Critical Reading

A. Facts vs. Opinions

Facts are statements that can be
proven or verified.

Opinions are statements that can
neither be proven nor verified. They
are based on ones feelings,
sentiments, or convictions. They may
be based on facts, but on their own,
they are not facts.
Facts
The sun rises in the east.

Approximately 5% of the air we inhale
is oxygen.

Pope John Paul II was born Karol
Jozef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland.
The early morning sun rising from the
east is a beautiful sight to behold.

I really think that the air we breathe is
polluted.

Karol Wojtylas experiences as a
young man studying in an
underground seminary in Nazi-
occupied Poland helped mold him into
a seemingly unbending conservative
Pope who was nonetheless
instrumental in the fall of communism.
Words/Phrases signifying
opinions
I think Seemingly
It seems to me Most likely
Perhaps I believe
In my opinion It seems
that
Probably
B. Tone and Bias
A writers tone can be identified
through word choice and adjectives
used.

In general, tones can be neutral,
humorous, ironic, satirical, cynical,
serious, and critical.
Unmarried women over 40 are usually
considered old maidens who would
spend the rest of their lives alone and
lonely. However, some of them still cling
to the hope that they will meet their
significant other. For these women, they
waste their time covering lines on their
faces with anti-aging cosmetics, hiding
gray or white hair with dyes, and wearing
ill-fitting clothes. They dont realize the
futility of their actions as they end up
looking cheap and desperate.
Women over 40 who chose to
remain
single enjoy certain number of
privileges.
Aside from having careers, they are
usually involved in various worthwhile
activities. Some of these women are
leaders or members in professional
and
socio-civic organizations. Others have
hobbies that keep them physically fit
and
mentally active. Most of them have
the
opportunity to spend their time taking
care of their own needs.

C. Logical Fallacies
Logical fallacies are generalizations or
conclusions based on mistaken ideas.

Non-sequitur means it does not
follow. Some writers expect readers to
accept their proposition that two
events that follow are causally related.
It disregards other factors that can
influence the events.

Appeal to Authority uses famous
personalities in their fields to endorse
a particular idea, product, or even
another person. In reality, the
credibility of these authorities may not
extend beyond their field of expertise.
Either-or Fallacy presupposes that
there are only two sides with no other
available option. While there are
situations when two choices are
sufficient, in many instances, it cannot
be a mere case of black versus white.
Hasty Generalization is based on
insufficient evidence. It is not fair to
make a judgment based on a small
sample.
Bandwagon assumes that everybody
should agree with the majority. It is
used to make one feel left out
because he/she is not doing what
most people are doing.
Emotional Manipulation or the use of
emotionally-toned language involves
exaggeration to make words appeal to
our prejudices, our emotions, our
senses, and our needs. It distracts the
audience from the truth because there
is no concrete evidence to support a
generalization or conclusion.
Red Herring is a technique used to
divert the attention of the audience by
including a detail which does not
support the claim.
False or Personal Attack focuses on
the personality rather than actual
actions or ideas.
Careless or False Analogy
seemingly presents the important
points of similarity between two things,
ideas, or situations. However, in reality
they are more different than alike.
Circular Reasoning merely repeats
or restates the conclusion using
different words instead of providing
evidence or reason.
Critical Reading vs. Critical
Thinking
Critical reading is a technique for
discovering information and ideas
within a text.

Critical thinking is a technique for
evaluating information and ideas, for
deciding what to accept and believe.
Critical reading refers to a careful,
active, reflective, and analytic reading.

Critical thinking involves reflecting on
the validity of what you have read in
light of our prior knowledge and
understanding of the world.
The Two Together in Harmony
Critical thinking allows us to monitor
our understanding as we read. If we
sense that assertions are ridiculous or
irresponsible (critical thinking), we
examine the text more closely to test
our understanding (critical reading).
Critical thinking depends on critical
reading. You can think critically about
a text only if you have understood it
(critical reading).
In reading critically ...
A specific topic must be addressed.
Terms must be clearly defined.
Evidence must be presented.
Common knowledge must be
accounted for.
Exceptions must be explained.
Causes must be shown to precede
effects and to be capable of the effect.
Conclusions must be drawn to follow
logically from earlier arguments and
evidence.
Inferring Meaning
We infer meaning from a wealth of
internal data and models as we go
from a specific experience to a more
generalized interpretation that makes
broader sense.

Inference filters ------ Validation ------
Deep thinking