Critical Reading Form

Title of Article: The VAs Troubled History

Source Citation: Pearson, Michael. "The VA's Troubled History." CNN. Cable News Network, 30 May

2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Step #1 - Paraphrase (4-5 Sentences)

In the article the author lists a series of scandals that date back all the way to the
creation of the VA all the way up to the present. The VA was actually created by a scandal
the Veterans Bureau was replaced by the VA due to corruption. And was constantly being
criticized by long waiting lists and struggling to give veterans access to their benefits
and programs.
Step #2: Explicating
1. State the main point of the commencement address in one or two sentences: I
think that the author's main point is to show the shortcomings of the VA to provide care
for our veterans.
2. Give examples of the meaning by tying it to concrete situations in the real world:
3. Generate metaphors, analogies, pictures, or diagrams of the basic thesis to
connect it to other meanings you already understand.
Step #3: Analyzing the Logic of What we are Reading
One important skill for understanding an essay, article or chapter is through the analysis of the
parts of the authors reasoning. Once you have done this, you can then evaluate the authors
reasoning using intellectual standards. Here is a template to follow.
1. The main purpose of this article is to show the public how often the VA has failed
to provide for our veterans . (Here you are trying to state as accurately as possible the
authors purpose for writing the article. What was the author trying to accomplish?)
2. The key question that the author is addressing is whether the VA has been a
success or has it been a failure. (Your goal is to figure out the key question that was in
the mind of the author when s/he wrote the article. In other words, What was the key
question that the article addressed?)
3. The most important information in this article are the bullet points that represent a
scandal the VA committed. (You want to identify the key information the author used, or
presupposed, in the article to support his/her main arguments. Here you are looking for
facts, experiences, data the author is using to support her/his conclusions).
4. The main inferences/conclusions in this article is that the VA has always been
inconsistent. (You want to identify the most important conclusions that the author comes
to and presents in the article).
5. The key idea we need to understand in this article is the VA hasnt been having
issues just in the present it has been a pattern since its creation. By these ideas the
author means to show the VA needs reformation. (To identify these ideas, ask yourself:
What are the most important ideas that you would have to understand in order to

understand the authors line of reasoning? Then elaborate briefly what the author means
by these ideas).
6. The main assumption underlying the authors thinking is the VA has always been
struggling to take care of the veterans. (Ask yourself: What is the author taking for
granted (that might be questioned). The assumptions are generalizations that the author
does not think s/he has to defend in the context of writing the article, and they are
usually unstated. This is where the authors thinking logically begins).
7. If a) we take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are the civilian
population will come together and help to reform the VA. (What consequences are likely
to follow if people take the authors line of reasoning seriously? Here you are to follow
out the logical implications of the authors position. You should include implications that
the author states, if you believe them to be logical, but you should do your best thinking
to determine what you think the implications are.) If b) we fail to take this line of
reasoning seriously, the implications are the VA will probably never be changed in
anyway and our veterans will have to continue to sacrifice.. (What consequences are
likely to follow if people ignore the authors reasoning?)
8. The main point of view presented in this article is that the VA has been
inconsistent to say least when it comes to taking care of the veterans. (The main
question you trying to answer here is: What is the author looking at, and how is s/he
seeing it? For example, in this mini-guide we are looking at education and seeing it as
involving the development of intellectual skills. We are also looking at learning as the
responsibility of students.)

Critical Reading Form

Title of Article:307,000

veterans may have died awaiting Veterans Affairs health care,

report says

Source Citation:Devine, Curt. "307,000 Vets May Have Died Awaiting VA Care, Report Says."CNN.

Cable News Network, 03 Sept. 2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.

Step #1 - Paraphrase (4-5 Sentences)

307,000 veterans may have died on the VA wait list for benefits. Many of their records
were processed incorrectly and up to 10,000 were deleted. Some veterans that had died
in the 1980s and still had pending status.
Step #2: Explicating
1. State the main point of the article in one or two sentences: the VAs enrollment
and record keeping processes are failing miserably.
2. Give examples of the meaning by tying it to concrete situations in the real world:
you applied to a restaurant and call back the next day and they say they threw out your
application.
3. Generate metaphors, analogies, pictures, or diagrams of the basic thesis to
connect it to other meanings you already understand.

Step #3: Analyzing the Logic of What we are Reading

One important skill for understanding an essay, article or chapter is through the analysis of the
parts of the authors reasoning. Once you have done this, you can then evaluate the authors
reasoning using intellectual standards. Here is a template to follow.
1. The main purpose of this article is show that the VAs application process has
been failing. (Here you are trying to state as accurately as possible the authors purpose
for writing the article. What was the author trying to accomplish?)

2. The key question that the author is addressing is does the VA have an effective
application process. (Your goal is to figure out the key question that was in the mind of
the author when s/he wrote the article. In other words, What was the key question that
the article addressed?)
3. The most important information in this article is that 307,000 veterans possibly
died while waiting for VA benefits. (You want to identify the key information the author
used, or presupposed, in the article to support his/her main arguments. Here you are
looking for facts, experiences, data the author is using to support her/his conclusions).
4. The main inferences/conclusions in this article are VA once had a system that
worked efficiently. (You want to identify the most important conclusions that the author
comes to and presents in the article).
5. The key idea we need to understand in this article is the VA is not providing
adequate systems for the veterans to apply their benefits . By these ideas the author
means. (To identify these ideas, ask yourself: What are the most important ideas that
you would have to understand in order to understand the authors line of reasoning?
Then elaborate briefly what the author means by these ideas).
6. The main assumption underlying the authors thinking is that all veterans are
struggling to get their benefits from the VA. (Ask yourself: What is the author taking for
granted (that might be questioned). The assumptions are generalizations that the author
does not think s/he has to defend in the context of writing the article, and they are
usually unstated. This is where the authors thinking logically begins).
7. If a) we take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are the process for
applying for benefits would be much easier and more veterans would have the benefits
that they earned. (What consequences are likely to follow if people take the authors line
of reasoning seriously? Here you are to follow out the logical implications of the authors
position. You should include implications that the author states, if you believe them to be
logical, but you should do your best thinking to determine what you think the implications
are.) If b) we fail to take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are the VA will
continue to allow its application process to spiral out of control and veterans everywhere
will suffer even longer wait times. (What consequences are likely to follow if people
ignore the authors reasoning?)
8. The main point of view presented in this article is the VA needs to revise its
application process.(The main question you are trying to answer here is : What is the
author looking at, and how is s/he seeing it? For example, in this mini-guide we are
looking at education and seeing it as involving the development of intellectual skills.
We are also looking at learning as the responsibility of students.)

Works Consulted
Pearson, Michael. "The VA's Troubled History." CNN. Cable News Network, 30
May 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Devine, Curt. "307,000 Vets May Have Died Awaiting VA Care, Report
Says."CNN. Cable News Network, 03 Sept. 2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
Olsen, Scott. "VA Hospitals Audit: 57,000 New Patients Awaiting Appointments
(updated)." Southern California Public Radio. N.p., 09 June 2014. Web. 18 Apr.
2016.
Kasperowicz, Pete. "Confirmed: One-third of the Vets on VA's Waiting List Are
Dead." Washington Examiner. N.p., 17 Apr. 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
Oppel, Richard A. "Wait Lists Grow as Many More Veterans Seek Care and
Funding Falls Far Short." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 June
2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.