Chapter 4

Chapter four focuses on reading critically. To read critically, you must read with an attitude. You can do this by skimming, reading for meaning, rereading passages, underlining and highlighting text, and taking notes. The difference between reading critically and evaluating is that reading critically is questioning and thinking about what has been read, rather than determining how reliable the source is. Reading the topic critically will help develop and refine the position being taken. The reading attitude will differ and change throughout the research writing process when reading critically. It is important to stay thinking critical, regardless of where you are in the process. This means to accept nothing for exactly what it is, to ask questions, and look for similarities and differences between sources. It is not uncommon to run into unreliable information and sources. It is also very important to stay open-minded for different ideas and arguments. The next step is to read actively, which can include identifying key information, ideas, and arguments, writing down questions, writing down reactions to information, identifying important passages for future reading, etc. The three most important reading strategies are to mark sources, annotate sources, and take notes. Important things to pay attention to when reading actively are the type of sources, the author’s main point, reasons and evidence to support the point, ideas and information found difficult to understand, etc. Skipping over information that is hard to understand can blindside you in the future.