Critical Reading Strategies in

Literature
 Critical Reading
• Critical reading has an academic or
professional purpose. Unlike reading for
pleasure, it requires critical thinking skills like
doing analysis, developing an argument, and
doing an evaluation.
• Critical reading strategies in literature vary in
purpose and focus.
 Previewing a Text
• Previewing a text enables a reader to get the
sense of what the text is all about and how its
parts are organized. A reader can take a look
at the facts about the author and the work
and the title of the work.
 Example:
• Consider the book Tales from the Jazz Age by
F. Scott Fitzgerald. You can find out more
about the Jazz Age and F. Scott Fitzgerald. By
checking the Table of Contents, you can see
how the author classifies the stories and what
inspired him to write each one.
 TALES FROM THE JAZZ AGE
BY
F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
1922
A TABLE OF CONTENTS
FANTASIES
THE DIAMOND AS BIG AS THE RITZ.
 Contextualizing
• Contextualizing a text is considering the time
and place in which the text was produced. A
reader can read about the writer’s life to see
how his or her experiences shape the writing.
Also, a reader can examine how a text reflects
the society or culture. Lastly, a reader can
consider the significant events in history that
influence the text.
 Asking Questions
• Asking questions about a text allows one to
understand and remember the content of a
piece of literature. A reader asks questions
about the main ideas or literary elements; and
such questions are answered in his or her own
words.
 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
• Who are the main characters in the short
story?
• What is the plot of the short story?

• What is the conflict?

• What are the theme, motifs, and symbols
used by the writer?
 Reflecting
• Reflecting on a text involves examination of
the reader’s personal responses to the text.
The reader relates the new learning to his or
her previous learning as well as to his or her
own beliefs.
 REFLECTION QUESTIONS
• Have you had experiences similar to that of the
character of the story?
• What feelings did you have as you read the story?
• Which character do you feel a connection with
and why?
• Is there any part of the story that you find
difficult to understand?
• How did the story change your way of thinking?
Making an Outline and a Summary
• Making an outline and a summary of a text
involves identifying its important ideas. An
outline is a list of the main ideas and
supporting ideas of the text, while a summary
is a brief statement of the most important
information of the text.
 Evaluating the Argument
• Evaluating the argument made in a text
involves assessing the validity of its claim and
support. A reader examines the main idea,
opinion, or point of view of the writer if it is
well supported by enough credible evidence
or proof.
Making a Comparison and Contrast of
Related Texts
• Making a comparison and contrast of related
texts is the strategy of identifying the
similarities and differences between texts of
similar issue or approach.M
 Summary
Critical reading requires different critical
thinking skills. In reading a piece of literature
critically, you can preview it, contextualize it,
ask questions about it, reflect on it, make an
outline of its ideas and a summary, evaluate
its argument, or compare and contrast it with
another text.