Critical Reading and Literature Reviews LSES Faculty Induction Day 2 Prof. Jannette Elwood Graduate School of Education

Aims: an introduction to Learning to be critical How to become a more critical consumer of literature How critically to read literature How to be a self-critical writer Key text: Poulson, L and Wallace, M (2004)(Eds) Learning to Read Critically in Teaching and Learning, London: Sage.

Remember……. As with all research studies, it is legitimate for students and others to ask how convincing are other authors’ arguments, their more detailed claims about what they have found out and any recommendations they may offer for practice Poulson and Wallace, 2004:xi

Critical Reading and Self-critical Writing Critical, critique, criticism – what does it mean?  Adopting an attitude of scepticism  Habitually questioning  Scrutinising claims  Respect for others at all times  Being open –minded  Being constructive

Critical Reading and Self-critical Writing Demonstrating competence in critical reading through critical academic writing Critical engagement with the ideas of others must be achieved in order to meet the criteria for success in postgraduate study You establish ‘your voice’ through critically presenting others ideas as well as your own

Remember……. No one researcher has a monopoly on what is to count as knowledge or what will work in practice Decisions on what the focus of your study will be reflect your values about what is worth investigating in the first place Learning to be critical implies selecting a particular approach or standpoint to your own work

PhD study as academic apprenticeship Opportunities to learn from others – supervisors, researchers, other students Interacting face-to-face or through medium of writing Learn-by-doing – trying out academic activities: critically reviewing literature, presenting at seminars, receiving feedback

Your own academic experience Develop over time Gaining knowledge about your field:  Leading edge  What the debates are and who are having them  About limits of what is known Learn to adopt a critical stance towards others’ claims to knowledge and a self-critical stance towards your own writing

Task 1: Look at handout - page 1, Link between critical reading and critical writing Read through Table 1.1 Note 2 things about the links listed in Table 1 that you might focus on in your reading/writing over the next few weeks Share these with the person on your left.

Task 2: A sense of audience Read through handout, page 2 - A sense of audience: profile of the main reader of your work What do you see as the main elements of a good critical piece of writing – note these down Share your work with the person on your right

Tools to help you read literature Huge quantity and complexity of literature – what do I need to know? What will you come across in the literature  Concepts  Perspectives  Metaphors/models  Assumptions/Ideologies

Claims to knowledge Claim to knowledge – an assertion that something is or normatively should be true Claims to knowledge are supported with some form of evidence that warrants the conclusion being drawn Knowledge claims made with varying degrees of certainty:  Degree of certainty  Degree of generalisation

Three kinds of knowledge Theoretical knowledge – developed through systematic reflection of the social world Research knowledge – developed through systematic investigation of the social world Practice knowledge – developed through taking action in the social world and evaluating that action

Four types of literature Theoretical literature – emphasises theoretical knowledge Research literature – emphasises research knowledge Practice literature – emphasises practice knowledge Policy literature – also emphasises practice knowledge

Remember…….. 2 dimensions on claims to knowledge 3 types of knowledge 4 types of literature

Task 3: Types of literature Read handout – page 3 Types of literature and their limitations of claims to knowledge expressed in them Can you identify from your own reading to date any texts that might fall into these four types of literature? Note these down. Share your choices with the person behind you.

Reviewing the Literature A review of the literature is:  A reviewer’s critical account designed to convince a particular audience about what published (and possibly also unpublished) theory, research, practice or policy texts indicate is and what is not known about one or more questions framed by the reviewer  Poulson and Wallace, 2004: 25 It also provides a framework upon which your thesis is based, your data will be analysed and your discussion/conclusions presented.

Remember……. A good literature review is:  Focused  Structured  Critical  Accurately referenced  Clearly expressed  Reader-friendly  Informative  Balanced Not too much to ask!!!

Developing a critical analysis of text Look at handout – page 4 Question 1 – encourages you to think about why you have selected the text and how your critical analysis of it may contribute to your enquiry Questions 2, 3, and 4 – guide you in determining what the authors are attempting to so and in summarising whatever content of the text is of significance to you. Questions 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 – help you critically to analyse different aspects of this content to see how far it is convincing Question 10 – invites you to form a conclusion in the light of your critical analysis, based in your informed judgement about the extent to which any claims relating to the focus of your enquiry are convincing and why.

Task 4: Look at handout – page 4, critical analysis of text Which questions do you think are helpful? Which questions do you think will be relevant to you as you start your literature review?

Remember……. Learn to be critical Become a more critical consumer of literature Always critically read literature Become a self-critical writer