EFL Students’ Critical Reading of Argumentative Texts: A Paul-Elder Analysis

Abstract

Critical reading is a crucial academic skill for university students, particularly when evaluating English argumentative texts that require deep analytical engagement. However, a discrepancy remains between critical literacy frameworks and classroom practice, as many tertiary EFL students continue to rely on surface-level reading and overlook implicit arguments. This study aimed to analyze the critical reading skills of undergraduate English Department students at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) using Paul and Elder’s Elements of Reasoning framework. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, the study involved 30 undergraduate students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through text-analysis tasks and reflective questionnaires. The data were analyzed through data reduction, categorization, interpretation, and identification of recurring patterns across the elements of reasoning. The findings showed that students could readily identify explicit elements, particularly purpose and evidence, but experienced greater difficulty detecting unstated assumptions and implicit implications. These findings indicate that students’ critical reading abilities were stronger in recognizing explicit textual information than in analyzing underlying reasoning. The study highlights the need to explicitly integrate structured critical thinking frameworks into EFL reading instruction to support deeper textual analysis, critical reasoning, and reflective reading practices.