The essential guide to looking at literature with your own two eyes. What students know about Shakespeare, Orwell, Dickens, and Twain is primarily what their instructors tell them. Here’s a book that teaches the students how to move on to the next level—evaluate and read critically on their own, trust their own opinions, develop original ideas, analyze characters, and find a deeper appreciation for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and more. • Ideal companion for college students and accessible for the casual reader as well. • Covers fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction, biographies and memoirs, essays and editorials, and newspapers, magazines, and journals. • Features examples from published writing. • Includes a reading list and a glossary of literary terms.

Critical Reading provides a systematic introduction to the process of analyzing and evaluating a written text. Students develop critical reading skills through analysis of texts from authentic sources (journals, newspapers, magazines, and websites) and a variety of academic dsiciplines. They are encouraged to develop their comprehension and vocabulary skills, while forming a reasoned assessment of the effectiveness and validity of a text. Highlights The text goes beyond the standard "reading comprehension plus vocabulary" approach. Includes opportunities for further research, as well as writing tasks designed to allow students to synthesize the materials they have read and reach an individual conclusion. Each chapter introduces a fundamental skill for developing critical awareness, including: considering place and date of publication; identifying author bias and purpose; distinguishing between fact and opinion; gauging scope of research; evaluating evidence; comparing the author's argument to other points of view; and ultimately, evaluating the strength and validity of an argument with the goal of writing a critical review of the article. Teachers can access My eLab documents for support materials including answer keys and tests.

Appropriate for Introduction to Literature courses, second-semester Freshman Composition courses. This new text takes an interpretations approach to literature and its elements. Covering the genres of short fiction, poetry, and drama, it is appropriate both for literature courses and for composition courses. The goal of this text is to help students read and see literature from a variety of critical perspectives. The student's concerns, responses, and interpretive abilities are fostered by this approach.

This text uses the educational objectives of Benjamin Bloom as six steps to critical thinking (namely: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation). The book starts with the absolute basics (for example, how to find the topic, issue, and thesis) vs. the usual explaining and evaluating arguments and fine distinctions that easily can lose students.

Critical Reading, Critical Thinking offers a brief review of important developmental reading skills followed by a sequence of chapters covering critical reading. This is the first developmental reading text to take a contemporary issues approach. The examples and readings are all taken from today's headlines and news shows. The readings in Critical Reading, Critical Thinking range from animal rights to European integration to teen pregnancy to religious and cultural clashes in the United States.

This best-selling textbook, written by award-winning educator and past president of the American Psychological Association, Diane F. Halpern, applies theory and research from the learning sciences to teach students the thinking skills they need to succeed in today's world. This new edition retains features from earlier editions that have helped its readers become better thinkers. A rigorous academic grounding based in cognitive psychology is presented in a clear writing style with a humorous tone and supported by numerous practical examples and anecdotes. Thought and Knowledge, Fifth Edition has been revised to help students meet the challenges of a global neighborhood and make meaningful conclusions from the overwhelming quantity of information now available at the click of a mouse. The skills learned with this text will help students learn more efficiently, research more productively, and present logical, informed arguments. Thought and Knowledge, Fifth Edition is appropriate for use as a textbook in critical thinking courses offered in departments of psychology, philosophy, English, humanities, or as a supplement in any course where critical thinking is emphasized.

Reading critically, and writing using critical techniques, are crucial skills you need to apply to your academic work. Practical and engaging, Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates is bursting with tools for analysing texts and structuring critical reviews, helping you to gradually build your skills beyond undergraduate level and gain confidence in your ability to critically read and write. New to this 3rd edition: Introduces a technique for developing critical thinking skills by interrogating paper abstracts Additional diagrams, exercises and concept explanations, enabling you to more easily understand and apply the various approaches A glossary, to help with understanding of key terms. Also new for this edition, a Companion Website provides additional resources to help you apply the critical techniques you learn. From templates and checklists, access to SAGE journal articles and additional case studies, these free resources will make sure you successfully master advanced critical skills. If you need to engage with published (or unpublished) literature such as essays, dissertations or theses, research papers or oral presentations, this proven guide helps you develop a reflective and advanced critical approach to your research and writing. The Student Success series are essential guides for students of all levels. From how to think critically and write great essays to planning your dream career, the Student Success series helps you study smarter and get the best from your time at university. Visit the SAGE Study Skills hub for tips and resources for study success!