1. How to get started with critical writing

2. critical thinking critical reading critical writing
Learning Objectives
At the end of the session ALL learners will feel more confident about:
Identifying what is meant by critical thinking and reading
Distinguishing between descriptive and critical writing
Identifying the language of evaluation used in critical writing
critical thinking critical reading critical writing

3. What is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking means questioning what you read, hear or see; it doesn’t mean never believing anything.
It means:
evaluating whether or not your sources of information are reliable;
holding open the possibility that what you know at any given time may only be part of the picture.
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”  (Aristotle)
(Skills4study, 2015)

4. Using Facebook extensively can diminish a person’s intellectual ability.
What do YOU think?

5. What do you think?
Using Facebook extensively can diminish a person’s intellectual ability.
Why argue about something as ridiculous as this?
It’s definitely true/definitely false.
It’s true! A friend of mine spent all day on Facebook and ended up dropping out of college.
Who cares?
I don’t know
I’d say it’s 50% true and 50% false
I agree/disagree for a number of reasons but I’d need more information before I gave a definitive answer.

6. Critical Thinkers need to….
….have an open mind (“Why argue about something as ridiculous as this?”)
….not think in extremes (“It’s definitely true/definitely false.”)
….not generalise from single or personal examples or base evaluation on assumption (“It’s true! A friend of mine spent all day on Facebook and ended up dropping out of college.”)
….be interested in the subject (“Who cares?”)
….be active in finding information (“I don’t know”)
….not sit on the fence – form an opinion, based on the evidence! (“I’d say it’s 50% true and 50% false”)
Red cross image from Pixabay

7. Critical Thinkers need to….
….ask lots of questions, use a variety of sources, consider different perspectives and think of different possibilities (“I agree/disagree for a number of reasons but I’d need more information before I gave a definitive answer.”)
Green tick image from Pixabay

8. What an argument isn’t….
Critical Reading
What an argument isn’t….
critical thinking critical reading critical writing
Video link

9. Critical Reading – what is an argument?
Man: An argument isn't just contradiction.
Mr. Argument: It can be.
Man: No it can't. An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.
Mr. Argument : No it isn't.
Man: Yes it is! It's not just contradiction.
Mr. Argument : Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position.
Man: Yes, but that's not just saying 'No it isn't.'
Mr. Argument : Yes it is!
Man: No it isn't! Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes.

10. Contradiction Argument
“Greenfield (2010) says that using Facebook diminishes a person’s intellect, although studies have shown it doesn’t.”
Argument
“Greenfield expresses concern that repeated use of social networking sites shortens a user’s concentration span. (Greenfield, 2010). However, as Smith (2011) argues, there is little evidence to suggest concentration span and intellectual ability are linked. Therefore…”

11. Critical Reading: what is an argument?
To write critically, you need to read and think critically.
You need to evaluate the argument of the author(s) by identifying the:
Position
Reasons
Line of reasoning
Conclusion
An argument is:
“a reason or set of reasons presented in order to persuade readers or listeners to a particular point of view.”
(Skills4Study, 2015)

12. Questioning head image from Pixabay
Critical Reading
When reading (and thinking critically), you need to ask yourselves the following questions:
What are the main points I am being asked to accept? (POSITION)
What reasons are being offered to encourage me to accept these points? (REASONS)
Are these reasons convincing? (LINE OF REASONING)
What are the implications? (CONCLUSION)
Questioning head image from Pixabay

13. Question mark image from Pixabay
In short….
Who wrote it? (Authority)
When was it written? (Timeliness)
Why was it written? (Relevance)
What is the purpose of the article/information? (Objectivity)
Where was the article/information located? (Accuracy)
So What? What are the implications, for my project/for the discipline?
Question mark image from Pixabay

14. Too descriptive and not analytical or critical enough!
Descriptive vs Critical Writing
Too descriptive and not analytical or critical enough!

15. Descriptive vs Critical Writing
States what happened
States what something is like
Gives the story so far
States the order in which things happened
Explains what a theory says
Explains how something works
Identifies the significance
Evaluates (judges the value) strengths and weaknesses
Weighs one piece of information against another
Makes reasoned judgements
Shows why something is relevant or suitable
Indicates why something will work (best)

16. Descriptive vs Critical Writing - Exercise
Read the paragraphs from Task 1
In pairs, discuss if these extracts are examples of descriptive or critical writing

17. Descriptive vs Critical Writing - Exercise
However, the main weakness of the theory is that it fails to acknowledge the significance of other wider influences. Many writers have challenged Bowlby’s theory on the grounds that it has limitations and that child development is affected by more than just that of a mother-child relationship. Harris (1998) argues that parents do not shape their child’s personality or character, and that it is in fact their peers who have the greatest influence over their development. Similarly, Field (1996) questions Bowlby’s research methods and suggests that rather than just observe attachment behaviours in stressful situations, behaviour should also be observed in more natural, non-stressful situations. Moreover, Field’s opinion reflects that of Harris regarding the importance of the influence of many different people in a child’s life, and therefore highlights limitations to the research.

18. The language of evaluation
Adjectives
Nouns
Expressions
Recognising the language of evaluation
Using the same language to develop your academic writing style
Phrasebank: Manchester University

19. Evaluative Language - Examples
Screenshots: Phrasebank (Manchester University)

20. Evaluative Language - Examples
Screenshots:
Phrasebank (Manchester University)

21. Evaluative Language - Exercise
Identify the evaluative language in the following sentences….
A ground-breaking discovery has been made in research into ageing and death.
Their conclusion is mistaken and lacks hard evidence.
The search for a unified theory of the human mind is misguided, says Hargreaves (2015).
Current responses to the global energy crisis are inadequate, Juarez (2013) has warned.
In 1997, Irkan published a significant piece of research on open structures in bridges.
In his seminal work, Abaka challenges current techniques, revealing flaws in data interpretation.

22. Critical Reading – Exercise
In pairs, work through Task 2
Read through the extract (which is taken from a journal article)
Read each of the statements that follow the extract
Do you agree or disagree with the statements?
Why?

23. Academic skills are employment skills
Assessing information
Writing a report
Copyright
TM infringement
Planning and drafting a report or a project proposal
Effective report reading
Taking useful notes at meetings
Summarise and synthesize sources
Compare and contrast options
Building an argument
Recognising lines of reason

24. Learning Objectives FINALLY …
At the end of the session you should all feel more confident about and have practised …
Identifying what is meant by critical thinking and reading
Distinguishing between descriptive and critical writing
Identifying the language of evaluation used in critical writing.
Cheering crowd image
from Pixabay

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