How to read Critically

Critical reading means thinking carefully about an author’s claims, rather than accepting these claims at face value.

It requires several skills:

· identifying the claims or arguments of a text;

· evaluating the logic of these arguments;

· determining whether the author has presented sufficient and valid evidence in support of these arguments; and

· considering alternative evidence and arguments that might challenge the author’s claims.

Why bother? Because if you don’t read critically, you may miss the main arguments of the text, or – worse – your opinions may be influenced by bogus arguments.

Critical reading is one aspect of critical thinking, which is the ability to evaluate arguments and reach your own well-reasoned conclusions. In fact, critical thinking may be the single most important skill that you can acquire in your undergraduate education – regardless of your major. In both your professional and your personal life, you will likely be called upon to separate strong from weak arguments, to develop your own opinions based on evidence and careful reasoning, and to sort through and make sense of a confusing mass of information. Critical thinking and reading skills will allow you to do this.

So, how can you learn to read critically?

It’s not hard, and it gets easier with practice. Here’s what to do:

When you begin each of the readings for this course, keep the following questions in mind, which you can remember by thinking about the word C-L-E-A-R:

1. Claims: What are the main claims or arguments in the text? What is the author’s main point?

2. Logic: How does the author reach these conclusions? What are the steps in the author’s reasoning or logic? Is this logic sound?

3. Evidence: What evidence does the author present to support the argument(s)? Does the author offer enough evidence? Is this evidence convincing? Can you think of any counter-evidence that would challenge the author’s claims?

4. Assumptions: Does the author rely on hidden assumptions? If so, are these assumptions correct?

5. Alternative arguments: Can you think of alternative arguments that the author has not considered?

That’s it. Once you get into the habit of critical reading, you will automatically ask yourself these questions – and you’ll be better off for it.

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