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Critical Analysis: Questioning the Author/Questioning the Book

Discerning readers are critical of what they read. They recognize that not all published texts are necessarily quality pieces of literature. They realize that authors bring their biases to their writing. They know that written texts often contain errors. Many students have not yet reached the point where they are comfortable about, or see the need, to question what they read. When students are provided with opportunities and strategies to question and evaluate what they read, they will be engaged in purposeful and meaningful analyses with the end result of their becoming more knowledgeable, critical, effective readers and learners.

What Does It Mean to Question the Book or Author?

When we talk about questioning the author or book, we are first speaking about a particular state of mind-- a willingness to doubt the accepted truth of the printed word and the absolute authority of the writer. Questioning means drawing on previous reading experiences to reflect on a text's meaning, its effectiveness, and its quality.

What are Some Different Approaches to Critical Analysis?

Students should be encouraged to take different approaches in their critical analyses. They might question the author's craft.

• Is the writing clear and easy to understand?
• Are various literary devices successfully used?
• Is the writing consistent throughout?
• Is the language inviting and engaging?
• How does the writing compare to that in other texts?

Students might also question the author.

• Is the author knowledgeable about the topic?
• Has the author done his or her research?
• What is the author's background and experience?
• Does the author present a biased point of view in the text?

Or, students might question the text itself.

• Do the words confuse rather than clarify?
• Is the information complete?
• Is the writing free of grammatical error and errors in content?
• Do text and illustrations mesh and match?

Subject specific questions are also effective ways to do a critical analysis. Jeanne Reardon suggests questions specifically geared toward science-related books.

• What makes a book a science book?
• What does a science book do?
• How-- in what ways-- is this book a science book?
• What and/or how does the book make you wonder? What does it help you understand, think about, ask questions about?
• What kind of science did the author need to know to write this book?
• What kind of science is it?
• What kind of questions did the author have in her mind that she answered in this book? Are these important questions? Are these the same questions you have? What other questions might she have asked?
• What does the author think is important? What does he want you to think about?
• How does the author think like a scientist? How does this book make you think like a scientist?
• Does the author make any comparisons in this book? What kind? How do the comparisons help you think about science?
• Think about the connections in this book. Does the author make connections to other parts of science? Did you make any connections to other things you know? What kind of connections did you make?
• When a scientist reads this book what would the scientist notice?...think about?...look at?...talk about? How would a scientist read this book?

Why Have Students Question the Author and Books?

• Students engage in critical thinking.
• Through exposure to various types and quality of text, students better understand texts.
• Students become more knowledgeable readers.
• Students explore how language works, or doesn't work.
• Students become more knowledgeable readers.