What is critical thinking?
A set of skills and an attitude of mind that you will need to cultivate and practise
![Critical thinking](/sites/default/files/styles/card_image/public/2021-01/critical_thinking_2a.jpg?itok=eo3UrLsg)
Reading critically
Thinking critically through targetted reading helps you build your argument as you go
![Critical reading](/sites/default/files/styles/card_image/public/2021-01/critical_reading_1.jpg?itok=HEyyj-Q9)
Writing critically
Ways to demonstrate your critical thinking in your writing
![Writing critcially](/sites/default/files/styles/card_image/public/2021-01/writing-critically.jpg?itok=dPu3CBVG)
Top Tips
none
Spot the signals in the brief
Discuss, analyse, synthesise, contrast, consider, compare, evaluate,
criticise, interpret, justify.
Read and interact with texts
- See note making and research.
- Always consider the purpose, context and the author’s motivation.
- Practise summarising and paraphrasing.
- Be curious and explore – but watch out for distractions (keep reminding yourself to focus).
Multiple sources
- Compare and evaluate views from different sources.
- Creating spidergrams and concept maps shows the bigger picture and how ideas fit together.
In your writing
- Be well informed rather than opinionated.
- Show that your ideas and interpretations have developed from the research that you have done.
- You won’t always find a single clear answer or interpretation – you may need to embrace uncertainty.
- See writing tips.
Multiple sources
- Compare, contrast, evaluate and contextualise views from a range of authors
- Remember that academic debate will rarely arrive at a single answer
Be logical and informed
- Aim to be logical, reasonable, focussed and systematic
- Be informed rather than opinionated
- Use different paragraphs to separate critical writing from writing that is just descriptive
Resources
Resources
![](/sites/default/files/styles/media_list/public/2021-01/mindmup.png?itok=PnBctmmY)
MindMup
Free online mind mapping tool that doesn’t require an account to use.![](/sites/default/files/styles/media_list/public/2021-01/book-getting-critical.jpg?itok=RXzEUkHZ)
Getting Critical
A useful short guide to critical thinking in practice.![](/sites/default/files/styles/media_list/public/2021-01/drawio.jpg?itok=zcr6pNQx)
Draw.io
“Draw.io is free online diagram software for making flowcharts, process diagrams, org charts and network diagrams”. Links easily to Google Drive, Dropbox and One Drive to make saving mindmaps easier![](/sites/default/files/styles/media_list/public/2021-01/youtube-logo.png?itok=0QUA1Tgt)
5 Active Reading Strategies
5 Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Assignments - College Info Geek![](/sites/default/files/styles/media_list/public/2021-01/youtube-logo.png?itok=0QUA1Tgt)