3/17/2021 Critical writing

Critical writing

Critical writing
Critical writing
by EAP Foundation

0:00|12:46

In academic writing you will develop an argument or point of view. This will be supported by
concrete evidence, in other words reasons, examples, and information from sources. The
writing you produce in this way will need to be 'critical writing'. This section looks at critical
writing in detail, first by giving a definition of critical writing and considering how to write
critically, then by contrasting critical writing with descriptive writing, with some examples. There
is also a discussion of how critical writing relates to Bloom's taxonomy of thinking skills, as well
as a checklist to help you check critical writing in your own work.

What is critical writing?

Critical writing is writing which analyses and evaluates information, usually from multiple
sources, in order to develop an argument. A mistake many beginning writers make is to
assume that everything they read is true and that they should agree with it, since it has been
published in an academic text or journal. Being part of the academic community, however,
means that you should be critical of (i.e. question) what you read, looking for reasons why it
should be accepted or rejected, for example by comparing it with what other writers say about
the topic, or evaluating the research methods to see if they are adequate or whether they could
be improved.

How to write critically

In order to write critically, you need to use a range of sources to develop your argument. You
cannot rely solely on your own ideas; you need to understand what others have written about
the same topic. Additionally, it is not enough to use just a single source to support your
argument, for example a source which agrees with your own view, since this could lead to a
biased argument. You need to consider all sides of the issue.

Further, in developing your argument, you need to analyse and evaluate the information from
other sources. You cannot just string quotes together (A says this, B says that, C says
something else), without looking more deeply at the information and building on it to support
your own argument. This means you need to break down the information from other sources to

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determine how the parts relate to one another or to an overall structure or purpose [analysing],
and then make judgements about it, identifying its strengths and weaknesses, and possibly
'grey areas' in between, which are neither strengths nor weaknesses [evaluating]. Critical
reading skills will help you with this, as you consider whether the source is reliable, relevant,
up-to-date, and accurate. For example, you might examine the research methods used in an
experiment [analysing] in order to assess why they were chosen or to determine whether they
were appropriate [evaluating], or you might deconstruct (break down) a writer's line of
reasoning [analysing] to see if it is valid or whether there are any gaps [evaluating].

As a result of analysis and evaluation, you will be able to give reasons why the conclusions of
different writers should be accepted or treated with caution. This will help you to build a clear
line of reasoning which will lead up to your own conclusions, and you will be writing critically.

What is descriptive writing?

Critical writing is often contrasted with descriptive writing. Descriptive writing simply describes
what something is like. Although you need a critical voice, description is still necessary in your
writing, for example to:
give the background of your research;
state the theory;
explain the methods of your experiment;
give the biography of an important person;
provide facts and figures about a particular issue;
outline the history of an event.

You should, however, keep the amount of description to a minimum. Most assignments will
have a strict word limit, and you should aim to maximise the amount of critical writing, while
minimising the number of words used for description. If your tutors often write comments such

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as 'Too descriptive' or 'Too much theory' or 'More analysis needed', you know you need to
adjust the balance.

Examples of descriptive vs. critical writing

The following table gives some examples to show the difference between descriptive and
critical writing. The verbs in bold are key verbs according to Bloom's taxonomy, considered
next.

Descriptive writing Critical writing

Evaluates the significance of what happened

Reports what happened
Hypothesises why something happened

Outlines what something is like Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of something

States evidence Argues, using evidence

Explains what a theory says Determines why a theory is relevant

Explains an experimental method Justifies the use of a particular method over another

Compares and contrasts the views of different

writers
Quotes, summarises or paraphrases information
from different writers
Considers the relevance or validity of information
from different writers

Differentiates between items, possibly using

Gives examples of different items
examples

Distinguishes between important and less important

States the findings of an experiment
findings of an experiment

Lists details Evaluates the relative significance of details

Lists information Organises information in order of importance

Lists options Critiques the options in order to select the best one

Relationship to Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy was developed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist
working at the University of Chicago. It classifies the thinking behaviours that are believed to be
important in the processes of learning. It was developed in three domains, with the cognitive
domain, i.e. the knowledge based domain, consisting of six levels. The taxonomy was revised
in 2001 by Anderson and Krathwohl, to reflect more recent understanding of educational
processes. Their revised taxonomy also consists of six levels, arranged in order from lower
order thinking skills to higher order thinking skills, namely: remembering, understanding,
applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating.

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Bloom's revised taxonomy is relevant since analysing and evaluating, which form the basis of
critical writing, are two of the higher order thinking skills in the taxonomy. Descriptive writing, by
contrast, is the product of remembering and understanding, the two lowest order thinking skills.
The fact that critical writing uses higher order thinking skills is one of the main reasons this kind
of writing is expected at university.

The table below gives more details about each of the levels, including a description and some
keys verbs associated with each level. Although the verbs are intended for the design of
learning outcomes, they are nonetheless representative of the kind of work involved at each
level, and are therefore relevant to academic writing.

Descriptive writing Critical writing

Bloom's
Creating
level Evaluating
Analysing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering

Recognising or Constructing Carrying out Breaking Making Putting the

recalling meaning from or using a materials or judgments elements
knowledge different types procedure concepts based on together to
from memory of functions through into parts, criteria and form a
(definitions, (written or executing or determining standards coherent or
Descri- facts, lists, graphic), or implementing, how the through functional
ption previously activities e.g. for example parts relate checking whole;
learned interpreting, using models, to one and reorganising
information). exemplifying, presentations, another or critiquing. elements
classifying. interviews or to an overall into a new
simulations. structure or pattern or
purpose. structure.

Key cite characterise adapt analyse appraise arrange

verbs define clarify apply associate argue assemble
describe comprehend calculate attribute assess build
draw contrast change break down check combine
enumerate convert compute categorise conclude compile
find describe construct classify consider compose
identify discuss customise compare convince constitute
index distinguish demonstrate contrast criticise construct
indicate elaborate determine criticise critique create
label estimate discover deconstruct decide derive
list explain employ diagram defend design
match express graph differentiate detect develop
name extend illustrate discriminate determine devise
outline extrapolate investigate distinguish evaluate formulate
quote generalise manipulate examine experiment generate
recall give an example model illustrate grade hypothesise
recite infer modify infer hypothesise integrate
recognise interpolate operate integrate interpret invent
record paraphrase perform link judge make
repeat restate personalise organise justify manage
report rewrite practise outline measure organise
reproduce predict relate monitor plan
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retrieve summarise prepare select rank prepare

review translate present separate rate produce
select produce simplify recommend propose
show relate reflect publish
state show relate rearrange
tabulate simulate review reconstruct
tell solve score reorganise
trace use standardise revise
write support rewrite
test synthesise
validate write

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Checklist
Below is a checklist for critical writing. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another
student) to help you.

  Item OK? Comment

Is there a good balance between

Critical vs.
critical and descriptive writing
descriptive
(generally more critical writing than
writing
description)?

Arguments Are the arguments supported using

evidence from other sources (not just
the writer's own ideas)?
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Is more than one source used?

Does the writer analyse the evidence

from other sources, e.g. by breaking
it down, comparing or contrasting,
categorising, organising?
Analysis
and
Evaluation Does the writing evaluate the
evidence from other sources, e.g. by
identifying strengths and weaknesses,
critiquing, criticising, making
judgements?

Are the writer's conclusions justified?

Conclusions Is there a clear line of reasoning
leading up to the conclusions?

References

Academic Phrasebank , The University of Manchester (2020) Being Critical. Available at:
http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/being-critical/ (Accessed: 11 September, 2020).

Churches, A. (n.d.) Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Available at:

https://edorigami.edublogs.org/blooms-digital-taxonomy/(Accessed: 1 September, 2020).

Colorado College (n.d.) Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. Available at:

https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/assessment/how-to-assess-learning/learning-
outcomes/blooms-revised-taxonomy.html (Accessed: 1 September, 2020).

Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook (4th ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

Shabatura, J. (2013) Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Effective Learning Objectives. Available
at: https://tips.uark.edu/using-blooms-taxonomy/ (Accessed: 1 September, 2020).

Sheffield Halam University (2020) Critical Writing. Available at:

https://libguides.shu.ac.uk/criticalwriting (Accessed: 1 September, 2020).

Teesside University (2020). Critical Writing: Help. Available at:

https://libguides.tees.ac.uk/critical_writing (Accessed: 11 September, 2020).

University of Hull (2020) Critical writing: Descriptive vs critical. Available at:

https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/criticalwriting/descriptive-critical (Accessed: 11 September, 2020).

University of Leicester (2009) What is critical writing. Available at:

http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/writing/writing-resources/critical-writing (Access date:
8/12/14).

Wilson, L.O. (2020) Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised. Available at:

https://thesecondprinciple.com/essential-teaching-skills/blooms-taxonomy-revised/ (Accessed:
1 September, 2020).

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Yale University (2017) Bloom’s Taxonomy. Available at:

https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/BloomsTaxonomy (Accessed: 1 September, 2020).

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Author: Sheldon Smith ǁ Last modified: 19 September

2020.
Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has
been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more
about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook
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