Reading Critically

The digital revolution has helped us see that we actually read in many different ways for many different reasons—and using different tools and media. Being a strong reader today means understanding these differences and learning to use them to your advantage.

In addition to thinking carefully about how you read, reading critically means questioning, commenting, analyzing, and reflecting thoughtfully on a text—whether it’s a white paper for a psychology class, a graphic novel, a Super Bowl ad, a business email, or a YouTube video. Any method you use to keep track of your questions and make yourself concentrate on a text can help you become a better critical reader.

Chapter contents:

Quick Help: Guidelines for reading critically

Reading print and digital texts

Previewing a text

Reading and annotating a text

Summarizing a text

Analyzing and reflecting on a text

Analyzing visual texts