1. Academic Writing: critical analysis
Explain how to write with critical analysis and
the role it plays in your assignments
Analyse and evaluate levels of critical analysis in
examples of writing
Compose a piece of persuasive writing that
demonstrates critical analysis
Rhian Wyn-Williams
Skills@ljmu.ac.uk
2. Descriptive writing versus critical writing: what’s
the difference?
On your handout, in pairs,
identify each statement as
showing either descriptive
or critical writing.
3. DESCRIPTIVE WRITING ANALYTICAL WRITING
states what happened identifies the significance
gives the story so far weighs up one piece of information against another
says how to do something argues a case according to the evidence
notes the methods used identifies whether something is appropriate or
suitable
explains how something works indicates why something will work (best)
says when something occurred identifies why the timing is of importance
lists in any order structures information in order of importance
states links between items shows the relevance of links between pieces of
information
gives information draws conclusions
4. So, critical analysis is…
• Standing back and thinking about all
the elements of a topic
• Not taking information at face-value
• Thinking about context
• Considering an issue from different
perspectives
• Analysing and evaluating information,
ideas and perspectives before making
a judgement
• Critical thinking is about asking and
answering questions: ‘Why? How?
What if? What next? So what?’
5. First, evaluate some examples of critical writing: what do they
tell you about how to write with critical analysis?
On your worksheet, you
have three paragraphs. In
your groups, discuss and
evaluate where and how
these students are showing
critical analysis.
6. Turning first to the alleged economic benefits of tourism, we can see that
in the case of the Cook Islands, there is a variety of sources of income
from tourist receipts. In an unsurprisingly positive report from the
Tourism Council of the South Pacific (2013), after beach activities and
natural scenery (62%), visitors to the Cook Islands are looking for
entertainment and folklore and culture experiences (27%). Tourists
contribute to the local economy by spending money on travel to and
around the country, as well as on accommodation, food, entertainment
and souvenirs. Results from this same survey, for example, revealed that
in the survey period (October 2012 to February 2013) 90% of tourists
surveyed stayed in hotels or similar accommodation, 78% of which are
owned by multi-national organisations. Also, close to 70% of total tourist
expenditure was on accommodation, restaurants and bars, with a further
16% on transport, tours and entertainment (Tourism Council of the South
Pacific, 2013). These figures are presented to suggest, as Brown et al.
(2016) have similarly proposed, that tourists are helping to create jobs
and investment in the local economy by directly by paying for services.
However, the study by Mabuso (2017) persuasively highlights the low-
wage nature of this employment and the lack of investment in local
infrastructure, which has had the effect of stifling growth locally despite
the high profits external tourism companies have gained from their
placement on the Cook Islands. It could therefore be suggested that
control of the Cook Islands tourism industry by local people, with advice
from those outside working in a partnership mode as has been seen in
Barbados (Mabuso, 2017), could mean that tourism brings many more
benefits than it currently is doing.
Evaluating the source material
for its reliability, limitations and
its effectiveness.
Comparing and contrasting the
literature: synthesising it
Making sense of the evidence:
indicating what they think it
means/suggests and developing
an argument.
7. Lim et al. (2006), a group of research staff of the Centre for Epidemiology
and Population Health, have explored the issue of ‘disappearing teaspoons’
through the implementation of a longitudinal cohort study. This was
undertaken at their own institution in Melbourne, Australia. They placed
70 numbered teaspoons in various tea-rooms in the institute and tracked
them over a period of five months. Eighty per cent disappeared for good.
Based on the rate of disappearance, 252.4 teaspoons would need to be
bought each year to supply a working population of 140, with one
teaspoon between two people. They argue that teaspoons in their
workplace are lost at such a rapid rate that, as a result, employee
satisfaction is reduced, and indeed, harmonious office culture in general, is
threatened. In terms of their research methods, there are perhaps some
issues relating to their use of a deductive approach: there are clearly
limitations to research which explores pre-conceived ideas. However,
their use of a covert study seems an appropriate method in terms of
gaining objective insight into this issue; especially as this method was
countered by a follow-up questionnaire which revealed some of the
reasons for teaspoon ‘theft’. The authors acknowledge that this is an area
of limited research; it is therefore impossible to make comparisons with
similar studies, or office cultures elsewhere. This is clearly a limitation,
and affects evaluation of the veracity or generalisability of their findings.
However, as this represents a sole study about teaspoon displacement, it is
clearly an important one for those interested in cutlery-based issues.
Evaluation of the
strengths and
limitations of the
research and its
methods.
8. The potential issues caused by the entanglement of cables and tubing at
hospital bedsides are numerous and can often seriously compromise patient
care and recovery. For example, in an intensive care unit a mess of cables
that becomes caught and pulled can disconnect or snap a critical fluid line
leading to the rapid deterioration of a patient’s condition (Mahmood, 2014).
This could then be made more dangerous by anyone trying to reconnect the
line by pulling back at the cabling, potentially damaging a number of other
life supporting systems. Patients have also been known to become strangled
by tubing this is more common in paediatric care where child patients
become restless and induce further tangling by moving about (Olusunga et
al., 2018). In circumstances when a patient is bed-bound for an extended
amount of time, movement and exercise can enhance recovery and reduce
loss of muscle strength (Burtin et al., 2009). However, the way that most
wired monitoring systems are set up limit the area in which a patient can
move by effectively tethering them to the machine. This has a wider impact
on the NHS by contributing to bed shortages because patients take longer to
recover to the point at which they can be discharged. A product is therefore
required that can replace the current system of bedside cables and tubing to
improve patient safety and recovery, which would be beneficial to the
individual patient and alleviate some of the pressures on the health system.
Adding further
analysis of the
problem – the ‘so,
what?’
Evaluation of the
problem in a
broader context -
has synthesised
literature on both
engineering and
health to evaluate
the problem and
offer a solution
9. To help you write with critical analysis, use WEED to plan
and write analytical paragraphs as those students did
What is your paragraph about? This will be your topic
sentence.
Explanation: what do you mean?
Examples: evidence from literature, policy or practice.
Start synthesising the literature.
Do: What do I do with this information?
How is it relevant? Keep thinking ‘How?’, ‘Why’ and ‘So
what?’
10. Useful phrases to show critical analysis
• X’s research is not wholly persuasive because she overlooks
___________
• X’s theory of ___________ is extremely useful because it
sheds insight on the difficult problem of ___________
• Whereas X provides ample evidence that ___________, Y and
Z’s research on ___________ and ___________ is more
convincing in its argument that ___________ because
___________
• This suggests that ___________
• Conversely, it could be argued that ___________
Useful link: Manchester University
Phrasebank
http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.
uk/being-critical/
11. Ask yourself questions when reading:
What is the main point/argument/conclusion
of the source?
What further/minor points are made?
What evidence is used? Effective?
How does this information compare with
other sources?
What is its significance?
What are its limitations?
What is the origin and context? Why is that important?
But to write with critical
analysis, you need to be
reading with critical
analysis
12. We’re going to base your critical writing on the
question, ‘Should Penny Lane change its name?
On your handout, start
noting down what you think
and why.
What do I think? Why?
What do other
people think?
Why?
13. But is there more for you to consider?
In your groups, you each have a different article
about recent calls for memorials to slave owners to
be removed.
Read the article and add some more detail to your
grid: is this another point of view or does it give you
some more reasons to explain your own view?
Share the information and ideas from your article
with the rest of your group. Add even more
comments to your grid.
What is your own view now?
14. Have a go….
• Using your critical reading and our
discussion, start applying some of
these techniques to your own writing.
• In your groups, write a short
persuasive paragraph answering the
question, ‘Should Penny Lane change
its name?’
15. Reflection…..
• What particular area of writing with critical
analysis will you focus on improving?
• How will you make those improvements?
5 minutes: Run through and exemplify a little more to validate and develop their initial comments. Could ask for some examples of each from their subject area.
Explain why analysing and evaluating examples of critical writing will help – if they can recognise it, they can more likely do it. Highlight that the examples will include different ways in which they can show critical analysis, and that assessing which level the student writing was at, they can see how critical writing at L7 builds upon what they have previously done in their earlier studies but what L7 expectations of critical writing are. Give them at least 10 minutes (sometimes can go up to 15 if responses are full)for this, including getting their feedback on each, pushing for explanations for their comments and for further evaluation of them. Once get feedback on each one, show them the slide with the critical analysis highlighted on – do each on in turn
2 -3 minutes: Make the link here – how this helps them to get some critical writing in each paragraph. Go back and highlight how the examples they have looked at have these elements, especially the D.
Brush over this pretty quickly – just highlight that another important way of showing critical thinking is by evaluating the work of authors and that the Manchester Phrasebank is a good resource to use for more examples.
Pretty briefly run through as a summary of how they can use critical analysis in their reading specifically, but most of this will have been covered up to this point. Show that they can’t write critically without reading and thinking critically. Emphasise the integrated nature of critical reading and writing. 10 minutes in total for the reading, their sharing in pairs and the feedback discussion
Intro the topic briefly – get a few responses
Explain this carefully to them. Ideally need them in groups of 4. Q and A to develop their critical thinking – keep pushing on provenance etc. End with asking them whether they have changed their views, if so why and if not why. Get a bit of debate going. SO, YOU HAVE BEEN CRITICALLY THINKING!!!!
20 minutes in total. Could use the sharing screen for this if they do it on their table’s computer – if working! If not, can circulate and read out key parts of each to the group to enable whole group evaluation and discussion etc. When giving feedback, pick out the sure signs of critical writing in each and question them further to demonstrate how they could have approached their reading even more critically (although they have had a discussion earlier on these) but also whether they could use language more effectively etc…basic evaluation of their sample paragraphs. If time is short, they could just write a brief outline and then talk around it (developing their paragraphs as they speak)
Go around the class and ask each student for their area – push them on how they will action their improvement to assess their learning.
