Critical Reading Critical reading happens on three levels (not necessarily in this order): • Individual texts: critiquing them in their own right, on their own terms • Synthesis across texts: identifying developments, debates and schools of thought • Your use of texts: how are they relevant to your agenda? • You might explore
Three Domains of Critical Reading Validity: On its own terms Context: discipline/profession, authors, currency, bias What are they doing? Research Question/Aims/Hypothesis How did they do it? Methods, Models and Materials How do they know? Argument, evidence, logic and reasoning What do they say? Findings and conclusions Synthesis: In relation to others Relevance: Usefulness to you
Three Domains of Critical Reading What questions might you ask of the text you are reading in each section of the framework?
Three Domains of Critical Reading • You have been set the following essay question: • You have found three relevant texts. • Apply Dimension One to the first text, critiquing its validity on its own terms. • Apply dimension Two to the other two texts, to better understand the debate • Apply Dimension Three – what might you take from the texts to help you answer this question?
Three Domains of Critical Reading Validity: On its own terms Synthesis: In relation to others Relevance: Usefulness to you
Three Domains of Critical Reading Reflection: • How might you apply the framework when reading? • How might you use the framework when making notes?