If you are reading to acquire Knowledge, practice analytical reading
How to become a more analytical reader
Hello everyone,
I’m Thomas. My goal is to help you master the best of what great thinkers, top performers, psychologists, philosophers and behavioural scientists have already figured out. Paid subscribers get more: an in invite to Thinking Toolbox course (mental models for a great life) and Mental Wealth Toolbox (practical psychology, economics and philosophy concepts, laws and principles for smarter decisions every day). Plus recommendations and tools for life.
There are two ways to read — active reading and passive reading.
If you are reading for pleasure, you want to enjoy the experience, lose yourself in the book and follow the journey with the author.
I’m not good at that. I don’t read a lot of non-fiction books. I am very selective, so I end up with few books.
If you want to acquire new knowledge, the process should be completely different. You want to be able to remember and apply what you are learning.
So it pays to do deeper.
You will:
Understand complex ideas and arguments
Make informed decisions
Critically evaluate information
Communicate effectively
Develop your own ideas and perspectives
I use analytical reading to learn new topics. It takes time, but it’s worth it. Knowledge is the power to; think independently, think clearly and make informed decisions.
Great books teach timeless and valuable lessons, so I prefer to read them slowly and critically — the aim is always to understand deeper.
“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.” René Descartes once said.
Analytical reading is a better approach to acquire new knowledge.
“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” Sir Francis Bacon said.
Analytical reading is a higher-level reading skill that goes beyond simply understanding the literal meaning of a book. It involves carefully examining the content to identify its deeper meanings, assumptions, and implications. Analytical readers ask questions about almost every chapter, consider different perspectives, and draw conclusions based on their analysis.
Key elements of analytical reading:
Identifying the author's purpose and point of view: Try to understand the author's intent and perspective. Ask questions like "What is the author trying to say?" and "What is the author's background and experience?"
Recognising evidence and arguments: Evaluate the evidence presented in the book and consider the strength of the author's arguments. Ask questions like "What evidence does the author provide to support their claims?" and "Are there any counterarguments or alternative perspectives?"
Analysing the structure of the book: Analytical readers consider how the book is organised and how different elements work together to convey the author's message. Ponder questions like “How does the author structure their arguments?" and "What are the different rhetorical devices the author uses?"
Identifying implicit assumptions and biases: Go beyond the surface meaning of the content and consider the author's underlying assumptions and biases. Ask "What are the unspoken assumptions in the book?" and "Are there any hidden biases that might influence the author's message?"
Drawing conclusions and making connections: Synthesise the information in the book and draw your own conclusions. Make connections between different ideas and see the big picture. These questions will help, "What is the overall message of the author?" and "How does the content fit into a broader context?"
Evaluating the text's credibility and relevance: Evaluate the credibility of the content and its relevance to your own knowledge and experiences. “Who is the author and what is their expertise?" "How does the book relate to my own understanding of the topic?"
Critical or analytical reading is a more active, conscious, more profound and complex way to engage with the content. When you read critically, you start with an open mind but tend to question the knowledge. You ask questions, highlight key points, take notes, underline important ideas, think deeper about every idea the author is trying to explain.
To think deeper and critically about your new information, you have to engage with the material differently. Critical reading is essential because you are reading to understand. And you can’t deeply understand the topic if you don’t ask questions, raise objections analyse the evidence and reflect thoughtfully.
Read slowly. You can understand better if you don’t hurry the process. Try not to skim the book. Each paper should be a learning process. By slowing down, you can find the best ideas and connect with the content better.
Take notes. It’s an essential process of the learning experience. A paper notebook is a better option, but you could also use your favourite note-taking app.
Explain the main ideas in your notebook. Your interpretation of the ideas can help you remember quicker. You can use your highlights and underlined text to write your summary. Writing is also a way to ask questions, raise doubts and think critically about ideas. Jot down your interpretation of each chapter.
What’re the big lessons? Is it explained clearly? Does the author support the ideas with evidence or facts? Are the assumptions supported?
Note all the questions you may have. Write down essential questions that can help you dig deeper or explore other books to understand better.
“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” John Locke said.
Share your opinion with others. Teaching is also one of the best ways to learn. Share your comprehensive notes with your audience. You could use the opportunity to summarise the book and publish it.
It’s a way to understand the content better. Albert Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
Writing is also a great way to “reorganise your thoughts, prior knowledge and understanding to accommodate new ideas or viewpoints.
Critical reading will improve your analytical reading skills and help you explore even more ideas you come across. Your wealth of knowledge will expand exponentially over time.
In summary, to improve your analytical reading skills:
1. Identify and synthesize the book’s subject matter.
2. Summarize the book in a clear and concise manner.
3. Explain and outline the major sections of the book and how they relate to each other.
4. Describe the problem that the author is attempting to solve.”
A lot of books will influence you if you are a voracious reader. So, choose your books carefully. Reading stimulates the brain and helps you connect existing ideas, challenge your assumptions and upgrade mental models.
Analytical reading is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. However, the benefits are well worth the effort.
Thanks for reading!
To our common journey,
Until next week,
Thomas