Critical Reading Strategies

In order to successfully engage in effective research and effective writing, it is essential to sharpen your critical reading skills. As a critical reader you are not a passive participant, but an active constructor of meaning as you evaluate not only what the text says, but also how and why it says it. For the non-critical reader many texts offer “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”, but for the critical reader any given text is but one person’s interpretation and portrayal of the subject matter. The following are some helpful hints to improve your critical reading skills.

·         Questioning.  Before you begin reading, identify the questions which you expect the text to address.  For example, are you reading to gain general information about a topic?  Are you reading to learn more about a specific methodology?  Are you reading to look for validation of a theory?  The questions that you pose will shape how you read and take notes.

·         Previewing. Previewing or pre-reading the text allows you to look over the material and get a feel for what you will be reading, allowing you to skim the content and organization of the text before reading in depth. This step allows you to identity why you are reading, what you are looking for, and how you will use what you will read.

·         Contextualizing. To read critically you must understand the the context (socially, politically, historically, etc.) in which the text was written. Take the time to recognize the context, purpose, and intended audience to better understand the author’s authority and agenda for writing this particular text.  Even in scientific research-based articles, the author is often adding new information to a “conversation” within a field or sub-field.  Understanding the academic conversation that has already occurred around the topic will inform your understanding of the new text.

·         Annotating.  Annotate based on the questions that you initially posed about the text.  In many situations, outlining the text’s main ideas and arguments in your own words will help you clarify your understanding of the text.  In some cases, you may only need to take notes on specific topics (for example, methodology) rather than the text as a whole.   It is also often helpful to dot down questions as they arise throughout the text.  These new questions may lead to a re-reading of the text, further research, or discussion with your advisor or other graduate students.

·         Analyzing. This involves evaluating the author’s argument by breaking it down into its two essential parts: a claim and support (often identified as the evidence or data) . A critical reader, rather than accepting the text at face value, takes the time to deconstruct the arguments being made and to assess if the support is appropriate to the claim.

·         Re-reading. Re-reading is a great opportunity to clarify, summarize, categorize, and organize information. This process allows for different levels of focus, breaking the text down to examine separate parts of arguments and how they come together to form the basis of the author’s thesis. In re-reading, you are giving yourself a richer and more meaningful engagement with and understanding of the text.

To learn more about these tips and other approaches to critical reading, please check out the information on critical reading consultations, workshops, and resources for graduate students at that the University of Guelph has to offer at the following link: http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/assistance/learning_services/graduates/critical_reading.cfm

This post was adapted from Salisbury University’s ‘7 Critical Reading Strategies’ (http://www.salisbury.edu/counseling/new/7_critical_reading_strategies.html), ‘Critical Reading: Deep Reading Strategies for Expository Texts’ by Jonathan LeMaster (http://www.cojusd.org/cms/lib2/CA01001709/Centricity/Domain/198/AVID%20Critical%20Reading.pdf), University of Minnesota’s ‘Student Writing Support quicktips: Critical Reading Strategies’ (http://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/criticalread.pdf), ‘How the Language Really Works: The Fundamentals of Critical Reading and Effective Writing’ by Dan Kurland (http://www.criticalreading.com/), and Colorado State University’s ‘Writing@CSU Guide: Critical Reading’ (http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=31).