Two type of Readers

In the whole universe, if I may assume, there are two types of readers, mostly influenced by whether he/she has an open-mind or close-mind. Readers with an open-mind tend to be “the critical – reflective readers” with this attitude towards a reading:

• Most successful college writers are also sophisticated, critical readers.
•  The meaning of a text readers resides in the interaction between reader and words

1. Assume a skeptical attitude towards texts
2. Critically examine author’s ideals
3. Critically examine responses to the reading
4. Ask questions about words, mark passages, take note
5. Draw connections between author’s idea

While readers with close-mind tend to “the unreflective readers” with this attitude towards a reading:

1. Tend to accept unquestioningly what seen in print
2. If published, it must be accurate
3. Believe that the meaning of a text can be found in words
4. Only try to understand the meaning of author’s words
5. Reading is simple, straight-forward, read through text
6. After understanding the words, then move on to the next reading

We are not talking about both of stated above; we will only talk about the “critical – reflective readers”. Here are some questions you might want to ask in regards to the article or essay that you read:

• Concerning the author: Who is the author, What are his/her credentials, What else has she/he written on the topic, What possible biases might have influenced his/her work
• Concerning the publication: In what regards is the publication held by professionals in the field, Toward what type of readership is the publication aimed, How long ago was it published, What generally is the editorial stance of the publication
• Concerning your own views of the topic: What are your belief about the issues address in the reading, How open are you to new ideas on the topic
• Concerning writer’s purpose: What was the author’s purpose in writing the piece, What is the author’s piece, Does the author successfully achieve his/her goal
• Concerning context: What are the author’s major assertions or findings, How does the author support the assertions or findings
• Concerning the sources: How does the author use other people’s ideas or findings, How credible are the sources

I hope that with this note you might find more things interesting in your readings, regardless of its form (newspaper’s article, essay in a magazine, research on a journal, textbooks, et cetera). Thanks to Mr. Sugeng Purwanto for the knowledge given at our class.