Critical Reading and Reasoning

WEEK 4:
READING AND
WRITING
OBJECTIVES:
1.
2
USING CRITICAL
READING FOR
THINKING AND
REASONING
We read everyday. From day in to day
out, consciously or unconsciously, we
grab or check any written material, read
it to satisfy our certain needs. But are we
convinced that this act leads us to look
for, analyze and evaluate a text/context?
Deborah Knott 2012 of New
College Writing Centre expressed in
writing that as a reader, you are not
a passive participant, but an active
constructor of meaning.
CRITICAL READING
 is dissecting a reading material.
 It is the art of asking the text,
“Why did it happen? How did it
happen? What should have been
done instead, or be done
thereafter?, etc.”
CRITICAL READING
 Engaging in analytic activity
which involves the reader by
asking questions about the text
and the author’s claim.
CRITICAL READING
 If this skill is well-developed,
nurtured and enhanced, the
reader is obviously challenged to
reason out and justify for her
thoughts, ideas and decisions.
Some authorities share their piece
of knowledge about the significance
of reading and ways how to develop
thinking and reasoning.
Baraceros (2005) expressed that
critical reading is necessary for the
students to know how to examine
critically what they see, feel and read
to be able to make good judgement or
decisions for the welfare of their
countrymen.
Anthony Shadid 2012, a journalist,
articulated that to non-critical readers,
many texts offer the truth, and nothing
but the truth. To the critical reader, any
single text provides but one portrayal
of the facts, on individual’s “take” on
the subject.
Kurland (2010) noted that to non-
critical readers, texts provide facts.
Readers gain knowledge by
memorizing the statements within a
text. Critical readers thus recognize not
only what the text says, but also how
that text portrays the subject matter.
According to him, there are three steps or modes of
analysis which are reflected in three types of
reading and discussion:
What a text says – restatements (talks about the
same topic as the original text)
What a text does – description (discussion aspects
of discussion itself)
What a text means – interpretation (analyzes the text
and asserts a meaning for the text as a whole.
SOME
TECHNIQUES TO
DEVELOP
A. THINKING
It is the act of constructing and
deconstructing ideas in both spoken
and written form based on a given
context.
1. Check and analyze the title. Read
further how it is developed and/or
argued in the succeeding statement.
2. Identify the aim of the text. Make
initial arguments about its context.
3. Skim the reading material and
give focus on the entire body.
Identify what might have caused
certain issues/situations and offer
feasible solutions.
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4. Make some relevant associations of
the text to your life. In the course of
making connections, the reader may
either be sympathetic or apathetic
depending on the experiences he/she
may have had which are relevant to the
text.
5. Evaluate the reading material.
Ascertain if the entire text calls
for a debate and eventually come
up with a sound
decision/judgement.
B. REASONING
It is the process of expressing ideas

and opinions as well as justifying a
stand based on prior and existing
knowledge and experiences needed to
arrive at a decision.
B. REASONING
It is an act of giving statements
for justification and explanation. It
is the ability of someone to
defend something by giving out
reasons.
1. Dare to read everyday. Citing
relevant ideas of experts and
authorities in reading materials
definitely help strengthen one’s
stance of an issue.
21
2. Learn to focus to the main ideas
(explicit or implied) and supporting
details mentioned in the argument.
3. Examine the pros and cons of your
argument/resolution. This will help you
weave the flow of your thoughts
presented.
4. Organize your thoughts. Arrange
ideas either in chronological order
or by emphasis (general to specific
or vice versa). Once organized, oral
or written expression becomes
meaningful.
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5. Note points for improvement. After
having justified an issue, recheck your
stand based on your power to
convince the reader/audience.
Moreover, practice, practice so that
you become conscious of becoming
better every time you reason out.
EVALUATION
GUIDE FOR
CRITICAL
READING
ELEMENTS FOR EXPLANATION GUIDE
EVALUATION
This is the substance of the text.
Are the input/ideas present
comprehensive – covering the
CONTENT breadth and depth of the text? Is
it comprehensible?
As a whole, is it appealing to the
reader?
OBJECTIVITY This is the stand of the author
about an issue/article.
Are facts presented? Does it
present both sides of the
argument? Does the author
possess ethical and moral
consideration in his/her
article?
SIGNIFICANCE This is the intention, the entire
meaning and the value of the
issue/article to the reader’s
life.
Can the reader readily connect
the issues to his/her life? Is it
open for interaction? How is it
valuable to the reader?
STEPS USED IN CRITICAL READING
AS REASONING
1. IDENTIFYING ASSERTIONS
Identify a common type of assertion
such as fact, convention, opinion and
preference
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AS REASONING
2. FORMULATING A COUNTERCLAIM
Counterclaims are made to rebut a
previous claim
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AS REASONING
3. DETERMINING EVIDENCE
Evidence are the details given by the
authors to support his/ her claims.
31
When you write your
counterclaim, you are
expressing unfavorable
statements. It is needed to use
hedges, words or phrases that
give a courteous tone.
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DIFFERENT FORMS OF HEDGES
MODALS: may, could, would, should,
might, certain, must
FREQUENCY ADVERBS:
usually, generally, commonly
PROBABILITY ADVERBS: probably,
possibly, presumably
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Give a counterclaim for the following
statements using hedges:
1. Vaccination is mandatory for 18
years old and above.
2. Registered voters think intellectually
in choosing their leaders.
3. HUMSS students are future teachers
and leaders.
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WEEK 4:

It is the process of expressing ideas

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