critical ‘thin
| conventions, and its n FON, for de ermin

 

cae Writing to Read ‘Ona si : 3
a | This past year, with ei help of one of Gakton’s A

 

  
  

their lives. Each of the first four assignments fo

| 1. distinguishing fact from opinion;
| 2. determining the author's point of view;

oa | NESE ar ary and popular magazines—the types
3. detecting fallacies; and

wy learned in the, course
| evaluate a given article.

 

7 important for me to accomplish all of this without taking:

&

  

| An Iilustration

i distinguish acts from |
a assignment begins with an explanation of I
' considered a fact. I then point out that some facts are c
pa to be proven) while others. are incidental. This leads int
ee ke et the aut
be prove) an
‘ point out to. ‘the students that the

a | -ipated audience, nec sitatin:
ct. (Lal

  
 
 
 

 
 

     
  

   
   

   

or | are “generally accepted as fact.
. the course they will know more th

‘try te

\ the avers

oS | their role in advancing research | se

 

eading + ob cament ticeatee in a discipline is a tangible ee hi i
introducing them to the salient issues of that disciplin ‘it:
mining truth. And it need not take up much class time! —

wanted the students to learn and develop. My solution was to write a series of pap
required for each assignment, a total of about: thirty-five’ pages. They are
iS | printhop - and offered for sale at cost in the bookstore as one of the required texts for my ¢

oe } students read the lessons and | assignments, consult wis! me on an individual basis, and wate ea Pee

The following examy le should Rai illustrate the process. The first
ions i in an article taken from one of the texts, Annual Edit
: litical scientists deci

or assumes are common knowledge for his readers (and w
facts that he needs to prove because they are not cookie denotes M
fund of common knowledge may well be smaller th
that they check other sources | to make sure that the author's ob
ort them with the promise that if they do all the for
ge reader by the end of the semester.) The lesson. concludes
| with an explanation of how to, distinguish bet tween facts a d opinions that are disguised as facts. In this
ee context I discuss interpretation of histo orical events and how authors often « xpress |
i a they were fact. I then give the students a 1 few hints on how to

S| one to miss an opportunity, I also use > the occasion to discuss eee or ener within t r:

 

   

Toranizavional SeUAeRTen te
dW. Richetlsin Fowocstion,

 

 

 

 

 
  
 

udents devel oP
; intellectual

iting Anatenetots: 1 created a salleaick ave Uaany

assignments designed to. help stu tudents develop the ability to critically read political articles t appear in | ‘
ng that students will be exposed e for a of

ona ‘specific skill:

 

- SORIA Tee and contrasting articles which take different views on a single issue.

ae These assignments culminated in the fifth | paper which required the students to integrate the materials
eo with He ‘skills ‘they | shad acquired i in the previous Papers, a them to critically

| As someone who is determined to cover e\ verything « on an already overcrowded Seba Ba felt ‘it was

to teach these critical, reading, skills hy
that roa ‘the:
- the college

bound by colle
. The

     
    

cours

 

 
  
    

ide w iether or not something should be

to the au h or's a sacpias (and therefore need

ference between facts” that

refore does not bother to

. [use this opportunity to
the aut 101s

  
    
    
 
 
  

   
   
  

    

 

detect such um art

 
 

d assertions. Never

OF) Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin,  EDB 34 348, Austin, n Tors 78712

   

   
   

interpretations as if —

 

 

 

 

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