CRITICAL READING AS

REASONING
 Identifying Assertions
Becoming a good critical reader means that you
are able to logically evaluate the claims of the
writer. Any writer would want the reader to
consider – and possibly agree with – the claims that
he or she puts forward. In expository writing,
assertions become the primary channel for a reader
to assent a claim.
Assertions are declarative sentences that claim something is true
about something else. Simply put, it is a sentence that is either
true or false.
Read the following examples:
• The sampaguita’s roots are used for medicinal purposes, such as
anesthetic and a sedative.
• The sampaguita belongs to the genus Jasminum of the family
Oleaceae.
• The popularity of sampaguita flowers is most evident in places of
worship.
• Sampaguitas are the most beautiful and most fragrant of all
flowers.
 Types of Assertion
1. Fact – a statement that can be proven objectively by
direct experience, testimonies of witnesses, verified
observations, or the results of research
The sampaguita’s roots are used for medicinal
purposes, such as anesthetic and a sedative.
This statement is a fact because it can be directly
verified by experience or reliable research.
2. Convention – a way in which something is done, similar to
traditions and norms. Conventions depend on historical precedent,
laws, rules, usage, and customs. Thus, their truthfulness is verified
by how commonly held definitions and beliefs are interpreted.
Something to note about conventions is that they may sound
factual due to their being derived from customs, but because they
are socially accepted ways of doing things, they cannot be verified
objectively by measurements.
The sampaguita belongs to the genus Jasminum of the family
Oleaceae.
This statement is a convention because it is based on a
classification system made up by scientists and is acceptable to the
scientific community.
3. Opinion – Opinions are based on facts, but are difficult
to objectively verify because of the uncertainty of
producing satisfactory proofs of soundness. Opinions
result from ambiguities; the more ambiguous a statement,
the more difficult it is to verify. Thus, they are open to
disputes.
The popularity of sampaguita flowers is most evident in
places of worship.
This statement is an opinion because it is based on an
observation that needs to be proven by studies and
repeated observation; there are too many factors involved
that makes explicit judgment difficult.
4. Preference – Preferences are based on personal
choice; therefore, they are subjective and cannot be
objectively proven or logically attacked.
Sampaguitas are the most beautiful and most
fragrant of all flowers.
This statement is a preference because it says a lot
about the type of flowers that the writer likes,
instead of objectively comparing the qualities of
sampaguitas to that of other flowers.