Critical Analysis

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Critical Analysis

• Angie Parkinson

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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)

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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

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Developing critical thinking ability Reading

• Identify line of reasoning
• Evaluate it
• Question it
• Identify evidence
• Evaluate it
• Identify conclusions
• Decide if evidence supports these

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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/j
  ournalistic

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Critical thinking 3 - Listening

• Listening 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?

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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?

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Textual Analysis

• Look at the images given and analyse them.
• List, according to form and content
• What do they have in common?
• How are they different?