Reading Critically

The first step to reading critically is to read through the essay and take in it's general meaning. It also helps to know some background about the essay, the author, and when the essay was written in order to have an idea of what it might be about. You should also make sure and analyze the title and make a prediction about how it relates to the story. While you are reading, you should actively annotate the parts that you think are important. When you are finished reading the first time, you should summarize what you have read in order to understand it better. Then you look at your summary and your annotations and begin to think critically about the author's purpose in writing the essay. When you have a general idea or what the purpose might be, begin analyzing the essay by breaking it down into smaller parts. You can make inferences about the author's intentions and synthesize what the author is trying to accomplish. You can also critically evaluate the essay if you wish.