Critical Reading

Critical reading is very important because it allows readers to fully understand the paper in which they are reading. I know from personal experience, reading something one time has never been very helpful. I am always so surprised to find things that I missed the first time when I read something a second time. I also think it is important, because it enables you to become more educated. Instead of reading over a word you may not understand, highlight or underline and look it up later. Then the next time you come across that word you will be able to read it and actually understand its meaning. This is true for events and places as well. If a story is set in Belgium, and you have never heard of it, looking it up will give you a better mental picture of the setting. Critical reading also helps you to identify the claims the author is trying to make. Also, you can’t just believe what is being told to you in the paper. So by learning about it you can make your own opinion based on what the author presents. Ultimately, critical reading will only make you a better writer because you will be able to effectively look at your paper and see if it has all the necessary pieces to be a “good paper.”