1. Critical Analysis When Reading
This workshop will
- Provide a basic definition of critical analysis
- Suggest strategies to employ when reading critically
- Offer practical advice on how to critically analyse
when reading
Louise Livesey
Academic Skills Adviser
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

2. Academic Skills Advice
The Plan…
The basic elements of critical analysis
Critical reading strategies
Checklist: What to look for in a text when critically analysing
Share the plan with attendees and give out note-taker HO
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

3. 1.The basic elements of critical analysis
Something that happens before writing take place
Engaging analytical thinking
by looking at something (whether tangible or conceptual) before you start your reading for your initial impressions
Breaking it down into its constituent parts using analytical thinking of close observation
Employing critical thinking by…
Asking questions of the origins of ideas, the assumptions behind the ideas, and the applicability of the ideas
Evidencing your conclusions and findings from this questioning process.
How it compares to other ‘somethings’ so as to make a judgement about its value or significance
Keeping an open mind about the application of this knowledge to address a problem or answer a question.
Is not linear
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

4. Academic Skills Advice
1.The basic elements of critical analysis
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

5. Two Questioning Strategies: 6?s ATMIP
2.Critical reading strategies
Two Questioning Strategies: 6?s ATMIP
Methodology
Applicability
Exceptions
‘Cultural’ adaptability
‘Currency
Logic
Both will assist in picking apart text with individuals preferring one/other/different/combination
6 Questions use terminology relating to research
5WsH uses less formal words to ask questions
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

6. Two Questioning Strategies: 5WSH
2.Critical reading strategies
Two Questioning Strategies: 5WSH
What…exactly is being said?
How…did they come to their conclusions?
Who…has written (or said) this?
When…was this written/said?
Why…have the authors written this?
Where does the study and its data come from?
Both will assist in picking apart text with individuals preferring one/other/different/combination
6 Questions use terminology relating to research
5WsH uses less formal words to ask questions
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

7. Academic Skills Advice
2.Critical reading strategies
TALKING POINT
What…exactly is being said?
How…did they come to their conclusions?
Identify and understand any arguments being made before you start forming your own views and judgments.
What method did they use for their research? Could someone else follow their process step- by-step?
Who…has written (or said) this?
When…was this written/said?
What organisation or individual?
Some work done a long time ago is still valid but its validity might be challenged
Why…have the authors written this?
Where does the study and its data come from?
What are they aiming to achieve? Could they have their own agenda?
Is the source trustworthy?
Answers appear on click
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

8. Academic Skills Advice
2.Critical reading strategies
Activity 1
Have a go yourself!
Read the text
Apply either strategies to the text
What questions haven’t been answered?
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

9. Academic Skills Advice
2.Critical reading strategies
Activity 1: 5WsH
What…exactly is being said?
How…did they come to their conclusions?
Identify and understand any arguments being made before you start forming your own views and judgments.
It is unclear if performance at Beckfield School can be attributed to water intake. 5th line and last sentence
What method did they use for their research? Secondary research (school reports, etc) with primary, i.e. survey – interview. Must’ve looked at reports, etc and line 9 re interviews.
Could someone else follow their process step-by-step? To a point in this paper as not details as to how interviews carried out
Who…has written (or said) this?
When…was this written/said?
What organisation or individual? No idea although writes well so could assume has some knowledge or experience
Some work done a long time ago is still valid but its validity might be challenged. Don’t know when conducted but could still be valid – at least The research can be challenged.
Why…have the authors written this?
Where does the material come from? Where is it focused?
What are they aiming to achieve? Not explicit - To discover if the school’s claims are valid or not.
Could they have their own agenda? Possibly – discredit research and its results, and therefore school.
Is the source trustworthy? Unsure as don’t know who they are (would normally have fully reference list/bibliography at the end)
Answers on click
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

10. Academic Skills Advice
2.Critical reading strategies
Activity 1: 6 ?s to Ask
Methodology – Don’t know and combination used – CASE STUDY. Yes-use of previous research (school’s and combining with other (independent and interviews).
Applicability – Yes, this research technique of using various secondary sources would be able to assess whether claims regarding sports performance can be proved. However, there may be different secondary research sources for each school, etc, so this must also be taken into account.
Exceptions – ? – see below
‘Cultural’ adaptability – does it range across environments and societies? Likely to be culture specific and even sub-culture, e.g. class itself. Other schools may not put same emphasis on sport so could be specific to this environment. Education varies across culture.
‘Currency’ - Don’t have a date so could still be current – usually seminal piece of work that is timeless, such as Marx.
Logic - Yes, seems to follow logical progression – looked at various research reports related to Beckfield School and other research to the general area of water intake and performance.
Answers on click
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

11. Academic Skills Advice
3.Checklist
Identifying the line of reasoning in the text
Critically evaluating the line of reasoning
Questioning surface appearances and checking for hidden assumptions or agendas
Identifying evidence in the text
Evaluating the evidence according to valid criteria
Identifying the writer’s conclusions
Deciding whether the evidence given supports these conclusions
(Cottrell, 2003:222)
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

12. Academic Skills Advice
References
Cottrell, S. (2005) Critical thinking skills. 1st edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan Ltd Cottrell, S. (2003) The study skills handbook. 2nd edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan Ltd Visuals: Clip Art
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice

13. Academic Skills Advice Service
Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23. Give us a call or come speak to us Monday-Thursday 10am-12pm and 1pm-4pm
Who am I? Louise, the dedicated workshop adviser.
Who can help me with study and writing skills? Lucy and Russell run Instant Study Skills Advice sessions Monday-Thursday and Writing Skills Clinics twice a week. You can also access self-help resources on our webpage.
Who can give me maths advice? Helen and Michael specialise in Maths support for students though clinics and pre-booked appointments.
How do I get in touch? Telephone:
17/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

14. Academic Skills Advice
Any questions?
1/17/2019
Academic Skills Advice