Critical reading
Read complex texts critically: evaluate evidence quality, detect framing and omission, compare perspectives and form your own reasoned view.
In this lesson you will
- Evaluate the quality of evidence
- Detect framing, selective use of data and omission
- Compare perspectives and form a judgement
Learn
Evidence quality: Is it recent, relevant and representative? Is the source independent? Is the sample large enough? Are statistics given in context (a 50% rise — from 2 to 3 cases)?
Framing: the same fact can be presented differently: 90% survival rate vs 10% mortality rate. Headlines and first sentences frame how we read the rest.
Omission: what is not said? Missing counter-evidence, costs, or affected groups can make a text misleadingly one-sided.
Forming a view: compare perspectives, weigh evidence, and reach a qualified judgement: On balance, the evidence suggests… although…
Examples
- Framing: “Crime up 100%!” (from 1 incident to 2).
- Omission: an article praising a new drug without mentioning side effects.
- Qualified view: “On balance, the scheme seems effective, although long-term data is lacking.”
Vocabulary
framing
the way information is presented to influence understanding
omission
something left out
representative
typical of a larger group
in context
with the surrounding information
qualified
limited or conditional (a qualified view)
In real life
Read two short texts on the same topic.
Text A — Company press release. ‘Our new FreshAir purifier removes 99% of airborne particles! In our lab tests, users reported feeling healthier within days. Join thousands of satisfied customers and breathe easy.’
Text B — Consumer magazine. ‘FreshAir’s 99% figure comes from tests in a small sealed box, not a real room. In our tests in a typical living room, the purifier reduced particles by about 40% over an hour — useful, but similar to cheaper models. The company’s “healthier within days” claim is based on a survey of 20 users, all of whom received the device free.’
Practice
Why is the 99% claim in Text A misleading?
Speaking
Compare the two texts in 90 seconds, explaining which you trust more and why, and give your qualified judgement.
Writing
Write a critical comparison (150–180 words) of Texts A and B, evaluating evidence, framing and omission, ending with a qualified judgement.
Lesson quiz
“90% survival” vs “10% mortality” is an example of…
Review
Key points
- Evidence: recent, relevant, representative, independent.
- Framing.
- Omission.
- Qualified judgement.
What you learned
- ✓ I evaluate evidence critically.
- ✓ I spot framing and omission.
- ✓ I form reasoned judgements.