Chapter Review

1. Implement reading strategies to build vocabulary and understanding.

• Pre-reading strategies prepare you to read a text by previewing the topic, for example, thinking about the title and skimming the headings, images, and captions.
• When reading, consider the structure of the text to help you understand the form and function.
• Identifying the tone, voice, and point of view of the text will help you understand the audience and purpose.
• When reading new words, use context clues to try to understand the meaning.
• Look up the meaning of words you cannot understand and take notes.

2. Develop a basic critique of a text to analyze texts to answer questions, synthesize information and draw conclusions.

• A critical reader will analyze a text by asking questions about the structure, main points, purpose and audience and then synthesize the ideas or combine them with their own experiences and previous learnings.
• Critiquing a text means evaluating and asking questions about the text, such as “Do you agree with the main idea?” or “What is the cultural context?” or “Was the text’s purpose accomplished?”

1.1 Reading strategies:

1. Implement reading strategies to build vocabulary and understanding
   1. Use Pre-reading strategies – check the basic details and examine what that may already tell you about the text
      1. Check the title and author
      2. Skim the article for headings and image
      3. Look for links

See if you can spot the main purpose of the text just through this and then confirm when you read it.

1. Use Pre and Reading strategies – Exploring the text
   1. Look at how the text is organized

Consider if it tells you something about the purpose of the text and the audience of the text

1. Use Reading Strategies – Understanding Tone of Voice
   1. What language do they use: formal, informal, slang?
   2. What point of view did the author use (first, second, or third person)? What was the tone of the text?

These questions will help you analyze the purpose and audience behind writing the text. This will also help you analyze how well the author achieved their purpose.

1. Use reading Strategies – Understanding vocabulary
   1. Do you need to understand this vocabulary word, or can you get its idea through context?
   2. Look up the word if you need to understand the vocabulary word

• Write down any new words you might refer to often. Make sure to write it in a sentence

The best strategy for learning new vocabulary is to just keep reading!

1.2: Reading Critically

Develop a basic critique of a text to analyze texts to answer questions, synthesize information and draw conclusions

1. 1. A critical reader will
      1. Analyze the text and ask questions about the structure of a piece, how it’s written to consider the main points of the text, the purpose of the text and the audience
      2. They will also critique the text and combine (synthesize) ideas from their own experience and other learning they’ve done
   2. Critiquing a text
      1. Critiquing a text means evaluating and asking questions about the text
      2. Questions include
         1. How did you respond to the text?
         2. Do you agree with the main idea?
         3. Did you find errors in their argument? Are there gaps in the discussion?
         4. What is the purpose of the text? Who is the audience? What is the cultural context?
         5. Was the text’s purpose accomplished? What was missing or lacking?

1.3: Rhetoric

3. Critique texts through the lens of rhetoric
   1. What is rhetoric?
      1. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion: how we argue and what techniques we use to argue.
      2. Always consider how meaning changes based on when, where and why the text was produced
   2. Analyzing Context and Rhetoric
      1. Analyzing context and rhetoric is a form of critique
      2. Questions include
         1. What is the author’s main point?
            What information does the author use to support the main point? Is it effective?
         2. What is the author’s main purpose: to persuade, to explain, to entertain, etc.?
         3. What is the tone and objective of the piece?
         4. Does the author use logical arguments or emotional arguments?
      3. Rhetorical Appeals: Logos, Pathos and Ethos
         1. Logos is arguments that appeal to logic
            1. Use rational modes of thinking.
            2. Often the structure of academic arguments
         2. Pathos is arguments that appeal to emotions
            1. Tries to tap into the audiences emotions to persuade
            2. If used to excess, it can mean the argument lacks substance and is based on emotional manipulation

• Ethos is arguments that appeal to values and trust
  1. Tries to tap into audience values and author credibility to persuade

1. Misusing Logos, Pathos, and Ethos will weaken argument.
2. Often writers use a mix of all styles, so make sure to go back to the principles of critique and looking at the whole picture when analyzing rhetoric.

1.4: Logical Fallacies/Bias

4. Critique media and texts by identifying logical fallacies and bias
   1. Logical fallacy as something that makes an argument problematic, open to attack, or weak. In academic discourse, logical fallacies are seen as failures – as things you will want to avoid.
   2. You should always be analyzing and looking for logical fallacies in your own writing and in the text you read as it indicate a weak argument.
   3. You should also be analyzing reading to look for bias.
      1. Do you already believe one side of an argument over another – be wary of confirmation bias in yourself and in the text.
      2. Does the author look at the whole picture?

• Is the data represented accurately?

1.5: Evaluating Media and Sources

5. Analyze media to identify arguments by building on skills built above: reading critically, rhetoric and logical fallacies/bias
   1. Analyzing media involves:
      1. Describe the media
      2. Explain the form of the media
   2. Then synthesize and critique media by using skills and questions from above

1.6: Reflections and Drawing Conclusions

6. Create reflections on different pieces of media.
   1. Reflections involve exploring the way the text affects you
   2. Completed after critical reading, making conclusions, synthesizing or critiquing
   3. Self-analysis is about you and your experiences with the work.
   4. Generally written in the first person