Critical essay writing: Skills Hub: University of Sussex.
A critical essay involves critical thinking, reading, and writing. Writers should question all aspects of the read text and analyze what they have written. Critical writing will require the writer to critically assess the essay question, as well as support information with evidence, strong arguments, and an appropriate format and writing style.
Being critical in your writing means engaging in academic debates and research happening in your subject area. The sources you select, the way you show how they agree or disagree with other pieces of evidence, and the way you structure your argument will all show your thought process and how you have understood the information you have read.
Students usually confuse critical essays with basic reviews, but there is one important difference: critical essays are more formal in structure and style. This assignment needs to integrate scholarly observations, which makes it significantly more difficult to complete. Writing a critical essay: The steps of the process.
Structure of a Critical Review. Critical reviews, both short (one page) and long (four pages), usually have a similar structure. Check your assignment instructions for formatting and structural specifications.. Essay writing basics. Essay and assignment planning. Answering assignment questions. Editing checklist. Writing a critical review.
A short guide to critical writing for Postgraduate Taught students TOP TIP For postgraduates, thinking and writing critically is an expected part of your studies. So demonstrate your critical writing skills by exploring academic theories, discussing evidence, and using excellent referencing techniques.
Basic essay structure. Structure of an essay. Most essays have the basic structure of introduction, main body and conclusion. Introduction. The introduction should cover two main themes: Any background information the reader will need to make sense of your essay.
It is your job as a critical writer to consider all of these views in your essay to show your awareness of all the issues associated with your topic. Click on the link for more information on critical and descriptive writing and for examples of critical writing.