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Mini-Module: Critical Thinking

Reading Critically

Skills for Success logoReading Critically Page 4 of 6

You will probably do a lot of reading at university, but of course the quantity is not as important as the quality! It is better to read high quality sources, and if you read critically, you will soon be able to recognise a good critically-written text. 

 

 

Activity

Here are two texts. One shows more critical thinking than the other. Can you see the differences between them?

Text A.

On 10th May 2017 in Southwark, two complete Saxon skeletons were discovered in the car park behind the Tesco supermarket. One of the skeletons is a king and the other one is a queen. The king is 1.83 metres tall and the queen is 1.70 metres. Both of them died in about 450 AD during a battle with another tribe.

Text B. 

On 10th May 2017 in Southwark, two complete skeletons were discovered in the car park behind the Tesco supermarket. It is thought that the taller skeleton may be a king since there are the remains of a crown, while the smaller one may be a queen as there are the remains of expensive jewellery. The style of the jewellery suggests a date of about 450 AD. This was a violent period, so both may have been killed in battle.

When you are ready, try these three questions.