Taking a Critical Approach/Critical Appraisal

Critical reading is the process of analysing, evaluating, and interpreting a text to understand its deeper meaning and assess its validity. It goes beyond comprehension; it’s a dynamic process of actively engaging with a text, questioning, and analysing its meaning and purpose. It involves assessing the author’s intent, the audience’s perspective, and the cultural or historical context in which the text was created. It is essential to consider: 

Purpose: What is the author’s goal?

Context: How does the text reflect its time or place?

Audience: Who is the intended audience, and how does this influence the content?

Connection: How does this text relate to broader themes or other works?

Reading critically means asking questions as you read a text, so you can identify:

• The central argument (when we talk about the ‘central argument’ we mean the main point that the author is trying to make and the way they do this).
• The evidence that is used to support that argument.
• The strengths and weaknesses of the argument and the evidence.
• Where the text fits in with other texts on the same subject. 
• Your own standpoint in relation to what you are reading.

You can focus on the WHAT, WHO, WHEN, HOW technique: 

What? What is the source and is it relevant? Is it from a trusted place (like a journal, textbook, or government report)? Does it fit your topic?

Who? Who is the author and their background? Can they be biased?

When? When was it published? Is it still current? Is it up to date and accurate? Was it written during a specific event that could influence its point of view?

How? How is the source structured? Is the content based on solid evidence?

It is likely that some elements of critical appraisal will apply to all types of reading. For example, when you are scanning a document to find a specific piece of information you might be thinking about who the author is or when the text was written. However, reading critically is particularly important when you are reading something in more depth (sometimes referred to as intensive reading). In this case, reading critically can help you gain a deeper understanding of the topic. 

If you’re working on an essay, assignment, or dissertation, reading helps you come up with and explore different ideas. You can use this process to learn more about your topic and see what other people think about it too. When you share your opinion, it’s important to back it up with examples or research from reliable sources. Try to connect your own ideas to what others have said, so your work feels part of a bigger conversation. And don’t be afraid to point out what you think is strong or weak in other people’s work in a thoughtful and fair way.

What is the purpose of reading?

• Does it help you define a theory or concept or explain it in more detail?
• Does it include examples or data you can use as evidence for the points you are making.
• Does the author create a particular argument which you can include?
• How does the content fit with other reading you have done and with your current thinking?
• Does it support or contradict evidence you already have?
• Does the author mention ideas or research from other sources which you can then follow up on (i.e. by finding the details in the reference list)?

Why you are reading should influence how you read.

In order to be more focused and have a sense of direction what material you need to choose, it is essential to make sure that you have the following three key steps covered:

1. Topic and research question: What is your topic that you are going to examine? What particular research question(s) do you have? These can guide you and even help others (such as a librarian) around you to advise and recommend reading resources. Make sure your topic is specific; ask yourself:  Is my topic relevant and specific? Does the research question address a gap or an unresolved question. Also, make sure that your topic is feasible. Assess whether you can realistically research and gather the necessary data within the available time frame and resources.
2. Thesis statement: Coming up with a strong thesis statement is essential, as it forms the foundation of your entire dissertation by presenting a central claim that guides your work. A strong thesis statement should be clearly defined, precise in scope, and grounded in a realistic plan for investigation. You should avoid vague or overly broad language. A good thesis statement must also be arguable, offering a proposition that can be examined and either supported or challenged through evidence. The thesis should be manageable within the available timeframe and resources. 

The thesis statement should be:

• Clear and concise: The thesis summarises your main argument in one or two sentences.
• Argumentative: It asserts a position or argument, which you will defend and support throughout the dissertation.
• Testable and researchable: It can be tested with evidence, and you can engage with it critically.

3. Structure of your research: What are some key themes/ideas that you are going to explore that will support your thesis statement and answer the research question?

Making sure you get an idea of the above three key points, you will be more directed and clear what you need to read and where you need to search.

Reading checklist questions

We have created a checklist of questions which you can use to develop your critical reading skills:

1. Who is the author?

2. When was the text written?

3. What kind of text is it?

4. What is the key argument?

5. How does the author structure, develop and support their argument?

6. Is the evidence sound?

7. What research methodology is used?

8. How does the argument compare with other texts you have read on this subject?

9. What are the implications of the text?

10. What kind of language is used in the text?

Questions 1 - 4 are designed to:

• give you some background to the text
• help you make a decision about whether the source is something you want to read in more depth

Questions 5 - 10 are designed to help you to:

• decide which parts of the text (ideas, examples, data, quotes, theories) will inform your writing or presentation
• identify issues which can be used as part of a critical discussion in your writing or presentation

Note that not all the questions in the checklist will be relevant to all types of texts, so you can choose which ones you want to use. Reading a specific text might also make you think of other questions which are not on this checklist.

For each question a further explanation is provided and an example given from the following journal article:​​​​​ Hosein, A. & Rao, N. (2017). Students’ reflective essays as insights into student centred-pedagogies within the undergraduate research methods curriculum. Teaching in Higher Education, 22(1), 109-125. 
https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1221804

Consistent and mindful notetaking: Taking notes isn’t just about writing things down. It is about making your thinking visible. Mindful note-taking means capturing your own understanding, not just copying what's written or said. Ask: How would I explain this in my own words? It also means answering your critical questions as you go (e.g. “What’s the author’s main argument?” or “How does this connect to another source?”). You might also need to use active reading techniques, like highlighting, underlining key points, adding margin notes, or creating summary boxes.

Keeping it consistent helps you stay organized when you review later. That might mean always start a new section for each source or concept, use headings or bullet points to structure ideas, and use the same system of color-coding, abbreviations, or symbols.

Focus on key ideas and themes: Rather than jotting down every detail, aim to capture the main arguments, supporting evidence, and recurring themes. You might ask:

• What’s the author really trying to say?
• What evidence stands out or surprises me?
• How does this relate to what I already know?

This kind of selective focus helps you spot patterns across sources and synthesize ideas more easily later on.

Keep an accurate referencing and citation formatting: Keeping your references accurate and well-organised saves a lot of stress later, especially when you're writing essays or dissertations. To stay consistent:

• Use a single referencing style (like APA, MLA, Harvard, etc.) throughout your notes.
• Note down full citation information as soon as you engage with a source, including the author, title, year, page numbers, and any web links.
• Consider creating a reference table or list as you go so it’s all in one place.
• Use of referencing software like Zotero, EndNote, RefWorks, or Mendeley.

For more detailed understanding of effective note taking, take a look at this GUIDE.