All Flashcards
What is critical reading?
Active engagement with a text to understand its components, purpose, assumptions, and context.
Define active reading.
Reading with a specific purpose, actively seeking information and understanding from the text.
What is scanning in critical reading?
Quickly reading a text to get a general sense of the content and main points.
Define skimming.
Reading a text to identify specific information or key points without reading every word.
What is annotating?
Writing on the text itself to highlight, underline, and jot down notes or questions.
What is 'line of reasoning'?
How the author constructs their argument; the logical connections between claims and evidence.
Define 'context' in critical reading.
The academic, historical, or social environment in which the author is writing.
What are assumptions?
Fundamental ideas or beliefs the author relies on, which may or may not be explicitly stated.
What is 'tone' in a text?
The author's attitude toward their subject; can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Define 'perspective' in critical reading.
The author's viewpoint or lens through which they present their argument.
Why is identifying the main idea crucial?
It helps understand the author's primary argument or thesis.
How does understanding tone aid critical reading?
It reveals the author's attitude toward the subject, influencing interpretation.
What is the importance of identifying assumptions?
It helps assess the validity of the author's argument by questioning underlying beliefs.
Why is understanding context important?
It reveals how the academic, historical, or social environment shapes the author's argument.
How does perspective influence an argument?
It determines the lens through which the author views and presents the information.
What does a strong line of reasoning ensure?
It ensures the argument is logically sound and free of weak links.
Why is it important to evaluate evidence?
To verify the sources and credibility of the information used to support claims.
What should you look for when identifying the main idea?
The thesis statement, claim, or overall message of the author.
Why is identifying assumptions important?
To understand the foundation of the author's argument and assess its validity.
How does context shape an argument?
It influences the author's perspective and the evidence they choose to present.
What should you consider when evaluating evidence?
The sources used, the credibility of those sources, and how the evidence supports the claims.
What does a strong line of reasoning entail?
Clear and logical connections between claims and evidence, with no weak links.