Session 2 : The critical connection between reading and writing in academic writing

Critical reading towards critical writing

• What is critical reading?
Critical reading is detecting/evaluating arguments.

The logical connection between critical reading and critical writing

Critical reading are the first, basic steps towards critical writing
→ Critical writing depends on critical reading

E.g. Writing your own analysis of a given subject

↓
Step 1 : do careful critical reading of various sources
(judgments/interpretations of books/articles)
↓
Step 2 : use the sources critically to make your own argument
(formulating your own approach/hypothesis)

Basic steps in critical reading

1. Determine the central claims or purpose of the text (its thesis).
2. Begin to make some judgements about context.
3. Distinguish the kinds of reasoning the text employs
4. Examine the evidence (the supporting facts, examples, etc) the text employs.
- Specifically, consider the kinds of evidence that are used :
* What counts as evidence in this argument?
* Is the evidence statistical? literary? historical? etc.
* From what sources is the evidence taken?
* Are these sources primary or secondary?
→ ensuring reliability and validity of the argument

5. Critical reading may involve evaluation :

Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of an argument.
- If the argument is strong, why?
- Could it be better or differently supported?
- Are there gaps, or inconsistencies in the argument?
- Is the method of analysis problematic?
- Could the evidence be interpreted differently?
- Are the conclusions warranted by the evidence presented?
- What are the unargued assumptions? Are they problematic?
- What might an opposing argument be?

Questions :
1. What are the major critical thinking skills needed for effective critical reading?
interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation
2. What does it mean by critical readers?
- analytic, reflective readers.
- try to learn from what they read.
- view reading as an interactive process.
- aware of the choices the writer has made to achieve a certain goal.
- actively question and respond to exits in light of their own knowledge, feelings and
experience.
Suggested techniques to help you become a more active, critical reader

Marking texts : Highlighting texts

- the text’s thesis, primary assertions, and supporting evidence
- the names of the authors, specific dates mentioned, and principal sources cited
- the key passages you may want to reread, quote, or paraphrase later
- the terms you do not understand or want to discuss in class

Note-taking: Annotating texts

* Marginal annotations
- Content notes : identify the meaning or the purpose of the marked passages
- Organization notes : identify the major sections of the text
- Connection notes : identify links between readings and within a reading
- Questions : identify confusing, controversial or questionable passages
- Response notes : identify your reactions to the reading
* End annotations
- Summaries :convey a brief overview of the reading
- Responses : convey your overall reactions to the piece
- Questions : convey your assessments of the reading’s clarity, purpose or effectiveness

Note-taking
 Before jotting down any notes, always write down the source’s text full bibliographic
information
 In your notes, carefully distinguish between material you quote and material you
paraphrase/summarise
 Carefully list page numbers in your notes
 Pay attention to the punctuation in the source text
 In your notes, clearly differentiate between the author’s idea and your own
 Be consistent with your note-taking system

Remember
When practicing marking texts & note-taking
- Teach yourself to highlight argument → those places in a text where an author explains her
analytical moves, the concepts she uses, how she uses them, how she arrives at conclusions.
- Don't isolate facts and examples. Look for the large patterns that give purpose, order, and
meaning to those examples .

Sample of note-taking card:

 SAMPLE NOTECARD #1

Topic : Teaching Methodology Author : Eli Hinkel

Subtopic : Task-based Learning Date : March 2006

Quotation/ Paraphrase/ Summary

“Currently, task-based and content based instructions are probably among the most widely
adopted integrated models [of language teaching]. However, some leading specialists in L2
teaching and applied linguistics have maintained that the superiority of, for example, task-
based instruction over traditional teaching has not been demonstrated empirically and that
to date research has little to say about its effectiveness. Critics also contend that in many
ESL and EFL situations worldwide, the implementation of content-based and task-based
instruction may be simply inappropriate and impractical.” (Hinkel, 2006, pp. 113-114)
Hinkel, E. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching the four skills. TESOL
Quarterly, 40(1), 109-131.
Response/Comment/ Question

Is it feasible to apply task-based instruction in Vietnamese high school?

SAMPLE NOTECARD #2
Topic : Teaching Methodology
Subtopic : Task-based Learning Author : David Carless
Date : 2009

Quotation/ Paraphrase/ Summary

Original Paragraph
An alternative form-focused option which is possibly more suitable for school age students
is the focused task (Ellis, 2003). This aims to induce learners to use a particular grammatical
structure productively or to process it receptively in the context of a communicative task.
Focused tasks have two objectives: to stimulate communicative language use and to target a pre-
determined grammatical structure (Ellis, 2003). Paraphrase Paragraph
According to Ellis (2003), school teachers should select the focused task because of its
appropriateness with their students. This form-focused choice attempts to instigate learners to
use a specific grammatical pattern creatively or treat it responsively in the setting of a
communicative task. Two main aims of focused tasks are inciting students to use language
communicatively and directing a pre-selected grammatical pattern.
Carless, D. (2009). Revisiting the TBLT versus P.P.P Debated: Voices from
Hong Kong. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching, 19, 49-66.
Response/Comment/ Question

The focused task seems to be a practical option at Vietnamese high school where grammar
teaching is regarded as the key role of teachers.

Cross-Reference
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.

SAMPLE NOTECARD #3

Topic : Teaching Methodology Author : Jane Willis

Subtopic : Task-based Learning Date : 1996

Quotation/ Paraphrase/ Summary

In the Introducing TBL part of her book, A Framework for Task-based Learning, Willis
(1996) finds that a task-based approach will not be easily implemented since it may not be
suitable for all learners with different needs and goals. However, Task –based learning has been
reported to receive positive responses from students, teachers and trainers who have practised
with it in different contexts around the world.
Willis, J. (1996). A Framework for Task-based Learning. Harlow: Longman.

Response/Comment/ Question

This really makes sense.

Critical Writing
 What is critical writing?
to analyze the strengths and the weaknesses of a particular work in order to make a careful
judgment about the work.
Basic steps in critical writing
1. Classify the work which you are criticizing.
You must tell readers whether a written work, for example, is a book, an article or a research
paper etc.
2. Indicate the scope and nature of your critical approach.
If you plan to limit your discussion to a particular point, tell your readers that, and explain
why it is necessary or valuable to focus on that point/part.

3. Summarize the content of the work.

4. Interpret and evaluate the work.

Homework
1. Individual work: Read article for sample Resource Review “Critical thinking and voice in
EFL writing” by Nuray Alagozlu and then fill in the critical reading notes below. A hard
copy/ppt for presenting at Session 3 at class.
Critical reading notes are required for next class session (See Format)
2. Group presentation (About 5 people/1 group- 20minutes):
Topic 1-Morning: Viết luận văn: introduction, literature review
Topic 2-Afternoon: Viết luận văn: Methodology, data analysis and finding chapters

Critical Reading notes

Name : Class:

Article title

Author’s name

Intended audience

Organization of the
article
Your critique :

Good points

Limitations

Overall evaluation