To read critically means to carefully choose texts that add to your analysis of a topic or issue and to assess strengths and weaknesses of arguments or positions on a given topic. The first step to reading critically is to read "actively."
Active Reading: Deciding what to summarize for your annotation
- Preview the article, starting with the title
- Guess at what the thesis might be. Write that down.
- Find the thesis or main finding in the conclusion of the article. Confirm whether this matches your guess.
- Based on the “guess” of a thesis, scan the article for relevant evidence or support that would prove that thesis. (underline these ideas)
- Start reading the article from the beginning and underline thesis ideas when you see them.
- When you have finished reading and confirming your original guesses, write out the main idea of the article in your own words.
- List each separate idea presented eliminating those that are not pertinent to the article’s main themes.
