Critical Reading

Being a critical reader means questioning what you’re reading.

When you read at a basic level, you aim to understand the information the writer is communicating. Critical reading is the process of reading that goes beyond just understanding a text. It includes identifying the text's:

  • strengths
  • weaknesses
  • gaps
  • implications
  • 'big picture' - how the text fits in with other information you have learnt on the topic

Critical reading is useful at all stages of academic study, but is particularly important when writing: