Reading Arguments: Thinking Like a Critic

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Reading Arguments Thinking Like a Critic

• Chapter Two

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What is Critical Reading?

• Asking Questions
• What is meant by that phrase?
• How is a claim supported?
• How are key terms defined, if at all?
• Why is a particular observation or example
  important?
• How is a conclusion arrived at?
• Do other experts agree?
• Is evidence up to date?

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Why Read Critically?

• Allows you to understand a writers point and the
  justification for their view
• Helps you better understand how arguments are
  made, which will sharpen your own argumentation
  and writing skills
• Enables you to get beyond your own opinions so
  that you can begin to form informed judgements

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Preview the Reading

• Who is the Writer?
• Where was article originally published?
  Credibility.
• When was the article originally published?
• How does the title signal the authors attitude
  and possible bias?

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Skim the Reading

• First reading to identify the thesis
• Identify main points of support
• Identify authors point-of-view or bias
• Second reading can then focus on the details how
  each point is supported.

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Binge Drinking Must be Stopped Henry Wechsler

• Who is author? Where and when published? Why
  relevent?
• Skim it what is thesis and main support?
• Now critically read it
• How are the main points of the argument
  supported?
• Does the writer write with a perceived bias?
• What is the writers purpose?

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Consider your own experience and knowledge of
subject

• When are your own experiences valid to bring up
  in your writing?
• If you have an authoritative knowledge of the
  subject
• If you have a compelling story and/or point of
  view
• For example, if you were in a Fraternity and
  witnessed binge drinking
• If your son or daughter died or were hospitalized
  as a result of binge drinking or died as a result
  of a car accident involving a binge drinker
• What is the value of anecdotal evidence?

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Annotate the Reading

• Highlight or underline key passages
• Write questions in the margins
• Circle words or phrases that you dont understand
• Jot down examples to support or challenge claims
• Draw lines between related ideas
• Observe transitions or qualifiers
• Mark difficult passages that need to be read
  again more carefully

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Summary

• Summary captures the thesis and essential ideas
  of a passage
• Shorter than original
• Written in your own words
• Objective
• Accurate
• Thorough
• If you summarize, be sure to cite your source in
  text (According to or in a bibliographical
  citation)

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Analyze and Evaluate Reading

• To analyze is to break something down into its
  parts and look carefully at those parts
  individually and how they fit together
• What assumptions are made?
• What kind of audience is being addressed?
• What is writers purpose?
• What kind of evidence and support is offered?
• Does the logic seem reasonable?
• Did the writer address opposing views?

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Argue with the Reading

• Just because something is published doesnt make
  it true you should always challenge and question
  what a speaker or writer says
• Strive to be objective in your analysis be aware
  of your own bias and strive to rise above it as
  you argue with the reading

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Examples of Arguing with the Text on Binge
Drinking

• Does binge drinking happen at all colleges or
  only some? What support is offered?
• Do all students engage in it or is it more common
  among certain groups, gender, frats, residents or
  non-residents?
• Do college students drink more than non-college
  students of same age group?
• Are colleges responsible for monitoring student
  behavior during non-class hours? Is it realistic
  to expect them to do so?
• Are colleges really in denial? Do they have
  counseling or police security to try and deal
  with it?
• Who is Wechslers audience and what is his
  purpose?

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Dialogue Two essays

• Reading two essays in conjunction allows you to
  see more than one perspective
• Compare and contrast the validity of the ideas

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Stop Babysitting College Students Froma Harrop

• Drinking IS a problem
• Colleges are responsible
• Colleges should prevent off-campus sales
• Colleges should provide a safe environment for
  students
• Binge drinking happens because colleges are not
  taking it seriously

• Drinking is NOT a problem
• Students are responsible
• Colleges should not police business or alcohol
  producers
• College students are adults and should take care
  of themselves
• Bing drinking happens because some students are
  not mature and havent learned to drink socially

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How do they agree?

• Both writers acknowledge that drinking takes
  place on college campuses but disagree about what
  should be done about it
• Both indicate that it can be a problem, although
  they disagree about the severity compared to
  other problems.
• Both agree that colleges are aware of binge
  drinking but disagree about whether colleges are
  responsible

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Deliberation

• After reading and analyzing a number of different
  points of view on the topic, deliberate
• How do they agree? Disagree?
• What arguments are most persuasive to you?
• Is there a solution that acknowledges the common
  agreements
• Write a deliberative paragraph on Binge Drinking
  using the essays in the chapter.

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