Critical reading and listening are activities that require communicators toÌýmove beyond superficial engagementÌýandÌýanalysisÌýwith a text or speaker. This handout is designed to explain the benefits of developing critical reading and listening skills, and it provides concrete strategies you can use in the classroom or during research.
Critical reading
Critical reading is an important activity inÌýevaluatingÌýwritten arguments. It helps with the following activities:
- ExaminingÌýthe evidence and logic
- AssessingÌýexternal influences on the argument
- InvestigatingÌýthe limitations of the study or text
- EvaluatingÌýthe interpretation and facts presented
- DecidingÌýto what extent you accept the validity of the argument and conclusion
While many people undertake reading as a passive activity (by simply scanning the text), you can get more from your readings when youÌýactively engageÌýwith the presented material. Critical reading offers the following benefits:
- It promotesÌýcomprehension and absorptionÌýof material
- It provides aÌýcontextÌýfor facts, events, and people
- It ensures that knowledge is judged on itsÌýmerits
- It improvesÌýconcentration
- It demonstrates your ability to perform anÌýessential academic skill
Passive reading vs. critical (active) reading
Passive reading
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Purpose:Ìýbasic grasp of a text
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Activity:Ìýabsorbing; understanding
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Focus:Ìýwhat a text says
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Questions:ÌýWhat information does the text have? What information can I get out of the text?
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Direction:Ìýaccepting the text
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Purpose:Ìýrestatement; summary
Active reading
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Purpose:Ìýjudgments about how a text works
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Activity:Ìýanalyzing; interpreting; evaluating
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Focus:Ìýwhat a text does and means
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Questions:ÌýHow does the text work? How is it argued? What choices does the author make? What patterns are present? What kinds of reasoning and evidence are used? What are the underlying assumptions? What does the text mean?
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Direction:Ìýchallenging the text
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Purpose:Ìýdescription; interpretation; evaluation
Steps in critical reading
- Skimming
- ReviewÌýtext prior to class
- Look atÌýkey words,Ìýtitles,Ìýheadings,Ìýphrases,Ìýdates, andÌýplaces
- Annotating
- Read actively: talk back to the text
- WriteÌýnotesÌýin the margins
- UnderlineÌýimportant ideas
- HighlightÌýmemorable images
- MarkÌýthesisÌýandÌýkey words
- UnderlineÌýsources
- IdentifyÌýconfusing sections
- Summarizing
- ParaphraseÌýthe overall idea
- SelectÌýkey wordsÌýfrom the text
- Outline the writer'sÌýarguments
- Analyzing
- Determine the overallÌýmeaningÌýof the text
- Consider whether and howÌýevidenceÌýrelates to the overall message
- EvaluateÌýthe significance of the evidence
- Pair yourÌýanalysisÌýwithÌýexamples/evidence
- Judge theÌýcredibilityÌýof the text and its author(s)
- Re-reading
- First reading:ÌýskimÌýfor main ideas
- Second reading:ÌýreflectÌýon text
- Third reading:ÌýanswerÌýquestions
Critical listening
It is as important to listen critically as it is to read critically. Critical listening is a process forÌýunderstandingÌýwhat is said andÌýevaluating,Ìýjudging, andÌýforming an opinionÌýon what you hear. The listenerÌýassessesÌýthe strengths and weaknesses of the content,ÌýagreesÌýorÌýdisagreesÌýwith the information, andÌýanalyzesÌýandÌýsynthesizesÌýmaterial.
Critical listening strategies
- FindÌýareas of interestÌýin the material you're listening to
- Reserve judgment: recognize yourÌýemotional biases
- Work at listening:Ìýmentally summarizeÌýandÌýreviewÌýwhat is being said,ÌýorganizeÌýinformation, and findÌýconnectionsÌýto what you already know
- AvoidÌýdistractionsÌý(internal or external)
- Listen for and noteÌýmain ideas; focus onÌýcentral themes