Reading critically

An essential part of active reading is responding to what you are reading – don't just 'take it as read'. You need to judge the validity of the information or views presented. Arguments in an article may be based on inaccurate, unreliable or obsolete evidence, and may ignore any evidence against those arguments. You have probably read newspaper articles that seem biased or lack supporting evidence.

Critical reading is as important for electronic as for printed material, and for courses in science and technology as well as those in humanities, social science and business.

If you have never done any critical reading, use the questions below as a guide.

You may also need to make judgements about texts and materials as you research information for assignment questions and projects. Some course activities and assignment questions ask you to read and do a critical review of the various resources provided. Ask yourself the following questions.

• Who is speaking or writing?
• What is their point of view or perspective?
• What ideas and information are presented and how were they obtained?
• Are there unsupported assertions?
• Are relevant reasons or evidence provided?
• Is the method used to find the evidence sound?
• Is the evidence correct or valid?
• What assumptions have been made?
• What is fact and what is opinion?
• What are the implicit and explicit values?
• Are there unreasonable generalisations?
• What has been omitted?
• How was the conclusion reached?
• Is the conclusion reasonable?
• What other perspectives or points of view could there be?