Critical writing
When writing at university, you are often instructed to 'be critical', but what does this mean? The first thing to know is that it isn't about saying something is bad. Instead, think of it as being being a critic of the evidence and explaining what you think it shows - and why this is relevant to the piece of work you are undertaking.
This site will explain what critical writing is, highlight the differences between descriptive and critical writing, help you decide a position and write about it as part of a persuasive argument. It will also consider where your voice exists in those arguments and how to incorporate alternative viewpoints.
Critical writing workshops
Printable guide
A single page printable guide with our top tips for critical thinking. It looks at both critical reading and critical writing.
Click on the link above or the image to download the PDF.
External critical writing resources
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Making an ArgumentSome great advice from the Royal Literary Fund
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Descriptive vs Analytical paragraphAn example of each from Monash University
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Example critical (analytical) essayAimed at Nursing Students but this pdf has an example of an analytical essay and a reflective essay.
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How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills5 strategies from the Law of Attraction by Greater Minds
Related books and eBooks from our collection
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Critical Thinking by Instructors! Request your FREE e-review copy here! Do you need to demonstrate a good argument or find more evidence? Are you mystified by the comment "critical analysis needed?" What does it really mean to think well--and how do you learn to do it? Critical thinking is a set of techniques--you just need to learn them. This helpful book is your personal toolkit for critical thinking. Author Tom Chatfield will show you how to sharpen your critical thinking by developing and practicing this specific set of skills, so you can... Spot an argument and understand why reasoning matters Discover errors and evaluate evidence Understand and account for bias Become a savvy user of technology Develop clear, confident critical writing In your critical thinking toolkit, you'll find: The 10 Commandments videos: life rules to change how you think (Watch #1 of the 10 Commandments for Critical Thinking!) Smart Study boxes: excellent tips to whip your work into shape Quizzes: diagnose your skill level and test what (you think) you know Space to scribble!: journal your thoughts, questions, and eureka moments as you work #TalkCriticalThinking: connect and learn with readers from around the globe Designed to work seamlessly with a power pack of digital resources and exercises, this book will provide you with practical and effective tools to think and write critically in an information-saturated age. Critical Thinking gives you the skills, insights, and confidence to succeed! Learn more about author Tom Chatfield and the book! SAGE Study Skills are essential study guides for students of all levels. From how to write great essays and succeeding at university, to writing your undergraduate dissertation and doing postgraduate research, SAGE Study Skills help you get the best from your time at university. Visit the SAGE Study Skills hub for tips, resources, and videos on study success!ISBN: 9781473947146Publication Date: 2017-11-23 -
Critical Thinking: a concise guide [eBook] by We are frequently confronted with arguments. Arguments are attempts to persuade us - to influence our beliefs and actions - by giving us reasons to believe this or that. Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide will equip students with the concepts and techniques used in the identification, analysis and assessment of arguments. Through precise and accessible discussion, this book provides the tools to become a successful critical thinker, one who can act and believe in accordance with good reasons, and who can articulate and make explicit those reasons. Key topics discussed include: core concepts in argumentation how language can serve to obscure or conceal the real content of arguments; how to distinguish argumentation from rhetoric how to avoid common confusions surrounding words such as 'truth', 'knowledge' and 'opinion' how to identify and evaluate the most common types of argument how to distinguish good reasoning from bad in terms of deductive validly and induction. This fourth edition has been revised and updated throughout, with a new introduction for each chapter and up-to-date topical examples. Particular revisions include: practical reasoning; understanding quantitative data, statistics, and the rhetoric used about them; scientific reasoning; the connection to formal logic and the logic of probability; conditionals; ambiguity; vagueness; slippery slope arguments; and arguments by analogy. The dynamic Routledge Critical Thinking companion website provides thoroughly updated resources for both instructors and students including new examples and case studies, flashcards, sample questions, practice questions and answers, student activities and a testbank of questions for use in the classroom.ISBN: 9781317677185Publication Date: 2014-10-24 -
Critical Thinking: an introduction [eBook] by This engaging coursebook aims to teach critical thinking skills - the ability to interpret, analyse and evaluate ideas and arguments. Alec Fisher's approach is based on a widely shared conception of critical thinking and covers many of the basic skills and competencies displayed by good critical thinkers. It is suitable for a wide range of students in schools, colleges and universities and may also be used for self-study.ISBN: 9781107359697Publication Date: 2013-07-12 -
Critical Thinking and Reflection for Mental Health Nursing Students [eBook] by The ability to reflect critically is a vital nursing skill. It will help your students to make better decisions, avoid errors, identify good and bad forms of practice and become better at learning from their experiences. The challenges they will face as a mental health nurse are complex so this book breaks things down to the foundations helping them to build critical thinking and reflection skills from the ground up. Key features: · Covers the theory and principles behind critical thinking and reflection · Explores the specific mental health context and unique challenges students are likely to face as a mental health nurse · Applies critical thinking to practice but also to academic study, showing how to demonstrate these skills in assignments. Also available as a print bookISBN: 9781473913127Publication Date: 2015-12-09 -
Critical Thinking and Writing for Nursing Students [eBook] by Critical thinking, writing and reflection are core skills that nursing students are expected to develop throughout their studies. This book is a clear and practical guide to help students develop these skills. It explains what critical thinking is and how students should use it throughout their nursing programme. Throughout, the book demonstrates the transferable nature of critical thinking and reflection from academic contexts to the real practice of nursing. The 2nd edition includes a new chapter on critiquing literature, examines how caring skills are essential to critical thinking and includes a website with annotated examples of students′ work. Also available as a print book.ISBN: 9781446256442Publication Date: 2014-11-04 -
Critical Thinking Skills by Written by internationally renowned author Stella Cottrell, this is an essential resource for students looking to refine their thinking, reading and writing skills. Stella Cottrell's student-centred approach demystifies critical thinking and breaks down a complex subject into manageable chunks. With clear explanations, relevant examples and plenty of exercises throughout, this book helps students to develop their analytical reasoning skills and apply them to a range of tasks including reading, note-making and writing. This text will turn even the most hesitant student into a proficient critical thinker. This is an ideal companion for students of study skills, humanities, social sciences, business and arts programmes, where assessment includes essay and report writing. It is suitable for students of all levels. ISBN: 9781137550507Publication Date: 2017-03-14 -
Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare [eBook] by Thinking critically is an essential skill, both for students and for the modern, evidence-based, healthcare practitioner. You need to be able to find, understand and evaluate the evidence that underpins your assignments, clinical decision making and practice. The good news is that you use all of these skills in everyday life. You don¿t believe every advert you see or respond to every spam email. It¿s just a question of taking these critical skills and having the confidence to apply them to your academic work. This book will help you do just that. It will enable you to: - recognise your existing ability to be a critical thinker - spot logical flaws and inconsistencies in arguments - consider health issues from multiple perspectives, weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of a case - build a convincing argument in assessments - develop a range of critical skills for successful study and healthcare practice. Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare is an essential resource for all health professionals in training. Also available as a print book.ISBN: 9781138787520Publication Date: 2015-07-08
