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Chapter 11: Critical Reading
Breaking Through:
College Reading, 7/e
Brenda Smith
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What Critical Readers Do:
Use direct statements.
Make inferences.
Use prior knowledge.
Use language clues.
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Critical Readers Recognize
the Author's Purpose/Intent
To inform
To persuade
To entertain
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Critical Readers Recognize
the Author’s Point of View
Point of View: Author’s opinion or
position on the subject.
Bias:
an opinion or a judgment
has a negative connotation
associated with prejudice
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Critical Readers Recognize
the Author’s Tone/Attitude
Angry
Cheerful
Depressed
Distressed
Formal
Frustrated
Humorous
Objective
Optimistic
Pessimistic
Serious
Righteous
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Critical Readers Distinguish
Fact from Opinion
Fact: a statement
that can be
proven true or
false
Example: The
temperature in
the class is 78.
Opinion:a
statement of
feeling that
cannot be proven
right or wrong
Example: This
classroom is
always hot and
stuffy!
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Critical Readers Recognize Valid and
Invalid Support for Arguments
Fallacy: an error in Propaganda:where
reasoning that
fallacies are
can give an
prevalent,
illusion of support.
especially in
advertisements.
Example:
Everybody has
Example: Tiger
these shoes; so
Woods in an ad
should you.
for shoes.
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Fallacies in Argument
Testimonials
Bandwagon
Transfer
Straw person
Misleading analogy
Circular reasoning
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Testimonials
Celebrities who are not experts
state support.
Example: Tiger Woods appears
in television advertisements
endorsing a particular brand of
tennis shoes.
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Bandwagon
You will be left out if you do not
join the crowd.
Example: All the voters in the
district support Henson for
Senator.
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Transfer
A famous person is associated with
an argument.
Example: George Washington
indicated in a quote that he would
have agreed with us on this issue.
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Straw Person
A simplistic exaggeration is set up to
represent the argument.
Example: The professor replied, “If I
delay the exam, you’ll expect me to
change the due dates of all papers
and assignments.”
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Misleading Analogy
Two things are compared as
similar that actually are
distinctly different.
Example: Studying is like taking
a shower; most of the material
goes down the drain.
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Circular Reasoning
The conclusion is supported by
restating it.
Example: Papers must be
turned in on time because
papers cannot be turned in
late.
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Reading and Studying
Letters of Opinion
What event prompted the letter?
What is the thesis or opinion of the
author?
Do the details prove the opinion?
What is left out?
Are the sources, facts and
other
support credible?
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Evaluating Internet Information
What are the author’s credentials?
Who paid for the Web page?
What is the purpose of the Web
page?
How do the biases of the author
affect the material?
Is the reasoning sound?
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Summary Questions
What
What
What
What
What
do critical readers do?
is an author’s purpose or intent?
is the author’s point of view?
is bias?
is tone?
© 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.
Summary Questions
What
What
What
What
is
is
is
is
a fact?
an opinion?
a fallacy?
propaganda?
© 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.
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© 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.