Chapter Objectives

In this first of the three critical reading chapters, you will learn to analyze and evaluate claims and evidence in arguments, building on the analytical skills developed in Parts I, II, and III. Critical reading goes beyond literal and inferential comprehension. It means judging the worth of what you read--its legitimacy as argument, its accuracy, fairness, reliability, and significance. The readings in Part IV represent the persuasive or argumentative mode of discourse--nonfiction prose that expresses a writer's subjective opinion, whether it is published in a newspaper or magazine editorial, a letter to the editor, a political speech, a position paper, or on a World Wide Web site. Chapter 8 covers these critical-reading skills:

The Reader's Responsibilities

Developing a Worldview

The Structure of Arguments

Taking Arguments Apart

Authority

Claims

Unstated Assumptions

The Importance of Defining Terms

Evaluating Evidence