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Summary of Chapter 1

(Critical Thinking through Reading, Viewing, and Writing)

The main idea of this chapter is helping people how to gain basic conception of script, article, story, text or an image and then analyze, summarize and respond or give your opinion about it. So we need to know several steps.
First we need to memorize and understand well. To do so we use reading strategy that is called SQ3R: Survey, Question and Read, Recite, and Review.
Survey: In this step we need to explore the text. Look at special words which are written in bold. Give heed to headings, titles, images etc.
Question: We need to change headings, titles and main idea into the questions. This will help to lead the main idea into our mind.
Read: Reading confused parts carefully and slowly will help us to memorize the fundamental parts.
Recite: Reciting the key points is the best way of keeping in mind the text. Say aloud main words asking questions to them Who? Why? When? What? Where? and How?
Review: After these all steps review each especially “Question” part.
Read with short pauses so that you can memorize it. Predict what will come next. Read aloud confused parts. After reading take thoughtful notes it will also help to keep text in mind. And if you read your own book try to write notes on it too.
Another way of memorizing the text is mapping it. It’s called mind mapping. To construct a mind map we must know four steps: Start in center (Put topic in the center), Add branches, Add details (to that branches), Personalize (add symbols, draw pictures, add colors etc).
You can also outline the text. Outline the text is a way of showing the basic points of the text. Classify them into several parts. After outlining the text evaluate or judge it. Judge the reading’s credibility. Ask a several questions like Where was it published? How reliable is the author? How accurate and complete does it seem to be? Try to contrast the author’s idea and yours which you read from different sources. Estimate the main idea if it’s clear logically or not.
After you read the text you may respond to a text or summarize a text. First let’s talk about responding to a text. For response writing you must be honest, be fluid, be reflective, be selective. Write your opinion honestly. Don’t be afraid. Always worry about grammar. Try to respond to a text with thoughtful answers.
To write a summary there are various ways. First you must skim the text, especially those sentences which elucidate the main idea. Capture the key points and note them.
What if we need to write explanation of picture? Now let’s talk about critical thinking through viewing. In advertisements or announcements people always use pictures or colors to appeal your attention. Because you can understand the meaning of images. So you can explain what you see by writing it. To write the explanation of an image we must know several ways. First question the image. Ask questions like Who made the image? What does it show? Where in the text does the image appear? Why was it placed there? Second inspect the entire image. After that open your imagination, but stay on guard. Search for key information, note what’s left out. Relate the image to the words it illustrates. Critique the appeals that the image uses, looking for elements that are manipulative, clichéd or fallacious. Look for the main points to remember. Explore the image.
Figuring out what the image or graphic design is really meant to do, say, or show is interpreting an image. It’s very different than viewing. Interpretation’s elements are designer, viewer, medium, subject, message and context. Image: It might be strange, deceiving, very detailed, or highly technical. Designer: He or she might be unknown or representing someone else, or it might be a team f people. Viewer: You might be uninterested in the subject, unfamiliar with the visual “language” used by the designer, or biased toward the subject. Subject: It might be vague, unfamiliar, complex, or disturbing. Message: It might be mixed, implied, ironic, unwelcome, or distorted. Context: It might be disconnected from the image, changing, or multilayered. Medium: It might be multiple, awkward, or “the message”.
Weigh and appraise an image is evaluating an image. For evaluating an image you must ask what purpose does the visual image best seem to serve? Essentially, how good is the image? What is the image’s tangible and intangible worth? Its benefits and drawbacks?
Sometimes in writing we need to practice specific modes of thinking. To do so we need to know how to think by using analysis, synthesis, evaluation, application.
Think by using analysis: To think by analysis we must answer several questions like What elements does it contain? What is not part of it? How are things grouped, divided, or classified? What are the parts or elements? How are they related? How are things similar? How are they different? Why did this happen? What are the results? How does it work or happen? What are the stages?
Think by using synthesis: The questions are What can I do with both? What will be the outcome? How can I build a connection between the two? How can I connect, associate, or blend the two? Which is good, better, or best? What strength does offer the other? What parts could these two play in a drama? What do you suggest doing with both? Which comes first? Is one an extension of the other?
Think by using evaluation: Questions like these will help you evaluate things in writing: What elements of the topic will you evaluate? What are your experience and point of view? On what standards will you base your judgment? How does the topic measure up by those standards? How does it compare to and contrast with similar things? Based on your evaluation, what do you advice?
Think by using application: When applying ideas let questions like these guide your writing: what is something designed to be or do? What would this idea make clearer, better, or more complete? What problems are solved by application of this idea? What could we go from there?
The main ideas of Critical Thinking are improving your active reading and strategies, improving your response writing and summary writing, developing your interpretation of images by analyzing the context, subject, medium, message, designer, and viewer, developing the evaluation of the purpose, quality, and value of images etc which are shown above.