Deep reading can boost your critical thinking and help you resist misinformation – here’s how to build the skill

Reading comprehension scores are tanking, and fewer Americans are picking up books. But practicing deep reading can help you process content more carefully and keep you from falling for misinformation.

By: JT Torres, Washington and Lee University and Jeff Saerys-Foy, Quinnipiac University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 16, 2026

Words: 1,047

Last Updated: 2 months ago

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By JT Torres, Washington and Lee University and Jeff Saerys-Foy, Quinnipiac University

The average American checks their phone over 140 times a day, clocking an average of 4.5 hours of daily use, with 57% of people admitting they’re “addicted” to their phone. Tech companies, influencers and other content creators compete for all that attention, which has incentivized the rise of misinformation.

Considering this challenging information landscape, strong critical reading skills are as relevant and …

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