What is critical read in g Essays - Learning, Philosophy, Argument

What is critical read in g Study guide Critical reading is an important precursor to critical writing. This Study Guide explains why critical reading is important, and gives some ideas about how you might become a more critical reader. Other Study Guides you may find useful are What is critical writing? Using paragraphs and The art of editing. What is critical read in g? The most characteristic features of critical reading are that you will: exam in e the evidence or arguments presented; check out any in fluences on the evidence or arguments; check out the limitations of study design or focus; exam in e the in terpretations made; and decide to what extent you are prepared to accept the authors' arguments, op in ions, or conclusions. Why do we need to take a critical approach to read in g? Regardless of how objective, technical, or scientific the subject matter, the author(s) will have made many decisions during the research and writing process, and each of these decisions is a potential topic for examination and debate, rather than for blind acceptance. You need to be prepared to step into the academic debate and to make your own evaluation of how much you are willing to accept what you read. A practical starting point therefore, is to consider anything you read not as fact, but as the argument of the writer. Taking this starting point you will be ready to engage in critical reading. Critical read in g do es not have to be all negative The aim of critical reading is not to find fault, but to assess the strength of the evidence and the argument. It is just as useful to conclude that a study, or an article, presents very strong evidence and a well-reasoned argument, as it is to identify the studies or articles that are weak. Evidence Depending on the kind of writing it is, and the discipline in which it sits, different kinds of evidence will be presented for you to examine. At the technical and scientific end of the spectrum, relevant evidence may include information on: measurements, timing, equipment, control of extraneous factors, and careful following of standard procedures. Specific guidance will be available within specialties on what to look for. At the other end of the spectrum is writing where there is clearer scope for personal interpretation, for example: analysis of in dividuals' experiences of healthcare; the translation of a text from a foreign language; or the identification and analysis of a range of themes in a novel. In these cases the evidence may include items such as quotes from interviews, extracts of text, and diagrams showing how themes might connect. The nature of the evidence presented at these two extremes is different, but in both cases you need to look for the rationale for the selection and interpretation of the evidence presented, and the rationale for the construction of the argument. Broaden in g the def in ition of evidence This Study Guide takes a broad view of evidence: it maintains that all that you read can be considered as evidence, not purely the actual data collected/presented. This encompasses: the report of the context with in which the data we re collected or created; the choice of the method for data collection or selection; the audit trail for the analysis of the data i.e.: the decisions made and the steps in the analysis process; the rationale for the in terpretations made and the conclusions drawn; the relevance of, and the use made of the theoretical perspective, ideology, or philosophy that is underp in n in g the argument. L in k in g evidence to argument On its own, evidence cannot contribute to academic debate. The interpretation and presentation of that evidence within an argument allows the evidence to make a contribution. The term argument' in this context means the carefully constructed rationale for the enquiry, and for the place of its results within the academic arena. It will explain for example: why the authors considered that what they did was worth doin g; why it was worth doin g in that particular way; why the data collected, or the material selected, we re the most appropriate; how the conclusions drawn l in k to the wider context

Sex on Television essays

Sex on Television essays Sex and intimacy on television has long been a fought over topic in our society. For years, the FCC and the MPAA have censored any content they deem sexually or verbally explicit from our viewing, and as we know television is one of the largest influences on our culture ever artificially created. Still though, sex and intimacy seep through the cracks of the system and During the early days of television, sexual situations were rare and intimate moments were few and far between. On "I Love Lucy", the Ricardos were no exception. Lucy and Ricky rarely touched each other for any reason other than a quick embrace or in a friendly manner. Their contact was nothing like the way we now expect a husband and wife to interact. And as you may know, they slept in separate beds, which has also been a topic of great discussion. While, of course, married couples at the time, almost without exception, shared the same bed, television producers thought displaying this implied sexual contact, which was of course a big no-no in the mid-fifties. The Bradys were slightly more liberal about intimacy. This is most likely attributed to the fact that the show ran from 1969 to 1974 during which our society was still going through an enormous shift in its value system. Contrary to rumors, Mike and Carol Brady were not the first married couple on television to share a bed; the Munsters had done that already. There were also segments during some episodes which showed Carol and Mike in bed together discussing the days events and usually they would conclude by kissing each other good night and going to sleep. Kissing between them was also not that big of an issue; they did it frequently and without hesitation as a sign they loved each other, as most couples on television before were unable to express physically. Again, this type of activity contained sexual innuendos but, ...