CAW LibGuides: Reading Critically to Support your Writing

This resource introduces the topic of critical reading, highlights the steps that can be taken to “do” the critical reading, and suggests knowledge collection points to consider when to make key notes from your resources.  To understand how to apply the principles in academic assignment writing, consider attending CAW’s ‘Reading Critically to Support your Writing’ workshop.

This resource presents three models of reading individual sources critically and one model of reading multiple sources critically (literature reviewing). These models will be useful according to your research needs and your discipline. When experimenting with these models and adapting your approach to critical reading, consider:

• The learning objectives set out in your assignment brief (what are you asked to achieve?);

• The scope of your writing (how in-depth is your research required to be?);

• Your discipline and sources (what sources are expected in your discipline? How are sources used in your discipline?).

Why Read Critically?

Your academic writing, whether it is an essay, report, dissertation, or another genre, is founded in rigorous and relevant research. Being able to read critically a variety of resources, extract pertinent information, and write in an evidenced-base manner demonstrates an understanding of a subject and the ability to evaluate critically the work of experts in their field.  This approach supports you in analysing texts and developing your own questions and arguments, and connecting theses to wider themes and issues in your field.

The Principles of Reading Critically

Being critical in your research reading means keeping in mind two key prerequisites:

• A sense of scepticism

  • The need to doubt and ask questions:

    • what; how; when; where; who; why.

• Subject knowledge

  • This is knowledge accumulated from:

    • readings, lectures, seminars, laboratory or practice work, etc.

Reading Actively

Reading processes are guided by two principles:

• to question.

• to acquire knowledge.

Active reading is one way to engage with academic articles individually (reading very much involves writing!).  Everyone has their own mode of approaching the reading of an academic text.

Below is CAW’s example of a model of reading that is active and purposeful; it encourages you to establish and check criteria for your reading. This model is useful for all students.

 

 

Using SQ3R

SQ3R is a means of guiding your reading from surface level questions of authority to deeper levels of understanding. This model is useful for students requiring a thorough understanding of a key source or where you are asked to demonstrate your understanding from memory in exams and presentations.

Survey the resource: is it reliable and relevant?

• Who is the author?

• When was the resource published?

• Where can the main arguments and key points be found?

Question the resource information: is it useful?

• What do you already know?

• Where does the resource fit within your studies?

• What type of support is the resource offering?

  • Refuting other authors?

  • Supporting other experts in their field?

Read the resource critically: what does the author mean?

• Only read the relevant sections.

• Read twice: once for understanding and once to make notes and record questions.

Recall what you have read: what can you remember (are the essentials lodged in your understanding?). Take a break from the resource before doing this.

• Can you remember the main points of the resource?

• Can you explain the pertinent information or argument in your own words?

Review your notes: have you accurately represented the source?.

• Recheck your notes against the resource (a third reading).

• Have you missed any key elements?

Collecting Key Knowledge

This model is useful for students preparing notes for literature reviews and research projects and could be combined with a synthesis matrix: see CAW LibGuides: Writing a Literature Review. This model focuses on identifying data, theories, concepts, and methods; it may be particularly useful for science and social science students.

Filter knowledge in keeping with significance

• Why is your resource significant?

• What does it do that’s new?

• Where in the resource can you find this? 

Recognise research theories, concepts, studies, trends 

• Which theories or concepts does your resource use or propose?

• Find key terms within the resource but also look for any key studies the resource refers to.

Recognise and identify evidence and research methods

• Utilise data, samples, examples, case studies, texts, etc.

• What kinds of evidence does your article employ?

• What kinds of research methods are used? 

Recognise people

• Who are the thinkers, authors, critics, researchers within the field of study?

• Write down the names of the most important researchers and studies in the article.

Recognise and identify connections, links, and contradictions

• Can you think of other resources that you have read that connect with the one you are currently reading?

• What are the points of connection?

Other issues

• Are there other issues or arguments to consider as part of your research?

Critically Reading Multiple Sources

This model can be combined with the previous model once you have established the key knowledge in several sources. When researching and utilising multiple sources (i.e. literature reviewing), it is important to locate the sources in dialogue with your research and each other:

• Identify different views of each author;

  • What is their reasoning or argument of the topic?

  • How are they making their case?

• Understand the topic and issues being researched;

  • What is your logical argument for supporting or opposing each author’s view?

  • Are both positives and negative aspects of the resource being discussed?

• Outline a strategic action plan of how to approach the sources being used;

  • Read the parts that address the specific topic area being researched.

  • Question the views of each author.

  • It is important that you can offer a balanced view of the topic in your own words.

(Kneale, 2011, p.60)

Structuring Notes from Resources

To help with focusing on being critical when reading making notes, a template of questions with a number code can be found in Appendix One in the downloadable pdf document of this resource.  It is good practice to keep a folder or folders of sources consulted.  Consider the naming convention of each source including a date and version number should you need to provide evidence of your research and notes during your writing process.

References

Kneale, P. (2011). Study skills for Geography, Earth & Environmental Science students. (3rd ed.). Hodder Education.

Recommended Reading

Cottrell, S. (2003). The study skills handbook. (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Goatly, A., & Hiradhar, P. (2016). Critical reading and writing in the Digital Age : An introductory coursebook (2^nd ed.). Routledge.

Haber, J. (2020). Critical thinking. MIT Press. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/Coventry/detail.action?docID=6142274.

CAW’s Libguides website offers a plethora of resources across all genres of academic writing to help support writing assignments.  To view and download these resources, visit: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/CAWhomepage/CAWResources

CAW offers writing development workshops across all genres of academic writing, including: ‘Reading Critically to Support your Writing.  To view all available workshops and book online, visit: https://libcal.coventry.ac.uk/calendar/caw   

To book a one-to-one tutorial with the Centre for Academic Writing: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/cawlibcalhome

To find who your subject Academic Liaison Librarian is, visit: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/ALL 

Guide to Referencing: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/referencing