The article started with an explanation : Critical reading means engaging in what you read by asking yourself questions such as, ‘what is the author trying to say?’ or ‘what is the main argument being presented?’ Honestly when I read, I read and I don't care what the author is trying to say, because if nobody understands what he tries to say, then I have my doubts about the book.
To read critically is to exercise your judgement about what you are reading – that is, not taking anything you read at face value. Of course not ! I love to read crime stories, but I would never give an advice, how the killer should proceed, or exercise judgements if he was right or wrong or if he should have used another method to make the crime perfect.
As a critical reader you should reflect on:
What the text says: after critically reading a book you should be able paraphrasing - in your own words - the key points. Of course I can, if the book was good I can summarise the whole story without any problem, and on demand I wouldn't say who was the killer.
Critical reading means being able to reflect on what a text says, what it describes and what it means by scrutinising the style and structure of the writing, the language used as well as the content.
Taking all this into consideration, I think I would rather go to see the film (if there is one)
In this description how you should read a book, I also learned that critical thinking is an extension of critical reading ! Who would have thought that ?
Thinking critically, involves being open-minded ??? If I think that my neighbor is too fat, and would tell it to her, I don't think she would appreciate very much my open minded critic.
Critical reading and critical thinking are therefore the very foundations of true learning and personal development. What a conclusion !!
This whole theory makes me think of a "Vernissage" where people stand in front of a painting and try to analyze the painting and what the painter has thought when he was painting his master piece. The painting consists of a white canvas on which is written "Landscape in snow" ! Nobody wants to be judged as stupid or not enough intellectual and tries to develop a philosophy about the white painting. The critics would find out what the painter had thought, while the painter stays in a corner and laughs his head off. He hadn't thought nothing.
Linking to : SOCS - Critical
I need some murder tips. What kind of a friend are you that you won't give me some?
ReplyDeleteSo your neighbour has a weight problem. You won't tell her but you tell the world, haha.
Critical thinking also requires the wisdom to know when to not say a word! :)
ReplyDeleteI’m definitely not good at critical reading :-)
ReplyDeleteCritical reading sounds a bit boring unless you are taking a literature class. Funny cartoons.
ReplyDeleteWe had to read books for our 'literature list' in school and we were required to do that critical reading. Absolutely loathed it and it took all the joy out of reading a certain type of book or genre. I still will not read Dutch books because of it, preferring to read an English translation instead if needed.
ReplyDeleteAs you say: I read a book because I like it or not and even though I have become a bit more of a critical reader over time, that is mainly with books like '1984' or 'Brave New World'. Otherwise I have to enjoy a book, or I won't finish it at all.
I'm definitely not a critical reader and I try to keep my critical thoughts to myself. Good post and the graphics.
ReplyDeleteSometimes all this critical reading and thinking gets a bit too much. Some writers have something to say and some are just telling a story. I don't think that people should try to 'read' into the writer's mind.
ReplyDeleteI’m not a critical reader “or even a critical person as long as everybody does just what I want them to do ;)).
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