HEIDI BARCELO-MACAHILIG, Ph.D.

Philippine Normal University

What is Critical Reading?

It is a study skill that is necessary for

success in every subject area. It is the
process or result of making judgments in
reading, evaluating relevancy and
adequacy of what is read, and scrutinizing
new ideas and information.
Reading critically involves four
conditions:
1. A knowledge of the field or fields in which the
thinking is being done.

2. A general attitude of questioning and suspended

judgment, a habit of examining before accepting.

3. Some application of methods of logical analysis.

4. Taking action in light of this analysis or reasoning

Some critical reading/thinking skills:
 Recognizing intent or purpose
 Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information
 Evaluating sources of information
 Noting points of view
 Recognizing bias and slanted language
 Assessing the accuracy of information and author’s
credibility
 Identifying literary form, components and devices (tone
and mood)
 Distinguishing fact from opinion
Distinguishing between FACT & OPINION

 Being able to discern the differences

between fact and opinion will help
your evaluation of the reliability and
usefulness of texts you encounter.
 Critical thinking is the best possible
way of determining which statements
are fact and which statements are
opinion.
 It may seem at first that the
differences are easy to see; however,
not everything is as black and white
as it first seems.
What is a FACT?
 A fact is something which can be verified with evidence.

Example:
 A dog is an animal.
 Chomsky proposed the
Universal Grammar theory.
 Typhoon Yolanda left
thousands of people dead.
What is an opinion?
 An opinion is based on belief and
viewpoint. Opinions are often personal
interpretations and cannot be verified
with evidence.
Opinions are often (though not always)
preceded with terms such as 'I think', or
with adjectives, comparatives and
superlatives, such as, 'good', 'better', 'the
best'.
Example:
'summer evenings are nicer than winter evenings'.
Determining Fact and Opinion
 Determining if the content of a material is fact or opinion
allows students to comprehend material in a non-literal
fashion.

 When students study a piece objectively, they look away

from the non-literal meaning of the statement.

 Instead, the reader evaluates from a higher-order thinking

level, which in turn helps them develop higher order
comprehension of the text.
 Higher order comprehension skills are developed with
the differentiation of fact and opinion statements while
reading.

 When students make this connection, they look beyond

the literal meaning of statements and read critically, thus
improving comprehension.
However, opinions and facts are
not always easily identifiable and
separable.
How you would classify the following
statements: fact or opinion?

 You are studying at a  FEU is a better

University. University than San
 You are studying at a Beda and CEU.
good University.  Starbucks is the best
 It is one of the best cafe on the university
in the Philippines. belt.
“You are studying at a University.”

 If you are reading the material and you are a student,

then this statement is a fact.
Can you try?

 FEU is a better University than San Beda and

CEU.

 It is one of the best in the Philippines.

 Starbucks is the best cafe on the university

belt.
Remember
...that facts can be influenced by opinion and
bias, especially in the media and in (some)
research projects (especially qualitative
research).

That is, even facts presented as facts,

are not always completely objective and 'sacred'
as once claimed (Scott, C.P. cited in Edwards, D
& D. Cromwell (2009).
Although it is quite a philosophical
argument, it is good to be aware
that bias can influence even the
most objective pieces of
information.
Exercise
1. Last year there was a horrible outbreak of flu.
2. Babies generally start to talk between 18 and 24
months of age.
3. Italian is an easier language to learn than Spanish.
4. Smoke detectors can help save lives.
5. Cell phones should be banned in all public school
classrooms
6. Children should not be allowed to watch more than five
hours of television per week.
7. It's a fact that soccer and rugby are violent sports.
8. Next year, Tiger Woods will win the Master's
Tournament.
IDENTIFYING SUPPORTING DETAILS
TO JUSTIFY CONCLUSIONS
FIND A PARTNER
 Without asking, guess how old your
partner is.

 What made you conclude that s/he is of

that age? Justify your conclusion with at
least 3 supporting details.
 Understanding the topic, the gist, or the larger
conceptual framework of a textbook chapter,
an article, a paragraph, a sentence or a passage
is a sophisticated reading task.

 Being able to draw conclusions, evaluate, and

critically interpret articles or chapters is
important for overall comprehension in
reading.
Textbook chapters, articles, paragraphs, sentences,
or passages all have topics and main ideas.

Details, major and

The main idea is the minor, support the
"key concept" being main idea by telling
expressed. how, what, when,
where, why, how
much, or how many.

Locating the topic, main idea, and

supporting details helps you
understand the point(s) the writer is
attempting to express. Identifying the
relationship between these will
increase your comprehension.
Paragraph

A group or specially and

intentionally related sentences; a
thought unit; sentences that revolve
around a single idea and is a
writer’s attempt to develop an idea
or part of an idea.
Organization of a Paragraph
1. Statement of the main idea.

2. Elaboration of the main idea and

supporting details.

3. Restatement of the main idea-summary

of main ideas or conclusions.
TOPIC
The topic is the subject that the
selection is about.The main idea can
usually be located if you can determine
what the topic is. To find the topic of a
selection, ask the simple question, “Who
or what is the selection about?”
Consumers concerned about the hazards or noise can
reduce noise pollution in many ways.They can purchase
noisy products such as garbage disposals and lawn
mowers with reduced noise levels.They can also use
sound-absorbing materials in their home. Carpeting can
be installed instead of hard flooring, and cork and fabric
can be used in rooms that tend to be noisy. Also, people
can become less noisy themselves.They can learn to avoid
shouting, to close doors without slamming them, and to
play radios,TV sets, and stereos at moderate levels.

TOPIC?
Noise pollution or noise pollution in the home.
MAIN IDEA
Chief point an author is making about a topic. It
sums up the author’s primary message.

TOPIC SENTENCE

Statement of the main idea. It is the statement under which

all other material in the paragraph – examples, reasons,
facts, details and other evidence – can fit.
Location of the Topic Sentence
 Topic sentences are usually in the first
sentence of the paragraph, but not
always.
 They may also be located within the
paragraph or at the end of the
paragraph.
 They may even appear twice – at the
beginning and at the end.
MAIN IDEAS MAY ALSO BE INFERRED

 Sometimes a selection lacks a topic sentence

but that does not mean that it lacks a main
idea. The author simply lets the details of the
selection suggest the main idea.You must figure
out the implied idea by deciding the points of
all the details.
 If no sentence is a good topic sentence that covers all
other sentences. We must ask ourselves the following
questions:

 “What is the main point the author is trying to

make up with these details?”

 “Does all or most of the material support this

idea?”
SUPPORTING DETAILS

 A paragraph contains facts, statements,

examples-specifics which guide us to a full
understanding of the main idea.

 They clarify, illuminate, explain, describe,

expand and illustrate the main idea and are
supporting details.
The topic of this paragraph is prepaid debit
cards for teenagers.
 A growing number of parents are using a new way to
teach their teenagers to handle money wisely: a prepaid
debit card. Parents put a certain amount of money on a
Visa® or Mastercard® debit card, for example. Teens use
it instead of cash. Purchases show up on their parents’
monthly statement, so parents can monitor how the
money is being spent and how fast it is being spent. When
the money is used up, parents can "reload" the card.
Depending on the plan, parents may pay initial set-up fees,
monthly fees, or transaction fees. They feel the safety,
monitoring capability, and convenience are worth it.
Determining Supporting Details
1. Decide which details help to further the story
line.

2. Decide which details help you to understand

the main idea.

3. Answer question raised by the main idea (who,

what when, why or how).
Types of Supporting Materials
1. COMPARISONS in which one thing is shown to be
like another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled college students are like the unskilled
students in their desire
for a diploma.

2. CONTRASTS in which one things is shown to

differ from another.
EXAMPLE: Skilled students are different from unskilled
students in that they use
a method to read a textbook.
3. STATISTICS

EXAMPLE: 75 percent of the students who do not attend

class regularly receive grades of C or worse.

4. GRAPHS

EXAMPLE: Figure 9-1 is one type of graph.

5. QUOTATIONS from authorities

EXAMPLE: Professor Smity admits, “I tell students they

don’t need to attend my class if they don’t want to. I
know, however, that if they don’t come, they won’t pass.”

6. VIVID DESCRIPTIONS

EXAMPLE: The students took the exam from the

professor’s hand, quickly looked at the grade, gave a sigh
or relief and began to smile.
Major and Minor Details
 There are two kinds of supporting details-major and
minor.
 The main idea and its major supporting details form
the basic framework of paragraphs.
 The major details are the primary points that
support the main idea. Paragraphs often contain
minor details as well.
 While the major details explain and develop
the main idea, they, in turn are expanded upon the
minor supporting details.
Main Idea and Major and Minor Detail
Studies reveal that people’s first names can have
an influence on them. Some names reflect on people
in a positive way. For example, one survey showed that
American men consider them name Susan to be very sexy.
And participants in a British study thought Tony to be the
name of someone very friendly. However, other names can
have a negative impact. In one study, for instance, teachers
gave lower grades to essay supposedly written by boys
named Hubert and Elmer than to the very same essay
when they credited to boys with more popular names.
Another study found girls with unpopular names did
worse on IQ and achievement tests than girls with more
appealing names.
Let’s Try! Read the following paragraph and underline the stated main
idea. Write down in your own words what you are able to conclude from the
information.

Example 1

It is important to wear sunscreen during hot

summer days.Wearing sunscreen provides
protection from ultraviolet rays and decreases your
chances of getting skin cancer. Dermatologists
stress that people should not avoid sunscreen just
because they have a deep tan or because the
weather is overcast.
Exercise2

The rules of conduct during an examination are clear. No

books, calculators or papers are allowed in the test
room. Proctors will not allow anyone with such items to take
the test. Anyone caught cheating will be asked to leave the
room. His or her test sheet will be taken. The incident will be
reported to the proper authority. At the end of the test
period, all materials will be returned to the proctor. Failure to
abide by these rules will result in a failing grade for this test.
Answer:
You should have underlined the first sentence in the paragraph –
this is the stated main idea. What can be concluded from the
information is: If you do not follow the rules, you will
automatically fail the test. This concluding information is found
in the last sentence.
 Learning to change a tire is important for many reasons. Not
all of us carry roadside service and may someday need to
change a tire. If that happens to you, there are usually steps in
your manual to help you. It's important to know where the
spare tire, wrench and jack are. Following the directions in
your owners manual will help you complete the task
successfully. Make sure you are on flat surface and have your
hazard lights on. With the wrench loosen the lug nuts but
don't take the tire off yet. Use the jack to raise up the car so
that your tire is not touching the ground. Pull the tire off the
car and replace it with the spare. Put the lug nuts on but don't
over-tighten them. Lower the car and finish tightening the lug
nuts. Drive to the nearest car dealership or service station to
have a new tire installed by professionals.

How to Change a Flat Tire

 Cars are very complex machines with many working parts. It
can be overwhelming to be a new car owner. When you buy a
car it's important to have a basic working knowledge of some
of the parts in your car. Finding someone who is
knowledgeable will help you to increase your knowledge of
your new car. If you don’t follow these guidelines you may run
into maintenance problems that could easily be avoided. When
you first get a car, you need to know the basics. Some of these
are, what gas to put in, how to check the oil and the tire
pressure, knowing what kind of oil to put in and how to put in
washer fluid. These will help you keep your car running
smoothly. Most cars need to have their oil changed every 3
months or 3,000 miles. Also, after 3 oil changes you should
replace the air filters. When you check the tire pressure, make
sure to find the right pressure in your owner's manual. Getting
your tires rotated and balanced will lengthen the life of the
tires. Following these simple steps will help you to be a more
informed car owner.

New Car Owners