Reading Critically

The author says that critical reading is "reading that looks beneath the surface of a work seeking to understand the creator's intentions, the strategies for achieving them, and their worthiness." He says to make sure you are reading in a quiet room with little distractions. Some titles may state the thesis or the tone. Knowing background information about the author will often help you guess something about the essay before you read a word of it. Knowing when and where the work appeared may give you another key to understanding it.