RAWS 2nd Quarter

Reading

Reading

Process in which the information from the text and the knowledge possessed by the reader get together to produce meaning.

Types of Reading

1. Scanning

2. Skimming

3. Inverted Reading

4. Critical Reading

Critical Reading

• actively analyzing and evaluating a text’s content, arguments, and implications. It goes deeper and evaluates what is read.

Reading Strategies

1. Previewing

2. Contextualizing

3. Questioning

4. Analyzing

Previewing

• skimming through headings, subheadings, and summaries to get an overview of the content

Contextualizing

• annotating the text

• highlighting key points, making margin notes, and asking questions to engage actively with the material

Questioning

• asking critical questions

• 5W1H

Analyzing

• identifying the main argument, supporting evidence, and logical fallacies, if any

Skills of a critical reader

1. Separating fact from opinion

2. Detecting propaganda

3. Recognizing errors in reasoning

Separating Fact from Opinion

A fact is information that can be proved true though objective evidence: physical proof or the spoken or written testimony of witnesses.

Detecting Propaganda

Propaganda uses emotional appeals instead of presenting solid evidence to support a point. (pathos-centric)

Six Common Propaganda Techniques

1. Bandwagon

2. Testimonial

3. Transfer

4. Plain Folks

5. Name Calling

6. Glittering Generalities

Bandwagon

• tells us to buy a product or support a certain cause because “everybody else is using it.”

example of bandwagon

A political ad may feature people from all walks of life in support of a certain candidate. 

Testimonial

• tells us to buy a product or support a certain cause because a celebrity is endorsing it.

• the idea is that the testimony of someone we admire will influence us.

• take note that famous people get paid to endorse products. 

example of testimonial

Famous athletes appear as spokespersons for all sorts of products, from soft drinks to automobiles.

Transfer

• most common propaganda technique

• products or candidates try to associate themselves with something that people admire

example of transfer

A political candidate holds a sign saying “Vote for Me” and stands next to a beauty queen wrapped in the American banner.

Plain Folks

• people present themselves as ordinary, average citizens, hoping we will identify with them and like them

example of plain folks

The presidents of some companies appear in their own ads, trying to show that their giant corporations are just family businesses run by ordinary folks.

Name Calling

• use of emotionally loaded language or negative comments to turn people against a rival product, candidate, or movement.

example of name calling

A political candidate labels an opponent “soft,” “radical,” or “wimpy.” Dog whistles are also another example of this, although it is done subtly.

Glittering Generalities

• important-sounding but unspecific claim about a product, candidate, or cause.

example of glittering generalities

An ad calls a certain television set “simply the best.”

Recognizing errors in reasoning

Fallacies are errors in reasoning that take the place of the real support needed in an argument.

Valid Point

• based on a rock-like foundation of solid support.

Fallacious Point

• based on a house of cards, and offers no real support at all.

Two common fallacies (Chapter 9, Argument)

• Changing the subject

• Hasty generalization

Changing the subject

• distracts us from the issue by presenting irrelevant support that actually has nothing to do with the argument.

Hasty Generalization

• a point has inadequate support or insufficient evidence.

3 Fallacies that ignore the issue

• Circular Reasoning

• Personal Attack

• Straw Man

3 Fallacies that oversimplify the issue

• False Cause

• False Comparison

• Either-or

Circular Reasoning

• repeats the point instead of giving evidence of it.

Personal Attack

• ignores the issue and concentrates on the character of the opponent.

Straw Man

• falsely claims that an opponent holds an extreme position and then opposes that position

False cause

• assumes that because event A came before event B, event A caused event B.

False comparison

• assumes that two things being compared are more alike than they really are.

Either-or

• assumes that there are only two sides to a question.

Hypertextuality

Text displayed on a computer display or other electronic devices with references (hyperlinks) to other text that the reader can immediately access which are typically activated by a mouse click. 

Hypertext

Any text you click in the World Wide Web

3 main benefits of Hypertext

1. Hypertext promotes dialogue.

2. Hypertext can be constructed as a collaborative medium.

3. Hypertext can be used in nearly any computer-facilitated classroom.

Intertextuality

• Textual reference within a text that uses said text as a reference.

• It may be the retelling or writing of an old story in a modern context.

Appropriation

• adaptation 

• borrowing from another text; reinterpretation 

Allusion

• reference to another text, or a reference to a person, place or event

• audience has to make the connection

Parody

• Funny imitation of a serious piece of literature, writing, art or music

• “Pokes fun” at something to entertain the audience.

Common Errors in Reasoning

1. Conclusion without evidence

2. Emotional sentences

3. Selected options

4. Showing false generosity

5. Wishful thoughts

6. One cause

7. Irrelevant argument

8. Relating irrelevant events

9. Assumption of truth for all

10. A mistake of conflict inflation