GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. What are the benefits of becoming a critical reader?

2. How does critical reading improve writing?
3. How can I effectively distinguish among claims of
fact, policy, and value?
4. Why do we need sufficient, relevant evidence, and
sound reasoning to support a claim?
 YOU HAVE JUST WON
PHP 1, 000,000,000 FROM
A
CONTEST! To claim your prize,
you need to provide your personal
information, along with some
Before believing such text, you must first ask
yourself things like this:

“Did I ever enter a contest?”

“Why is an unknown person asking me for my personal
details through text?”
“Is this text true?”
“Is it safe to believe?”
unbelievable advertisements
such as soaps that promise
us to kill 100% germs

when a politician keeps on

promising “unattainable”
things such as construction
of buildings.
Every day, you encounter many
instances that require critical
thinking. Can someone give me
examples?
 So why do you think we
have to think critically?
Why is just thinking NOT
enough?
Before we believe in something, we
should first question it. This is
precisely why critical thinking,
especially as applied to reading is a
necessary skill to develop.
I. CRITICAL READING AS WAYS TO

CRITICAL THINKING
I. CRITICAL READING AS WAYS FOR CRITICAL THINKING
A. Critical Reading
B. Critical Thinking
C. Critical Reading Strategies
1. Keeping a reading journal
2. Annotating the text
3. Outlining the text
4. Summarizing the text
5. Questioning the text
II. IDENTIFYING AND ANALYZING CLAIMS
A. Defining claims
B. Distinguishing the three types of claims
1. Claim of Fact
2. Claim of Value
3. Claim of Policy
Whenever you read CRITICAL READING.
something and you This type of reading
evaluate claims, seek goes beyond
passively
definitions, judge understanding a text,
because you
information, demand
process
proof, and question
the author’s words
make judgments
assumptions, you are and
carefully considering
thinking
after critically. the reading’s message.
Keep this in mind. . .

If we read we think
critically,
critically
.
 Why do we have to read
critically?
Do we really have to do
that?
 OF
COURSE,
THE
YES.
We read c
ritically to
think crit
ANSWER read critic
make jud
ically. We
ally to
gments.

IS
 Do you think when you
read a text you are
interacting with the writer
itself?
 When we read critically we find out the author’s
view on something, we ask questions, evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses of the author’s argument,
and decide to agree or disagree with it, it allows us
to enter into a dialogue with the author – thus
deepening our understanding of the issue or
topic discussed.
 Keep this in mind:
“If we are able to arrive at a
sufficient interpretation of the
text, we are already a critical and
active reader.”
CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
1. Keeping a reading journal
2. Annotating the text
3. Outlining the text
4. Summarizing the text
5. Questioning the text
1. Keeping a Reading Journal
This allows you to However, its contents
develop your
are slightly different to
impressions of the text
YOU as the writer is free a diary. In a journal,
and connect them to
to express whatever is on
you write your feelings
your personal
your mind. You are not
and ideas in reaction
experiences.
bounded in any rules.
This also allows you to to what you read/or
Similar to relate to the essay and your reading
understand the assignment.
keeping a
author’s ideas.
 “. . . beauty is a form of genius – higher
indeed, than genius, as it needs no
explanation.”
– An excerpt from “The Picture of Dorian
Gray" by Oscar Wilde

Upon picking this quote, in your journal, you will express

your ideas or feelings or reactions about this statement. You can
also explain this quote by relating it to your beliefs and
experiences.
 2. Annotating the text
Take note that it is BEST

to annotate the text once

you have read it and

Includes highlighting,
understand it properly.
Annotating the text By doing this, you are
or underlining
simply means making already entering into a
important passages
notes on your copy of the
and writing notes, dialogue with the author
reading.
comments, questions, and NOT just passively

and reactions on the reading the text.

margins.
3. Outlining the text
Since we made a rough

outline of the text, we

To read critically, we create a rough outline
can see how the author
of what we read.
structures, sequences,

and connects his ideas.

Sample Outline - Narrative Essay
How Losing a Swim Meet Made Me a Better Swimmer
I. Introduction
Introduce the subject of your narrative essay using a thesis statement
and a plan of development (POD).

Thesis: The first time I participated in a competitive swim meet, I finished in

last place. With more focused training and coaching, I was able to finish 2nd
in the State Championship meet.
Plan of development:  I was very disappointed in my results from the first
meet, so I improved my training and fitness. This helped me swim better and
faster, which helped me to greatly improve my results.
II. Body Paragraph 1
Set the scene and provide supporting details.
Topic Sentence:  I was embarrassed at finishing last in my first competitive swim meet, so I
began working on ways to improve my performance.
Detail Sentence 1:  I spent extra time with my coach and the team captains learning how to
improve my technique.
Detail Sentence 2:  I started running and lifting weights to increase my overall fitness level.
Body Paragraph 2
Provide additional supporting details, descriptions, and experiences.
Topic Sentence:  Over time, my results began to improve and I was able to qualify for the state
championship meet.
Detail Sentence 1:  My technique and fitness level made me faster and able to swim longer
distances.
Detail Sentence 2:  I steadily got better, and I began winning or placing in the top 3 at most
of my meets.
Detail Sentence 3:  My results improved to the point that I was able to qualify for the state
championship meet.
III. Conclusion
Conclude the essay with a recap of the events described or a
reflection on the lesson learned in the story.

Concluding Sentence:  I used my last-place finish in my first

competitive swim meet as motivation to improve my
performance.
4. Summarizing the text
Summarizing is an

important skill in
A summary consists of getting the
reading for you are

able to recognize main points of the essay and the

and differentiate supporting details.

Similar to outlining. major and minor

points in the text.

You get the gist of the text.
EXAMPLE:
When we give a
summary/
synopsis of a
movie or a
novel.
5. Questioning the text

Questioning the text involves We DOUBT when what a

asking specific questions on person/author says FAIL to meet

points that you are skeptical our expectations or our personal

(doubtful) about. views.

In reading something, these are the following questions that can be asked:
- What type of audience is addressed?
- What are the writer’s assumptions?
- What are the writer’s intentions?
- How well does the writer accomplished these?
- How convincing is the evidence presented?
- How reliable are the sources? Are they merely based on personal
experience, scientific data, or outside authorities?
- Did the writer address opposed the views on the issue?
- Is the writer persuasive in his/her perspective?
Based on the discussion, what
are the benefits of becoming a
critical reader?
What do you think are the benefits of
critical reading in writing?
II. IDENTIFYING
AND ANALYZING
CLAIMS
A. DEFINING CLAIMS
- an important skill that is needed in critical
reading: the skill to evaluate the claims of an
author.
- when we define claims, we refer on the text and
recognize the writer’s arguments (claims) and
evidence so that we can judge the writer’s work.
 most important central argument or
part of the text thesis statement

claim(s)
n. the point we
are proving
proved by providing details, explanations, and other types of
evidence
USUALLY found in the introduction or
B. DISTINGUISHING THE THREE
TYPES OF CLAIMS
1. Claim of FACT
- state a quantifiable assertion, or a measurable topic
- assert that something has existed, exists, or will exist
based on some data
- rely on reliable sources or systematic procedures to be validated
- usually answer a “what” question
2. Claim of VALUE
- assert something can be qualified
- consists of arguments about moral, philosophical or
aesthetic topics
- always prove that some values are more or less
desirable compared to others
- attempt to explain how problems, situations, or issues
ought to be valued
3. Claim of POLICY
- posit that specific actions should be chosen as
solutions to a particular problem
- KEYWORDS: “should,” “ought to,” and/or
“must”
- usually answer “HOW” questions
 Let’s test
yourselves!