CRITICAL READING &CRITICAL ANALYSISGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Checkpoint

1.Paraphrase information you just read in your course text?2.Summarize a case study presented in a research article?3.Write a movie review for a graduate class?4.Prepare a book review?5.Recite a famous speech?6.Work some problems in statistics?7.Make a timeline for the development of the English language?8.Use a microscope to see what kinds of markings an onion skin has.9.Identify a fellow student by name? 10.Translate a story from Bahasa Melayu to English?Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Critical reading?How do you approach reading an academic text in your field?Like a story (linear)?Beginning/End/Middle?With a purpose to:Remember?Understand?Judge / evaluate?

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Critical Reading? Some Possible ApproachesUse parts of the text: abstract, contents, index, sub-headings, graphs, tables, introduction and conclusionSkim to get the gist of the argumentRead with questions in mindMake notes/mind map/ use highlighterWrite a summary in your own wordsWrite a brief critical responseKeep note of bibliographic details

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As a critical reader, one evaluates the attempts of others to communicate with and convince their target audience by means of developing an argument.

As a writer, one develops one's own argument, making it as strong and as clear as possible, so as to communicate with and convince one's target audience.

Wallace and Wray, 2006Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

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"Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous." -- Confucius

Critical Thinking?

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Critical thinkingWord critical has positive and negative meaningsThe word critical in academia describes your attitude when reading an article/chapterBeing critical means weighing up the arguments for and against a particular point.

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Critical thinking begins when you question beyond what is given.You want to know more: how something happens why it happens what will happen if something changes Critical thinking requires a conscious level of processing, analysis, creation and evaluation of possible outcomes, and reflection.

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If youre a critical thinker, you think.You are willing to examine your beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts. You are willing to evaluate the generalizations and stereotypes you have created and are open to change, if necessary.

.No surprises?.Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Critical thinkers listen carefully.If youre a critical thinker, you listen carefully to what others are saying and are able to give feedback. You are able to suspend judgment until all the facts have been gathered and considered.

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Critical thinkers look for evidenceIf youre a critical thinker, you look for evidence to support your assumptions and beliefs. You examine problems closely and are able to reject information that is incorrect or irrelevant. Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Through experience, as a critical thinker, you will: identify information that is being put forth as an argument and break it down to its basic components for evaluation. construct alternative interpretations be willing to explore diverse perspectives be willing to change personal assumptions when presented with valid information be willing to ask difficult questions and the ability to receptive to opposing viewpoints.Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Critical thinkers are curious.They are interested in knowing all there is about a topic. They look for new and better ways to do everything. They are not the person who will settle for because that is the way we have always done it.

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DefinitionsCritical thinking is . . .

Thinking outside the box

Divergent thinking

Forming logical inferences

Limitless thinking

Higher level thinking involving:Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Evaluating

Analyzing

Synthesizing

Forming opinions

Assessing

Rating

Making inferences

Drawing conclusions

Critiquing

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BLOOMS TAXONOMY A HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE LEVELS OF THINKING drawing conclusions, forming opinions SYNTHESISredesigning, recreating, putting back together in a different way

ANALYSISexamining, taking apart, breaking down

APPLICATIONusing knowledge & comprehension; solving problems

COMPREHENSIONunderstanding, paraphrasing, interpreting

KNOWLEDGEnaming, recognizing, identifying, recalling, reciting, etc.EVALUATIONcritiquing, rating, grading, assaying, assessing, inferring,SIMPLECOMPLEXGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Understanding Blooms Taxonomy. . . a hierarchy is a sequential organization

. . . it progresses upward from simple to complex

. . . each level builds upon the preceding level(s)

. . . an appropriate concept map of Blooms Taxonomy is pyramidal in shape, beginning at the base with knowledge and progressing upward

. . . at the highest levels there is no 1 right answer

Ex.: What is your opinion of . . .? What conclusions can you draw from . . .? How would you rate the movie . . .? Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

CheckpointWhich level of Blooms Taxonomy are you thinking on when you . . .

1.Paraphrase information you just read in your history textbook?2.Summarize a case study presented in clinical psychology ?3.Write a movie review for English class?4.Prepare a book review?5.Recite the Gettysburg Address?6.Work some problems in math?7.Make a timeline for the historical period referred to as The Stormy Sixties?8.Use a microscope to see what kinds of markings an onion skin has.9.Identify a fellow student by name? 10.Translate a story from Polish to English?Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Checkpoint AnswersComprehension. Paraphrasing is a simple rewording of information. Rephrase the information for clarification or improved understanding.Synthesis. Summarizing requires weeding out of non-essential information then putting the remaining information together sequentially.Evaluation.Requires opinion. Reading and reacting to the facts presented.Evaluation. Calls for ones personal response to ideas presented, style of presentation, etc.Knowledge. Rote memory requires little if any thinking. It is simply recall of sequential presentation of information.Application. Paraphrasing in graphic formata step above comprehension.Synthesis. Requires weeding out and organizing in order to chronologically arrange events.Analysis. Examinationexactly what analysis is!Knowledge. Putting name and face togetherlow-level skill.Comprehension. Being able to translate indicates understanding (of language and material!)Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Why Is Critical Thinking Important?It . . .

. . . underlies reading, writing, listening and speakingbasic elements of communication

. . . plays an important part in social change. . .institutions in any societycourts, governments, schools, businessesare the products of critical thinking

. . . plays a major role in technological advances

. . . blazes a path to freedom from half-truths and deceptionsGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

How Can One Become a Critical Thinker?By asking pertinent questions (of self as well as others);

By assessing statements and arguments;

By developing a sense of observation and curiosity;

By becoming interested in finding new solutions;

By examining beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weighing them against truth.By developing a thinkers vocabulary.

By listening carefully to others, thinking about what they say, and giving feedback;

By observing with an open mind;

By making assertions based on sound logic and solid evidence;

By sharing ideas with others;

By becoming an open-minded listener and reader;

By engaging in active reading and active listening!Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Everyone thinksEveryone thinks. It is in our nature to do so. But so much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, or downright prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce depends on the quality of our thought.

-Richard Paul

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How to think criticallyBe persistent consider an issue carefully more than onceLook at the evidence for a viewpoint evaluate it what are they trying to sell me?What are the implications of a view point is it realistic and rational?Knowing facts and what is right is not what academics is aboutIt is important to identify strengths, satisfactory points and weaknesses when being critical then you must know why this is soYou should be critical when reading, writing and listening

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How to think analyticallyThink about the view point in relation to the bigger picture stand backCompare the same issue from the point of other authors do their views differ?Should be able to see why authors have arrived at different conclusionsYou should be able to argue why you think one set of view points is preferable to anotherYou should be analytical when reading, writing and listening

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Barriers to critical and analytical thinkingBeing critical does not just mean to criticiseOur reasoning skills are not objective we are biased ourselvesReluctance to criticise expertsWanting to know what is right and wrongNot reading deeply enough around a subject surface knowledge

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Critical and analytical thinkingNever take anything you have read or been told as given question everythingUse evidence and theory to back up all of your arguments and statements do not simply describe; analyse and criticiseBeing analytical and critical is hard work but the more you practice the easier it will becomeThe more you read the easier it will be to think critically and analyticallyBe confident in what you are arguing and why you are arguing it

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ConclusionCritical thinking is higher level thinkingIt often requires us to think outside the boxMany occupations/careers require critical thinkingThe things we enjoy in everyday society are the result of critical thinkingBy adopting certain habits and behaviors we can learn to think critically.

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Critical and analytical readingPrepare for critical reading skim read the introduction and conclusionFind the conclusions first to help clarify the rest of the readingWhat is the underlying argument/ view point?Question hidden agendas or assumptionsTheory can help fill in the gaps what is theory? - set of ideas to explain why something happens and predict outcomes in the futureArguments are often based on theory but an argument is not always a theoryGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Critical and analytical readingWhere is the evidence for a view point?Check references are they presented accurately and are they credible? - evaluate that evidence date, source, bias, statisticsDoes the evidence support the conclusions made?Taking notes that support critical readingRead without a pen in your hand to avoid taking down lots of unnecessary notesForm a set of questions to help you think more deeply about what you have read

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Critical and analytical readingStatement: Childhood is fluid and is represented differently within the various institutions in our society; these representations change over time.

Form a Question Bank: Why? What does this really mean? Do the reasons support the argument? Is there any supporting evidence? Does this match what I know about the subject already? Does it fit in with what other people have said on the subject? Is this relevant and useful to my current purpose? How does this add to previous research on the subject? Are there any flaws in this? What is the author trying to sell me?You can apply these questions and similar ones to all of your arguments and essays to encourage you to question why things are the way they are before, during and after readingQuestioningGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Critical AnalysisCritical analysis is the process of systematically examining research evidence to assess its validity, results, and relevance before using it to inform a decision (Hill and Spittlehouse, 2001, p.1).

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Critical Analysis Critical analysis is an essential step in the process of putting research into practice. Asking questions about an articles research methodology, scrutinizing its data collection and analysis methods, and evaluating how its findings are presented will help you to determine whether that articles conclusions should influence practical decision-making.Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Questions to AskWhat kind of reports do I want?

Is this article relevant to my issue and setting?

How much detail do I need?

How comprehensive do I need to be?

How far back should I search?

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Questions to AskIs it of interest?Why was it done? How was it done?What has been found?What are the implications?What else is of interest?

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Questions to AskThe abstractUse the information found in the abstract to answer the questions below: Are your issues discussed there? What are the main findings of the research? Do you want to know more after reading the abstract? Was the research done in a similar setting to yours? Does it address a related question? (Even research that covers your issue indirectly can be useful.) Are there reasons to doubt the findings without reading the whole article?Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Questions to Ask

You may conclude that the study is not reliable merely by reading the abstract.

If this is the case, move on to another article!

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Questions to AskWhy was it done?IntroductionShould have a clear statement of the purpose of the study.Focus on the time, place and circumstances of the population and setting studied.How similar or different is the study population or setting to yours? Is a difference likely to matter for the issue at hand?The absence of such statements can imply that the authors had no clear idea of what they were trying to find out.

Or they didnt find anything but wanted to publish!

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Questions to AskHow was it done?Brief but should include enough detail to enable one to judge quality.Must include who was studied and how they were recruited.Basic demographics must be there. How the data was collected (interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, surveys, observations, etc.).

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Results Three broad issues need to be considered in the results of the study :

Are the results of the study valid?What are the results?Will the results help locally

The major challenge.

What do I think this really means?

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Questions to AskResults

What has it found?The data should be there -- statistics.Is the sample large enough to produce significant results? Is the effect size clinically or operationally relevant?Are the aims in the introduction addressed in the results?Look for illogical sequences, bland statements of results. Flaws and inconsistencies.All research has some flaws , the impact of the flaws need to assessed.

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Questions to AskHow good are the measures? Do the measures accurately reflect what the researcher was trying to measure (validity)? How clear and appropriate are these measures? Too broad? Too narrow? Are they actual measures or proxy measures? Are the measures well established in either prior research or through pilot testing?Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

Questions to Ask DiscussionThe discussion section is more detailed and precise than the abstract, and will explain:A review of how these results compare or contrast with prior research? If this report found something different from most similar reports.The limitations of the research and possible implications which are not mentioned in the abstract.

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Questions to Ask ImplicationsWhat are the implications?Abstract / Discussion.The whole use of research is how far the results can be generalised.All authors will tend to think their work is more important than the rest of us!What is new here?What does it mean for language learning?Is it relevant to my area of specialization?Guardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

ABSTRACT 1

Effects of Collaborative Peer Tutoring on Urban Seventh Graders, by Roswal, Mims, Evans, Smith, Young, Burch, Croce, Horvat & Block, (1995), cited in Patten, M.L., Educational & Psychological Research (1997), p. 144.

The effects of a collaborative peer tutor teaching program on the self-concept and school-based attitudes of seventh-grade students at a large urban junior high school were exploredThe study consisted of the 282 subjects enrolled in the seventh grade at a large urban junior high school. A self-concept scale was used to measure self-concept in [subjects. Another] scale was used to measure student tendency to drop out of school. Data were collected at two points during the semester. A post hoc analysis of subjects revealed that students in the program demonstrated significant improvement in dropout tendenciesGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

ABSTRACT 2Quality of the Literacy Environment in Day Care and Childrens Development, by Dunn, Beach & Kontos, cited in Patten, M.L., Educational & Psychological Research (1997), p. 88.

The purpose of this study was to explore the environment for literacy in day care centers, its relationship with traditional measures of daycare quality and its influence on childrens cognitive and language development. Observation of the environments in the 30 community-based day care classrooms sampled revealed relatively impoverished environments. Correlation and multiple regression analysis indicated that settings of higher day care quality also had higher quality environmentsGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

ABSTRACT 3Further Validation of the Self-defeating Personality Scale, by McCutcheon, cited in Patten, M.L., Educational & Psychological Research (1997), p. 101.

In a sample of 31 women and 35 men, those who scored higher on the Self-defeating Personality Scale reported having dropped out of useful activities more often and scored as less assertive on the Assertiveness Self-report Inventory. Women were more likely than men to report having experienced at least one self-defeating relationship. Attempts to replicate gender differences reported earlier were partially successful. The results provide additional validation for the Self-defeating Personality ScaleGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

ABSTRACT 4Learning on the Job: An Analysis of the Acquisition of a Teachers Knowledge, by Schempp, cited in Patten, M.L., Educational & Psychological Research (1997), p. 1.

The study analyzed the criteria used by an experienced teacher to acquire the knowledge necessary to teach. An interpretive analytic framework and case study methodology were used in this yearlong project with a midcareer teacher. Data were collected using a variety of ethnographic techniques, including: nonparticipant observations, artifact and document analysis, stimulated recall from videotapes, and formal and informal interviewsGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

ABSTRACT 5Mothers Expectations for Their Adolescent Children: A Comparison Between Families with Disabled Adolescents and Those with Non-Labeled Adolescents, by Lehman & Baker, cited in Patten, M.L., Educational & Psychological Research (1997), p. 33.

little is known about parents expectations for their adolescent children in the areas of future living arrangements, employment/education goals, and social relationships. The researchers also wanted to know if there were differences in the expectations of mothers of adolescents with severe disabilities and mothers of non-labeled adolescents. Forty mothers were interviewed and the data were analyzedGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

ABSTRACT 6Dropping Out: Another Side of the Story, by Okey & Cusick, cited in Patten, M.L., Educational & Psychological Research (1997), p. 13.

This study examines the school perspective of a set of families whose children dropped out. Working from audiotape-recorded interviews with 3 or more members of 12 families, the researchers describe a perspective that included a jaundiced view of education, a hostile view toward schooling, and a history of poor school performance at least two generations oldGuardian of The NationMengilham harapan, mencipta masa depanInspiring Futrures, Inspiring Possibilities

FinnCritical Readin g

****Not just the bad parts

**Need to fully understand an argument before you can be critical be confidentEvaluate=what is the value/effectiveness of something, inc. own opinion and supporting each point with evidenceQuestion the credibilityYou are just assessing ideas not learning the answersOnly want informed opinions*Think about your readings together, put into contextYou should be asking why a conclusion has been made need full understanding for this*Not always black and white there are lots of grey areas in academicsBeing analytical and critical is hard work, you have to read carefully and widely*Brainstorm activityDr Samira alsenanyDr Samira alsenanyDr Samira alsenany