Checklist For Critical Reading & Writing Skills

Understand the context of readings
• Look at any illustrations (photographs, cartoons, graphs). Read any captions.
• Scan the title and subheads
• Identify the source (publication, author)
• Ascertain the time/topic/location of the story.

Find the main idea
Read the introduction
Identify the thesis
Read the main body
Read the conclusion.
What does the author want you to know or do? Why?

Identify tone
Who is the author?
What do we know about them? How?
Underline adjectives
Find verbs.
Read story out loud.
How does the author sound? What’s his tone?

Separate fact/opinion
• Does the author use numbers?
• Does the author cite sources?
• Does the author share his emotions?
• What information is given?
• How does the author “collect” his information?
• How does the author “know” what he claims to know?
• Do you trust/believe the author? Why?

Evaluate information
• Who is the author? Why should the reader trust the author?
• What are the author’s credentials?
• What kinds of evidence does the writer use to support his thesis?
• What is the author’s background? Age? Gender? Education? Nationality?
• How many sources did the author use?
• How many examples did the author use?
• Have you had similar experiences? When? Where?
• Did you reach the same conclusions/have the same reactions as the writer? Why?
• Can you compare/contrast the author’s experiences with your own?
• Did the author seem fair? Why? Biased? How?

Asking questions
• What would you like to ask the author?
• Write five questions about the reading.
• What’s “missing” in the story?
• How would this reading be different if written 10 years later? Earlier?
• How do you think the story would be different if written in another country? Language?
• What did you learn in this reading? How did you feel at the end? Why?

Expanding vocabulary
• Buy a dictionary. Open it. Use it.
• Bring the dictionary to class.
• Keep a vocabulary journal
• Write down new words/expressions/idioms
• Find out the meaning of the new word/expression/idiom.
• Copy the word 3 times.
• Use the word in a sentence. Write the sentence down.
• Make sure the word was used correctly.
• Look for prefixes. Study prefixes.
• Develop a list of 5-20 words for a prefix
• Look for suffixes. Study suffixes.
• Develop a list of 5-20 words for a suffix.
• Include new words in your daily speech.
• Include new words in your classroom and workplace writing.
• Create a list of opposites (antonyms).
• Create a list of words with the same meanings (synonyms).
• Rotate the words you use in daily conversation.

 

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