CRITICAL READING AS REASONING

As a critical reader you should reflect on:

What the text says or the restatement: Wherein the reader merely restates what is said in
the original text. After critically reading a piece you should be able to take notes, paraphrase
key points in your own words or just simply state again what you have read in the text.
Through this, it may help you understand better what the text is all about.

The second one is

What the text does or the description: wherein the reader discusses aspects of the
discussion itself. This is the part wherein you have to involve yourself in such a way that you
have to use your prior knowledge, your experiences and observations in order for you to
understand what is stated in the text.

And lastly
What the text means or the interpretation: wherein the reader analyzes the meaning of the
text as a whole. In this step, you go much higher since you have to give meaning,
interpretation, judgment, analysis, or evaluation to what you are reading based on some
factors as a result of your reasoning or analysis.

Readers read text to obtain facts and knowledge, while critical readers focus on the author's
perspective and how the facts came to their conclusion. This is about going to the writer's
mind and understanding their perspective.