persuade you to accept that view

often make use of loaded words or phrases. Thus subjective material is more likely

to rely on connotative,

rather than denotative, language,

59

Euphemism

The word euphemism

is derived from the Greek word euphemos, meaning “to use a good word

for an evil or unfavorable word.” The Greek prefix

eu means “good,” and

60

When someone substitutes an inoffensive word or phrase for one that could be offensive to someone,

they are using a euphemism.

Most of the time euphemisms are used to be polite or to avoid controversy.

Euphemisms can also be used

61

Propaganda Devices

 

Webster’s dictionary defines propaganda as “a systematic effort to promote a particular cause

or point of view.”

Thus by definition, propaganda is not evil or deceptive.

However, some of the techniques used are questionable because they appeal primarily to our emotions

62

Slogans

The slogan is equally effective in advertising

and political campaigns.

63

Name-Calling

Name-calling is a device used widely in political and ideological battles

as well as in commercial advertising campaigns.

It tries to make us form a judgment

without examining the evidence on which it should be based.

Propagandists appeal to our instincts of hate and fear.

They do this by giving bad names to those

64

Glittering Generalities

Glittering generalities are broad, widely accepted ideals and virtuous words that are used to sell a point of view.

65

Transfer

Some advertisements

use symbols of authority, prestige, and respect that arouse emotions to sell a cause,

a candidate, or a consumer product through the process of subconscious

66

Testimonial

A testimonial is an endorsement

of a product or an individual

by celebrities or

67

Plain Folks

The plain-folks device creates the impression

that

the advertisers or

political candidates are just ordinary folks

68

Card Stacking

Card stacking is the technique by which facts, illustrations, and statements

are carefully selected to make the maximum impact

and

sometimes give misleading impressions. The cliché that

69

Bandwagon

The bandwagon device is based on the idea that “if everybody else is doing it, so should you.”

“Jump on the bandwagon,” “follow the crowd,”

“be the first in your neighborhood,” and

“don’t throw your vote away by voting for a loser” are clichés associated with this device.

The psychology behind this technique

makes political polling important at election time. The fact that each candidate needs to project the image

70

Sex Appeal

We don’t ordinarily think of sex as a propaganda device, but it sells products in many ways.

In recent years, emotional appeals based on sex have been used more and more in product advertising.

71

Music

The last device in our list is also seldom thought of as a propaganda device,

yet it is one of the most effective techniques in radio and television commercials.

Part 3

On Analyzing

Reading Text

Three types of reading and

analysis:

• _{Non-critical reading is satisfed with}

recognizing what a text says and restating

the key remarks.

What a text says     – restatement

What a text does    – description

Inference: Reading Ideas as

Well as Words

Consider the following statement:

“The Senator admitted owning the gun

that killed his wife.”

What can be inferred from this statement?

• _{There is a Senator.} • _{He owns a gun.}

• _{He is married.} • _{His wife is dead.}

• _{That gun caused her death.}

“The Senator admitted owning the

gun that killed his wife.”

Now, what can’t be inferred?

•

We do not necessarily know

if the

Senator's admission is true.

•

We do not really know

whether

the Senator is in any way

responsible for his wife's death

,

nor do we know that

she died of

gun shot wounds.

•

We do not even know

if it was

Read the following story.

A man and his son are driving in a

car. The car crashes into a tree,

killing the father and seriously

injuring his son. At the hospital, the

boy needs to have surgery. Upon

looking at the boy, the doctor says

(telling the truth), "I cannot

operate on him. He is my son.“

Analysis and Inference: The

Tools of Critical Reading

•

A critical reader know what to look

for

( analysis )

and how to think about

what to fnd

( inference )

.

•

The frst part —

what to look for

—

involves

recognizing those aspects

of a discussion

that control the

meaning.

•

The second part —

how to think

about what you fnd

— involves the

processes of

inference

, the

Correlation to Student Performance

Correlation between poor critical reading skills and:

• _{Poor performance on legal writing assignments –}

critical reading ability infuences analytic, critical thinking, problem solving, and writing skills

• _{Poor performance on traditional multiple choice}

questions

• _{Poor performance on analytical examination}

Critical Reading Process:

Four steps to read efciently and profciently

A. Place material to be read into context.

• _{Determine why material is being read -What is the}

purpose of the material within the class or subject being approached?

• _{Use other parts of reading material to determine}

context (table of contents, chapter headings, defnitions for unknown words)

B. Skim material

C. Actively read material, taking notes, looking up

words and concepts for basic understanding D. Complete post-reading exercise to confrm

Classroom Strategies

Teaching students to read efciently and profciently

A. Pre-reading Techniques: Context

1. Discuss the reason that the material exists, the source and who created it

2. Discuss diferent ways information could have been presented or is available to reader

3. Understand where reading materials fts with course or subject matter objectives

Classroom Strategies

Teaching students to read efciently and profciently

B. Reading Techniques: Skimming

1. Students skim material to get overview/overall sense of material

2. Encourage multiple reviews of material at diferent depths

C. Reading Techniques: Active Reading

1. Students read and annotate material 2. Focus on content and language of text

Classroom Strategies

Teaching students to read efciently and profciently

D. Post Reading Techniques

Reinforce understanding through objective

examination and subjective written exercises

a. Summarize b. Evaluate

Goal of critical reading is to make material

CLEAR

•

C

laims:

•

L

ogic:

•

E

vidence:

•

A

nalysis:

•

R

ebuttal:

• _{What are the claims and}

issues?

• _Is

presentation/organization logical?

• _{Do facts support the}

argument?

• _{Is analysis sound and}

based on legal reasoning?

• _{Are there}

Techniques of Critical

Reading

1. Previewing

2. Writing

3. Critical Reading (at least two times)

4. Summarizing

Previewing

• _{Form meaningful expectations about the}

reading.

• _{Pace yourself – decide how much time you}

will dedicate to the reading.

• _Skimming.

– _{Look for Title, Section Headings, Date}

– _{Expectations about the Author (previous works)} – _{Defne the important vocabulary words}

– _{Brief summaries of chapters}

– _{The goal is to obtain a general grasp of the}

Writing

1. Writing While Reading

a. Margin

b. Divided Page Method

c. Landmark/Footnote Method

d. Reading Journal

Writing - Margin

•

Mark, highlight, or underline parts of

the text that you think are very

important.

Option 1 - Write a few words in the

margin that capture the essence of

your reaction.

Divided Page Method

•

On a separate piece of paper, divide

your page into two columns.

•

Label one column “text” (meaning

from your reading) and the other

“response” (meaning your response).

•

Write down a part of the text you

think is important in the “text”

Landmark/Footnote Method

• _{On a separate piece(s) of paper or in your}

reading journal, dedicate an adequate amount of space to an article, book, chapter, etc, you are reading.

• Highlight, mark, or underline a critical part in your reading. In the margin, indicate

that you are going to write a footnote. For example, write a 1 or a (or whatever you want).

Reading Journal

• In addition to the other uses described above, use the reading journal to track what you are reading and to form critical responses to articles, chapters, etc you have read in their entirety.

• _{Try to summarize the entire article, describe}

the main points, defne key terms, and express your reactions.

• _{Remember, do NOT refer back to the text until}

you absolutely have to! Give your memory a workout! Force yourself to learn the material as you read and be able to write it down clearly afterwards.

• Also, put concepts into your own words.

Online Documents

•

Two ways to write while reading

online documents…

1) Reading Journal

2) Cut and Paste in Word Processor,

then insert comments

Read #1

• _{Read in an environment where you will be}

free from distractions.

• _{Read steadily and smoothly. Try to}

enjoy the work.

• _{Write notes, but do so sparingly.}

• _{What works best for you?}

• _{We suggest avoiding your cell phone,}

Read #2

•

Re-read the material more slowly

than during your frst read.

•

The two most important objectives

are:

3 Responses to Texts



Restatement- Restating what a text

says; talking about the original topic.



Description- Describing what a text

a does; identifes aspects of text.



Interpretation- Analyze what a text

Summarization

•

Summarization: Pull out the main

points of the text and write them

down.

•

The summary’s complexity and

length will vary according to the

Forming Your Critical

Response

•

Analysis

•

Interpretation

•

Synthesis

•

In forming your critical response, you

Analysis

•

Analysis is the separation of

something into its parts or

elements, which helps to examine

them more closely.

•

To analyze reading, you can take at

least these two approaches:

1) Choose a question to guide

analysis.

Analysis (continued)

•

Examine the argument structure.

•

Claims: Statements that require

support by evidence.

•

Assumptions: The writer’s underlying

beliefs, opinions, principles, or

Analysis (continued)

• _{Types of evidence}

– _{Facts: Verifable evidence.}

– _{Opinion: Judgments based upon facts.} – _{Expert Opinion: Judgments formed by}

authorities on a given subject.

– _{Appeal to Beliefs or Needs: Readers are asked}

to accept a claim in part because they already accept it as true WITHOUT factual evidence or because it coincides with their needs.

– Appeal to Emotion: A claim that is persuasive because it evokes an emotion within the

Analysis (continued)

•

To judge the reliability of evidence,

look at the following areas:

– _Accuracy

– _Relevance

– _{Representativeness}

Analysis (continued)

• _{Logical Fallacies: Errors in reasoning.}

• _Examples:

– Red herring-introduction of an irrelevant issue in an argument.

– Non sequitur- linking two or more ideas that have no logical connection.

– Making broad generalizations without proven empirical evidence.

• _{Learn to identify logical fallacies by}

visiting:

Interpretation

• _{After breaking down the text into its}

components and examining them, ask

yourself about the conclusions you can

draw from this evidence.

• What claims does the author make?

• What evidence supports these claims?

• _{Can you infer anything beyond what the}

author has explicitly written that either strengthens or weakens the claims made by the author?

Synthesis

• _{Now that you have broken down the text}

into its parts, analyzed them, and

interpreted it all, you should make new connections with what you know.

• _{Ask yourself again: What are the main}

Delivering Your Critical

Response

•

By this point, you will have

Finding a Focus for Your Paper

If you are delivering a critical

response in the form of a

written paper, here are some

tips for fnding a focus for

Step 1:

Finding Your Focus

• _{Start early. Give yourself enough time.}

• Understand the assignment requirements.

• _{Know the material.}

• _{Choose a topic that interests you & has}

potential future value.

• _{Make sure the topic is relevant and}

researchable (appropriate available research).

• Develop a controlling idea that is

Step 2:

Developing your angle and establishing a controlling idea

•

Developing an angle and establishing a

controlling idea is important for

every

type of paper.

•

Be as specifc as possible.

•

Use it to focus & direct the paper.

•

Make a statement instead of a question

•

State a point that you can further

Developing Your Focus:

Examples

Angle Controlling Idea

Homelessness. The causes of homelessness

Cultural bias in testing. Problems, solutions, & the

clinician’s role

Professional Ethics. Bridging the gap between professional ethical

Step 3:

Getting Started

Start-up Styles:

• Outline: Intro, body, conclusion

• Brainstorm: Write down points & ideas you have regarding your topic.

• Find relevant research & writing regarding your topic and highlight important

quotations.

• _{Start writing & organize it later.}

The Writing Process

•

Rough Draft

•

Final Draft

•

Edit

•

Edit Again

•

If you need assistance you can bring

Bibliography

Adler M. J., & Van Doren, C. (1972). How to read a book.

Touchstone: New York.

Barbara Glesner Fines, Preparing for Class, available at

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/profles/glesnerfnes/Success2 .html

(visited

June 1, 2010)

Chitra Varaprasad, Some Classroom Strategies: Developing Critical Literacy Awareness, 35 Eng. Teaching Forum Online 24 (July-Sept. 1997)

Critical Reading Checklist:

http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/critical/2b.html

from the Unilearning site (an Australian website on academic skills) – a useful list of questions

Critical Reading Skills Sheet, compiled by Craig M. Klugman,

www.unr.edu/homepage/cmk/cread.htm (visited June 1, 2010)

Critical Thinking: An Introduction. Alec Fisher CUP 2001 – an

Bibliography continued

Fowler, H. R., & Aaron, J. E. (2001). The little, brown handbook. Longman: New York.

General advice on reading academic texts, including questioning:

http://www.lancs.ac.uk/celt/sldc/materials/reading/reading.htm

Godfrey, A., & Krauss, P. (2006). The art of essay writing:

back to basics. Presented in March and July, 2006. The Chicago School: Chicago.

Kurland, D. (2000). How language really works: The

fundamentals of critical reading and efective writing. Retrieved 5 July 2010 from http://www.criticalreading.com

Mather, Peter and Rita McCarthy. (2005). The Art of Critical Reading. Ohio: The McGraw-Hill Companies

Reading Academically: University of Southampton 2003

Section 5 Being a Critical Reader: Find the link on this page:

www.studyskills.soton.ac.uk/studytips/reading_skills.htm

Stover, A. (2005). An introduction to critical reading.