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Academic Reading & Critical Thinking
The Notebook as a Tool for Thinking (from the Writer's Complex)
This short reading outlines a design for a "re-thinking notebook." It provides suggestions for a different way for writers to take notes and capture their thoughts and reactions to what they are reading. This is a useful tool when preparing to write an essay or written assignment.
The Write Way: Academic Discourse (from the Writer's Complex)
This is a comprehensive series of readings describing the specialized nature of academic writing. Topics include: professors' expectations, key terms, types of papers, and other conventions used in academic writing.
Guidelines for a Critical Book Review (Genesee Valley Writing Center)
This is a brief reading that outlines the four steps to writing a critical book review. Includes examples.
Using Evidence to Prove Your Point In Business Writing (Genesee Valley Writing Center)
This page introduces the concept of incorporating evidence and proofs into persuasive business writing. It also examines the Toulmin Model of deductive logical development and offers tips on evaluating arguments for their effectiveness.
Finding Your Thesis (Genesee Valley Writing Center)
This is a step-by-step guide to aid in 1) choosing and selecting a topic, 2) writing the thesis sentence, and 3) developing an outline. Includes many helpful examples to illustrate each step.
Critical Reading Exercises (Empire State College Writing Resource Center)
A collection of handouts and worksheets to help students read critically and respond to what they have read.