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Two Modes of Reading
It is helpful to think of critical reading as involving two modes of reading: re
ading with the author, or trying to completely understand the author‘s views, and reading the author critically
, or questioning the author‘s views. The first mode is necessary for the second to be possible. By reading in
two modes, you will be able to develop your own ideas and theories —but
only after thoroughly understanding the author‘s arguments.
a. Reading with
the author: understanding the author’s perspective
1. Make sure you truly understand the author‘s views and ideas.
Summarizing and paraphrasing hisher argument in your own words may be helpful at this stage.
2. Accept the author‘s ideas temporarily even if you disagree. Use
the author‘s ideas as a lens with which to look at your world, extending the author‘s theories with examples of your own that
are in agreement.
b. Reading the author critically: engaging the author in a dialogue
1. Looking through your own lens now, question and challenge the author. Some things to look for include: limitations, biases, faulty
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reasoning, questions left unaddressed, and problems with or alternate interpretations of the author‘s examples.
2. Now you can form your own ideas and theories. What parts of the author‘s ideas do you agree with? What parts would you revise?
What is your perspective?
While You Read: Strategis for Close Reading
Understanding a work that is challenging requires a close reading —one in
which we make decisions about what the text means as we read it, keep track of the author‘s ideas and points, and connect these new ideas with
what we already know. Marking up the text while we read facilitates this
process. Here are some suggested marks for things you should look for while you are reading but you should try to think of your own
Tabel 6 While You Read: Strategis for Close Reading
Look for .... Mark it with....
The main question or issue in each chapter or section
aim objective main Fundamental concepts and their
explanations or descriptions highlighting underlining
Important conclusions. You may use more than one to rank the
importance 3 -- X
Unclear or confusing parts, faulty logic
Q ? Supporting data or information
used as evidence evidence
Supporting data or information used as evidence
View point VP Problematic assumptions being
made Problematic prob
Greater implications of the argument or discussion
implication
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What does it mean to intepret a text critically?
It means being a discerning reader who:
questions what you read
thinks about what the author wants you to believe and works to convince you
decides whether the author‘s views are worthy of agreement
Asking questions about what you read requires your careful examination of the writer‘s claims, as well as the use and quality of the writer‘s supporting
evidence. As you interpret the text, you inevitably draw upon your own
experiences, as well as your knowledge of other texts. However, the basis of your analysis must be rooted in the text itself.
Here are some things to consider in your analysis:
the authority of the writer : Using both the information that you have
about the writer as a person training, political affiliation, life experiences, as well as clues from the language, tone and approach
of the text, decide whether the writer is credible. Is the writer knowledgeable? What biases or values may be playing a role in
hisher argument?
the logic of the writer’s argument : It is important to ask yourself what the writer wants you to believe and whether the reasons and
supporting evidence convince you of this viewpoint. Examine the credibility of the ―facts‖ as well as the line of reasoning that ties the
facts to the main assertion.
how the writer gets your interest : A writer may use one or more of
the following strategies to get the reader intellectually and emotionally involved in the text
:
1. Trying to get the reader to identify with the author or evoke respect for the authority of the author for example, through the tone
