Chapter Summary

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In this chapter critical analysis is seen as a combination of skills that are associated with the interpretation of the text. These skills include: (1) making inferences; (2) distinguishing between fact and opinion; (3) recognizing generalizations; (4) identifying the author's tone; (5) identifying the author's purpose; (6) recognizing bias.

As explained in this section, making inferences involves understanding the literal meaning, questioning, recognizing clues provided by the writer, considering the author's purpose, and verifying inferences. Readers develop an awareness of the author's purpose by recognizing the intended audience, interpreting the tone, and understanding the author's point of view. Detecting bias is associated with analyzing connotative meanings, noticing descriptive language, analyzing the tone, and looking for opposing viewpoints. All sections include practice readings and exercises along with the explanations of these critical analysis skills.

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