Critical Reading
Critical
reading is:
(1) the process
of making judgments in reading: evaluating relevancy and adequacy of what
is read
(2) an act of
reading in which a questioning attitude, logical analysis, and inference
are used to judge the worth of what is read according to an established
standard.
Among the identified
skills of critical reading involved in making judgments are those having
to do with the author's intent or purpose; with the accuracy, logic, reliability
and authenticity of writing; and with the literary forms, components, and
devices identified through literary analysis. (Harris and Hodges,
1981, A Dictionary of Reading and Related Terms, p. 74)
Critical evaluation
is "the process of arriving at a judgment about the value or impact of
a text by examining its quality in terms of form, style, and rhetorical
features, the readability of the author and the consistency between ideas
it presents and the reader's experience, including . . . internal evaluation
. . . and external evaluation . . ." (Harris and Hodges. (1995).
The Literacy Dictionary, 48)
Critical
readers are:
-
willing to spend
time reflecting on the ideas presented in their reading assignments
-
able to evaluate
and solve problems while reading rather than merely compile a set of facts
to be memorized
-
logical thinkers
-
diligent in seeking
out the truth
-
eager to express
their thoughts on a topic
-
seekers of alternative
views on a topic
-
open to new ideas
that may not necessarily agree with their previous thought on a topic
-
able to base their
judgments on ideas and evidence
-
able to recognize
errors in thought and persuasion as well as to recognize good arguments
-
willing to take
a critical stance on issues
-
able to ask penetrating
and thought provoking questions to evaluate ideas
-
in touch with their
personal thoughts and ideas about a topic
-
willing to reassess
their views when new or discordant evidence is introduced and evaluated
-
able to identify
arguments and issues
-
able to see connections
between topics and use knowledge from other disciplines to enhance their
reading and learning experiences
(Schumm, J. S.
and Post, S. A., 1997, Executive Learning, p, 282)
It is important
to critically evaluate information found on the World Wide Web. Not
all sources are equally valuable or reliable. Considerations include:
Content and
Evaluation
-
Who is the audience?
-
What is the purpose
of the Web Page & what does it contain?
-
How complete and
accurate are the information and the links provided?
-
What is the relative
value of the Web site in comparison to the range of information resources
available on this topic? (Note: Be sure to check with a librarian.)
-
What other resources
(print & non-print) are available in this area?
-
What are the date(s)
of coverage of the site and site-specific documents?
-
How comprehensive
is this site?
-
What are the link
selection criteria if any? Are the links relevant and appropriate
for the site? Is the site inward-focused, pointing outward, or both?
Is there an appropriate balance between inward-pointing links ("inlinks"
i.e., within the same site) and outward-pointing links ("outlinks" i.e.,
to other sites)?
-
Are the links comprehensive
or do they just provide a sampler?
-
What do the links
offer that is not easily available in other sources?
-
Are the links evaluated
in any way?
-
Is there an appropriate
range of Internet resources -- e.g., links to gophers?
-
Is multimedia appropriately
incorporated?
-
How valuable is
the information provided in the Web Page (intrinsic value)?
Source and Date
-
Who is the
author or producer?
-
What is the authority
or expertise of the individual or group that created this site?
-
How knowledgeable
is the individual or group on the subject matter of the site?
-
Is the site sponsored
or co-sponsored by an individual or group that has created other Web sites?
-
Is any sort of
bias evident?
-
When was the Web
item produced?
-
When was the Web
item mounted?
-
When was the Web
item last revised?
-
How up to date
are the links?
-
How reliable are
the links; are there blind links, or references to sites which have moved?
-
Is contact information
for the author or producer included in the document?
Structure
-
Does the document
follow good graphic design principles?
-
Do the graphics
and art serve a function or are they decorative?
-
Do the icons clearly
represent what is intended?
-
Does the text follow
basic rules of grammar, spelling and literary composition?
-
Is there an element
of creativity, and does it add to or detract from the document itself?
-
Can the text stand
alone for use in line-mode (text only) Web browsers as well as multimedia
browsers, or is there an option for line-mode browsers?
-
Is attention paid
to the needs of the disabled -- e.g., large print and graphics options;
audio; alternative text for graphics?
-
Are links provided
to Web "subject trees" or directories -- lists of subject-arranged Web
sources?
-
How usable is the
site? Can visitors get the information they need within a reasonable number
of links (preferably 3 or fewer clicks)?
Other
-
Is appropriate
interactivity available?
-
When it is necessary
to send confidential information out over the Internet, is encryption (i.e.,
a secure coding system) available? How secure is it?
-
Are there links
to search engines or is a search engine attached to (embedded in) the Web
site?
(Esther Grassian,
1999, UCLA College Library, Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources)
CRITICAL
THINKING
Links to
More Information
Information Competency Tutorials
Santa Ana College
http://ext.sac.edu/academic_progs/library/informationcompetency/index.html
Thinking Critically
about Discipline Based World Wide Web Resources.
UCLA College
Library Instruction
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/pyramid.htm
Critical Thinking Core Concepts
http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/ctac/corenotes.htm
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