CRITICAL ANALYSIS Angie Parkinson

What is critical analysis?

• What do you think?

• But you also have to evaluate if evidence supports conclusions:

Evidence: The philosopher, Socrates, was a man (fact and verifiable)

Evidence: My father was a man (fact and verifiable)Conclusion: My father was a man, therefore he was

a philosopher (false conclusion)

Descriptive Vs Analytical

• State what happened• State the order of things• Say how to do things• State opinions• List details• States links between items • Give information

• Identify the significance • Make reasoned judgements • Argue a case (evidence) • Give reasons for selection • Evaluate significance of • Show relevance of links • Draw conclusions

Developing critical thinking ability: Reading

1. Identify line of reasoning2. Evaluate it 3. Question it4. Identify evidence5. Evaluate it6. Identify conclusions7. Decide if evidence supports these

Critical thinking 2: Writing

• Be clear about your conclusions• Show clear line of reasoning• Present evidence• Read your writing critically• Have multiple perspectives• Analytical style - not in a

descriptive/personal/journalistic

Critical thinking 3 - ListeningListening to a speaker involves the same awareness

as reading plus:

• Consistency in the speaker - Are there contradictions? What could this mean?

• Body language – Eye contact, speed, tone – does the speaker look/sound believable?

Critical Questions

• Who? What? When? Why?• How far? How much? How often?• Is this true? How do we know?• What do we not know? • Which is preferable – and why?

Textual Analysis

• Look at the images given and analyse them. List, according to form and content:

1.What do they have in common?2.How are they different?