CRITICAL ANALYSIS Purpose of a critical review The critical review is a writing task that asks you to summarise and evaluate a text. The critical review can be of a book, a chapter, or a journal article. Writing the critical review usually requires you to read the selected text in detail and to also read other related texts so that you can present a fair and reasonable evaluation of the selected text.

What is meant by critical? At university, to be critical does not mean to criticise in a negative manner. Rather it requires you to question the information and opinions in a text and present your evaluation or judgment of the text. To do this well, you should attempt to understand the topic from different perspectives (i.e. read related texts) and in relation to the theories, approaches and frameworks in your course.

What is meant by evaluation or judgement? Here you decide the strengths and weaknesses of a text. This is usually based on specific criteria. Evaluating requires an understanding of not just the content of the text, but also an understanding of a text’s purpose, the intended audience and why it is structured the way it is.

What is meant by analysis? Analysing requires separating the content and concepts of a text into their main components and then understanding how these interrelate, connect and possibly influence each other.

Critical Analysis Background  To "analyze" means to dissect, or determine the nature and relationship of the parts of something.  The goal of writing a critical analysis is to provide a thorough assessment of the differences between two or more items of interest, and/or to assess the benefits and drawbacks of two or more options or positions on a problem or issue of concern.  One might be trying to evaluate options to a technical problem, or, one might be trying to analyze a political issue.

Critical Analysis Background  Critical analysis is primarily concerned with what is not known and not agreed on: i.e. why something happened, why is it important, what should now be done and why should it be done?  This means that an essay requires a strong argument running throughout for one interpretation as against other possible interpretations. It should have a principal argument, clearly set out in your introduction, which runs throughout your essay. This is what you are arguing for; you will have subsidiary arguments that support this argument or criticise counter arguments.

Critical Analysis Background  The term ‘counter argument’ means any reasonable, evidence based argument that could be used to criticise or refute your principal argument. However, there is a danger in abstracting critical analysis from real life we in fact do think critically and analytically all the time.

Critical Analysis Background The primary result of an analysis should be to inform a reader fully about differences, or about options and their drawbacks so that s/he can make an informed decision. A critical analysis should be clear and concise; it should lay bare one's thinking about the items undergoing analysis; it should demonstrate that the writer has provided supporting evidence for each position or option.

How to Write a Critical Analysis  Prepare by reading all materials thoroughly. Understanding what you have to analyze is crucial. As you read, make notes of the following:  Identify the author’s thesis. What is s/he arguing for/against?  Identify the context of the argument. Why is s/he arguing this?  Do they offer a solution to the problem(s) they raise? Does it seem plausible?

How to Write a Critical Analysis  Note any supporting evidence and all of the main ideas. How does the author support his/her argument?  What kind of appeals does the author make in order to persuade the reader? For example, does he/she use: pathos (appeal to emotion), logos (appeal to reason/logic), &/or ethos (appeal to credibility)?  Note your responses to the reading. Do any questions arise? How effective does the article appear?

Writing the Analysis  Introduce what you are analyzing with all pertinent information about the work (don’t forget the title!) and the author. You may want to begin with a brief summary.  It can be helpful to insert somewhere early on in your analysis (probably 1st paragraph) a clear and explicit statement of the author’s argument. For example, “The author argues…”

Writing the Analysis  In the following sentences of your introduction hit all the main points. Then, in subsequent paragraphs, describe each of the author’s main supporting points/evidence as topic sentences and evaluate them.  Support your evaluation with detailed evidence from the text. Do not forget to use proper citation for quotes and paraphrases.

Writing the Analysis  Keep in mind: A critical analysis is different from a summary. It may include a summary, but should go beyond this. You are providing an informed critique of the material.  Remember that the purpose of a critical analysis is to evaluate. What about this text is worthwhile, useful, important, significant, valid, or truthful?

Other questions you may want to consider:  Does the subject matter have contemporary relevance?  Is there a controversy surrounding the text?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of the choice of topic, the methodology, the evidence, and the author’s conclusions?