Lesson 10: Reading about Issues

Discussion

Reading about Issues

Being an active reader means questioning what an author is saying and evaluating it for bias (the author’s personal opinion). That does not mean that it is bad to write about your opinions. On the contrary, writing about something you care about makes the writing come alive and connects to the emotions of the reader. However, as a writer, you must be aware of how you present your topic. As a reader, you must reflect upon which items in a writing are actually facts and which are really opinions.

Issue-related articles present differing opinions. Because the authors support their opinions using facts, or things that may be presented as facts, readers must be careful to distinguish fact from opinion. As you read, you form your own opinions based on information presented. Sometimes an author really attempts to present both sides of an issue. Other times, an author may present what we call a “biased” presentation of a subject. Looking at the author’s tone can help you to understand an author’s attitude about the subject.

Since authors often write to influence readers, you need to be aware of how you are being influenced. As a writer, you will use these same techniques to influence readers. As a reader, it is important to form your own opinions. This type of reading is the most difficult, because you must be alert to how the author is influencing your thinking.