Critical Analysis and Thinking SkillsEvaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is concerned with how we:

• Understand information and ideas• Consider an issue from different

perspectives• Analyse and evaluate information, ideas

and perspectives

Critical Analysis – Thinking critically for university

• Critical analysis involves breaking a question or topic down in order to consider all of its elements.

• Critical analysis takes into account the Context (including author, source-type, time and place of publication).

• Critical analysis requires wide reading or ‘synthesis’ on all elements of a question or topic.

• To ‘Critically Evaluate’ a subject is to make considered judgements about the quality of context, claim and content.

Description Analysis Evaluation

What?

When?

Who?

Critical evaluation involves bombarding a topic with a variety of questions.

Description Analysis Evaluation

What?

When?

Who?

Why?

How?

Critical evaluation involves bombarding a topic with a variety of questions.

Description Analysis Evaluation

What?

When?

Who?

Why?

How?

What if?

So what?

What next?

Critical evaluation involves bombarding a topic with a variety of questions.

A key element of critical thinking in university study is the ability to engage with other people’s arguments and make arguments of your own. It is, therefore, useful to consider what an argument is:

An argument takes a particular stand on an issue and provides evidence to back it up.

Academic writing of any sort (e. g. your own assignments, books, journal articles) has a main argument running through it.

An argument usually responds to an existing

viewpoint or theory

Academic argument must be based on:- Factual information (i.e. evidence)- Previous theoretical claims

To critically engage with an argument you need to:

1. Identify the point of the argument. What is the author saying/concluding?

2. Deconstruct the argument. What is it made of? (evidence, reasoning, persuasion)

3. Appraise the strengths and weaknesses of the argument (is the reasoning relevant and adequate?)

EXAMPLE

Evidence: the survey conducted this year at the University of Chester (with a total of 105 L4 UG students) showed that 78% of students prefer essays to exams.

Reasoning: This suggests that the majority of students would benefit from a move to a 100% coursework-based degree.

Conclusion: The failure to move to a 100% coursework-based degree model is likely to result in poor student recruitment and attainment.

Is the reasoning Relevant? Is the evidence Adequate? Are you convinced (persuaded) by the conclusion (i.e. argument)?

Deconstructing an argument:Some questions for you to consider

a. What is the context (author, source-type, time and place of publication) and why is it important?

b. What is the main argument/conclusion or recommendation?

c. What are the minor conclusions?

d. What are the measurable or observable facts (evidence)?

e. What is implicitly or explicitly assumed to be true without any support?

f. How does this information compare with that from other sources?

Consider this source…

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability…(2014)

• What is the context – author, year, source type• What are the key findings/arguments?• What evidence is used to support the findings?• Are there any assumptions or bias?

Now compare to this source…

Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change Reconsidered II (2014)

• What is the context – author, year, source type• What are the key findings/arguments?• What evidence is used to support the findings?• Are there any assumptions or bias?• HOW DOES THIS SOURCE COMPARE TO THE FIRST?

To summarise, critically engaging with academic sources involves routinely asking questions of the material which may include:

• What exactly is the author arguing?

• Is the argument logical?• Are there alternative

arguments of explanations that need considering?

• Are you convinced by the argument? Why?

• Does the evidence support the argument fully or partially?

• How strong is the evidence?• How big is the sample?• Is the source reputable &

unbiased?

Critical Analysis in your writing

Critical analytical writing is all about making informed and evidence-supported claims, arguments and theories.

A claim, argument or theory is a statement of something you believe or something you have discovered. It needs to be supported by evidence and discussion of existing theories (arguments) and their context and evidence. If your claim isn't supported by these factors it becomes just an opinion…

• 1. Johnson (2006) states that the Harry Potter books are fantasies of “conservative myths” (p. 222), but Henning (2007) refers to these books as harmless fun.

• 2. Johnson, in an article for the The Sunday Telegraph’s political section (12th November 2006) (context), states that the Harry Potter books are fantasies of “conservative myths” (p. 222). But, Henning, in an interview for Children’s Hour (2007) (context), predictably avoids such controversy and refers to these books as harmless fun.

Climate Change Arguments

• What information could we add to show critical analysis in the following statement?

• The IPCC see climate change as a ‘crisis’ directly affected by human behaviour, but the NIPCC claim that there humans have little impact on climate change, and that there is in fact no ‘crisis’.

To summarise, critical analysis in your writing involves….

• Providing the sources of your information/evidence

• Identifying the arguments put forward by authors

• Discussing the context and evidence used to support this argument

• Synthesising arguments, perspectives & evidence

• Building your own argument in response to the question

• Using key points to support your argument

• Providing evidence which supports your key point & arguments

• Putting your argument in the context of existing theories & perspectives