Reading critically – Analytical reading
By Roger McCoy, UofU Geography Department, retired
Used with permission
Ref: R.B. Axelrod and C.R. Cooper, 1987, Reading Critically, Writing Well, New York: St. Martins Press, 653 p.
I. Introduction
Critical reading is a rigorous process designed to test your patience and stretch your intellect. Readers should have in mind a strategy for critical reading that involves more than underlining or highlighting. Critical reading is an active process, and requires a pencil in hand with specific operations to perform while reading. Everyone should make an effort to learn and practice critical reading skills. Practice of critical reading will necessarily slow your rate of reading, but you will gain in the ability to evaluate the significance and quality of what you read. This will save you time in the long run.
Textbooks are designed to give you obvious clues about what topics and concepts are mot important. Most other writing requires you to find for yourself the cues that indicate important topics and statements. The best strategy for finding these cues is to adopt an attitude of active involvement with the author. Rather than passively listening to the author’s monologue, you should regard your reading as an active dialogue with the author and with other readers, i.e. other members of the class.
II. Consider this six-point strategy for learning and practicing critical reading:
1) Underline key words, phrases, and sentences and make a summarizing comment, word, or question in the margin.
2) Bracket [ ] important sections of text, and connect related ideas with arrows. Number related points in sequence.
3) Circle names or dates that you want to find quickly again.
4) Make a running outline of key ideas in the article in the margin.
5) Margin annotations, therefore, should include your reactions, comments, definitions, questions, and an outline.
1) Is the evidence reliable? Facts? Statistics? Examples?
2) Is the evidence appropriate? The right facts, statistics, examples, etc.?
3) Is the evidence consistent? All evidence should work together without self-contradictions.
III. Some critical reading questions to hold in your mind while reading.