Study Skills Hack created by 301 Academic Skills Centre.- Purpose and background - why are you reading this text? What type of text is it? What do you know about the subject of the text? What else has been written on the subject? What controversies exist in this area and how does this text fit in?
- The author and the text - What do you know about the author and what authority does the author have? Who is the intended audience? What is the author’s purpose and why has the text been written? What is the source of the text - is it reputable? What is the date of publication - is this appropriate to the argument?
- Evidence used - Is there a clear distinction between fact and opinion? Is evidence used to support the arguments and how good is the evidence? In an experimental study was the sample size adequate - is the data reliable? How does the writer use other texts and other people’s ideas? Are the writer’s conclusions reasonable with the evidence presented? How do the conclusions relate to similar research?
- Assumptions made - What assumptions has the writer made - are they valid? What beliefs or values does the writer hold - are they explicit? What language have they used - active/passive verbs, pronouns, emphatic words, or hedging language (cautious) How else could the text have been written?
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