Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing [with iClaim]

by Sylvan Barnet, Hugo Bedau

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing is a compact but thorough guide to critical thinking and argumentation. Comprising the text portion of the widely adopted Current Issues and Enduring Questions , it draws on the authors' dual expertise in effective persuasive writing and rigorous critical thinking. It helps students move from critical thinking to argumentative and researched writing. With comprehensive coverage of classic and contemporary approaches to argument, including Aristotle, Toulmin, and a range of alternative views, it is an extraordinarily versatile text. This affordable guide can stand alone or supplement a larger anthology of readings. Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing has been revised to address current student interests and trends in argument, research, and writing.

Genres: Writing, Education, Nonfiction, Textbooks

556 pages, Paperback

Published July 12, 2007

About the author

Sylvan Barnet is an American literary critic and Shakespearean scholar. He is a Fletcher Professor of English Emeritus at Tufts University.

Barnet is the author of numerous books and articles on Shakespeare. He is the general editor of the Signet Classics Shakespeare,[1] the author of A Short Guide to Shakespeare,[2] and has written many textbooks. He is the co-author with William Burto of occasional essays on aspects of Japanese art.[3] He has also written books about the art of writing.

Reviews

[رَشَد الأرحيم · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I ever devoured a book as much as I did this. I probably highlighted close to 20 percent of it (and it was not a short one).
To me, the best part about this book is that with all the guides the writer provides, he also provides ample examples- which honestly is not very common in many of the writing guides I have read so far. The essays were diverse, and to the academic level you would expect from a college essay. Then after each essay you find some notes from the author; it was like a voice guiding you through every thought that came to the writer's mind as they wrote their essays.
I can tell you; it's not easy forming an argument, but the guides and exercises provided in this book, will get you on the track of writing the best essays you ever did, all in a matter of weeks!

[Ursula Heinrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting contemporary arguments that are worth reading.

[Cade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious. The essay selections as examples of what the author was trying to get across were fine, but rarely necessary to read. Ended up half-heartedly skimming a lot of the later chapters, but enough that I'll call this fairly read. Desperately needed a good editor.

[Carla Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information, but giving more attention to Aristotle and his principles of rhetoric (refined later by the Romans) would improve the content.

[Irungu Mugi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Jonathan Guerrero]

Didn’t read cover to cover.

[Dayana]

reading it for college.

[Andy]

DNF. Nothing in here about science reading and writing, so not sure how critical the thinking can be.

[Mohammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this gripping book for freshmen/graduate students - particularly those at an English-medium university.

All the best,
Mohammad

[Destiney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a great book recommended for college students