© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Chapter 10: Critical Thinking and Reading College Reading and Study Skills, Ninth Edition

© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

Chapter 10: Critical Thinking and Reading

College Reading and Study Skills,

Ninth Edition

by Kathleen T. McWhorter


Objectives:

This chapter will show you how to improve your critical reading skills by reacting to and analyzing what you read.

You will learn to make inferences, ask critical questions, and analyze arguments.

LEARNING PRINCIPLE: Elaborating—or thinking about and reacting to what you read—helps you remember more of what you read and will prepare you to write about and discuss the ideas.


MAKING INFERENCES

An inference is a reasoned guess about what you don’t know based on what you do know.

Authors do not always directly state what they mean. Instead, they may only hint at or suggest an idea.


Making Inferences

“As Agatha studied Agnes, she noticed that her eyes appeared misty, her lips trembled slightly, and a twisted handkerchief lay in her lap.”

Inference: Agnes is upset and on the verge of tears.


How to Make Inferences

Understand the literal meaning first. Ask yourself a question, such as “What is

the author trying to suggest?” Use clues provided by the writer’s choice of

words. Consider the author’s purpose. Look back at the facts to verify your

inference.


Asking Questions: The Key to Critical Thinking What is the source of the material?

What are the author’s qualifications?

Is the material fact or opinion?

What is the author’s purpose?

Is the author biased?

What is the tone?


Fact or Opinion?

Facts– The costs of medical care increase every year.– More than one million teenagers become

pregnant every year.

Opinions– Government regulation of our private lives

should be halted immediately!– By the year 2025, most Americans will not be

able to afford routine health care.


What Is the Author’s Purpose?

Consider the source and intended purpose. Is it biased?

Consider the point of view or perspective from which an article or essay is written.

Decide whether the writer tries to prove anything about the subject.


Is the Author Biased?

Pay attention to emotional language. Notice descriptive language. How does the

author make you feel? Look for opposing viewpoints. If there are

none, it is biased.


What Is the Tone?

It reveals feelings, attitudes, or viewpoints not directly stated by the author.

The author uses word choice, sentence patterns, and length to establish tone.

Bias can be revealed by his or her tone.


ANALYZING ARGUMENTS

An argument takes one position on an issue and provides reasons and evidence that the claim is sound or believable.– All handguns should be legal.– No handguns should be legal.– Some handguns should be legal for certain

individuals.


Types of Evidence

Facts Personal Experience Examples Statistics Comparisons and Analogies Appeal to Authority Cause-Effect Relationships

Determine if the evidence

is relevant and sufficient.


Questions to Ask about Arguments

What is the issue? What is the claim? What types of evidence are used? Is the evidence convincing? Is there sufficient evidence? What other types of evidence could have

been used to strengthen the argument?


Summary Questions

How can you learn to make better inferences?

How can you become a critical reader? What is the key to analyzing arguments? What are the common types of evidence

used in arguments?


Take a Reading Road Trip!

Take a trip to the AMERICAN SOUTHWEST and visit the Critical Thinking module on your CD-ROM.

Documents

© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Chapter 10: Critical Thinking and Reading College Reading and Study Skills, Ninth Edition