Critical reading generally refers to reading in a scholarly context, with an eye toward identifying a text or author’s viewpoints, arguments, evidence, potential biases, and conclusions. Critical reading means evaluating what you have read using your knowledge as a scholar.
Critical reading can serve many functions. Sometimes you examine a text critically to analyze it, sometimes to compare it to other texts, and sometimes to evaluate it. As you get more advanced in your studies, you read for all of these simultaneously. In this resource, we have isolated the functions to better explain each one.
View these resources from the Academic Skill Center's Savvy Student Blog to learn more about critical reading:
Critical Reading for Analysis and Comparison
Critical Reading for Evaluation
For more help with Study Skills, visit the Academic Skills Center's Skills and Success Strategies pages.
Reference
Wentworth, H. (2020). Critical reading for analysis and comparison. Savvy Student Blog. Retrieved from, https://waldenacademicskills.wordpress.com/2020/02/20/reading-for-analysis-comparison-and-evaluation/