What is Critical Writing?

How do I criticise the work of established

academics/practitioners?
By reading other established academics/
practitioners that may have different views!
By looking for practical evidence that may
support or refute the established theory.

What is Critical Writing?

How can I criticise others work?
Check for logical coherency of the arguments.
Are the reasons linked with each other and with the
conclusion?
May the author be biased?
Cultural, gender, professional biases, etc.

Does the author clearly outline his/her theoretical

base?
Are the authors arguments supported by relevant
evidence and other peoples work?
Are the authors methods trustworthy?

What is Critical Writing?

Is critical writing about criticising others work?
Yes but it is only a small part.

It is also about:
Integrating different sources of information (books,
articles, etc.) to provide a fuller picture of your topic.
Telling a story of your topic:

What are the key themes, arguments and conclusions?

How were they developed?
Do the authors in the area agree/disagree with each other?
What does the theory in your topic mean for practice?

Providing practical evidence to illustrate and support your

arguments.

Key thing in critical writing is:

Wide and critical reading!