Master of Accounting and Finance Course Research Guide

General Case Reading Tips

• Step 1: Read the case to get a feel for the topic.
  • What are the main issues? 
• Step 2: Re-read the case, this time focusing on the details. Look for conflicting arguments.
  • Which points are more valid? You should be able to defend your analysis. Connect what you have read in the case with the content of the course to help guide your thinking.
• Step 3: Tie case to course content. 
  • ​​​​​​​Does your assignment ask that you answer specific questions in your analysis? If so, read the case again while focusing on those questions. As before, ensure that you are able to validate your analysis with evidence. Focus on the facts from the case if they add to the narrative and support a deeper level of analysis. 

Critical Reading

To read critically is to make judgments about how a text is argued. This is a highly reflective skill requiring you to “stand back” and gain some distance from the text you are reading. (You might have to read a text through once to get a basic grasp of content before you launch into an intensive critical reading.) THE KEY IS THIS:

• don’t read looking only or primarily for information

• do read looking for ways of thinking about the subject matter

When you are reading, highlighting, or taking notes, avoid extracting and compiling lists of evidence, lists of facts and examples. Avoid approaching a text by asking “What information can I get out of it?” Rather ask “How does this text work? How is it argued? How is the evidence (the facts, examples, etc.) used and interpreted? How does the text reach its conclusions?

Source: Knott, D. (n.d.). Critical reading towards critical writing. Writing Advice. 
http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/critical-reading/

When evaluating an information source, especially online information, remember the simple Gut Test-- your immediate first impression after an initial examination or reading of a piece of information.  

Consider whether or not the information is:

• biased or has a particular agenda
• factually inaccurate or treats opinion as fact
• poorly presented, i.e. is it full of spelling or grammatical errors, etc..
• or just seems "off"

…then it is probably not a reliable source of information for your assignments.

Using ‘Bad’ Information

But, sometimes "bad" information can be very useful, if you are using the information to illustrate a point, exhibit conflicting or mistaken opinions or to critically analyze it. However, if you use "bad" information, provide context to the information and clearly identify it within your paper. 

And one last thing:

Confirmation Bias

Beware of searching for or selecting information that confims your existing beliefs or opinions about a topic.