Critical reading involves analyzing information beyond the words, including tone and logic. Critical readers do not blindly accept what is written and need critical thinking skills. This skill requires a slower pace, note-taking, and analyzing whether information supports the writer’s claims. It needs to be consciously developed and works with critical thinking.
Critical reading is a skill whereby an individual consumes information more conscientiously and analytically. When reading this way, a person is not simply trying to understand and memorize what is written. Instead, it draws understanding of writings from factors such as tone, intention, and logic in addition to the words. A critical reader also avoids aimlessly accepting what is written as fact. To achieve these goals, a critical reader needs critical thinking skills.
When people read, they often see the words, try to understand them in the context in which they are written, and then remember them. When a person reads critically, he approaches the task with a more investigative attitude. Critical reading is a skill that involves a person gaining information from both what is written and what is not said. A person can use a variety of factors as clues, including the title, tone, or even intended audience.
Because critical readers tend to be more analytical than other readers, they are usually not easily convinced. While a writer may make certain statements as fact, critical readers keep their minds open, but do not accept what is written without objection. When engaged in critical reading, a person gains insight into what a writer means in addition to what he writes. The critical reader realizes that writers often have reasons. One of the reader’s goals, therefore, is to understand why a writer provided the information they provided.
For example, a particular book might be written in an attempt to dispel a common school of thought. In addition to determining why, critical reading involves analyzing whether the information provided supports the writer’s claims and intentions. A critical reader is aware of the reasons why he accepts or opposes the information presented.
This type of reading often involves reading the text at a slower pace. It is not uncommon for critical readers to take notes or refer to other works while reading a particular text. This skill can be employed for works of fiction and non-fiction.
Critical reading is a skill that often needs to be consciously developed. A person may assume, for example, that a student will naturally evolve into a critical reader due to the amount of information encountered. Many secondary education settings, however, find it necessary to allocate resources to help students hone these skills. Critical reading works in tandem with critical thinking, which also tends to require development. If a reader is unable to think critically, he will not have the ability to evaluate his own understanding of the material.
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