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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.
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.
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 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.
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:
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 as 'Too descriptive' or 'Too much theory' or 'More analysis needed', you know you need to adjust the balance.
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.
what happened | the significance of what happened |
why something happened | |
what something is like | the strengths and weaknesses of something |
evidence | , using evidence |
what a theory says | why a theory is relevant |
an experimental method | the use of a particular method over another |
, or information from different writers | and the views of different writers |
the relevance or validity of information from different writers | |
of different items | between items, possibly using examples |
the findings of an experiment | between important and less important findings of an experiment |
details | the relative significance of details |
information | information in order of importance |
options | the options in order to the best one |
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.
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.
Recognising or recalling knowledge from memory (definitions, facts, lists, previously learned information). | Constructing meaning from different types of functions (written or graphic), or activities e.g. interpreting, exemplifying, classifying. | Carrying out or using a procedure through executing or implementing, for example using models, presentations, interviews or simulations. | Breaking materials or concepts into parts, determining how the parts relate to one another or to an overall structure or purpose. | Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing. | Putting the elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganising elements into a new pattern or structure. | ||
cite define describe draw enumerate find identify index indicate label list match name outline quote recall recite recognise record repeat report reproduce retrieve review select show state tabulate tell trace write | characterise clarify comprehend contrast convert describe discuss distinguish elaborate estimate explain express extend extrapolate generalise give an example infer interpolate paraphrase restate rewrite summarise translate | adapt apply calculate change compute construct customise demonstrate determine discover employ graph illustrate investigate manipulate model modify operate perform personalise practise predict prepare present produce relate show simulate solve use | analyse associate attribute break down categorise classify compare contrast criticise deconstruct diagram differentiate discriminate distinguish examine illustrate infer integrate link organise outline relate select separate simplify | appraise argue assess check conclude consider convince criticise critique decide defend detect determine evaluate experiment grade hypothesise interpret judge justify measure monitor rank rate recommend reflect relate review score standardise support test validate | arrange assemble build combine compile compose constitute construct create derive design develop devise formulate generate hypothesise integrate invent make manage organise plan prepare produce propose publish rearrange reconstruct reorganise revise rewrite synthesise write |
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Below is a checklist for critical writing. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.
Is there a good balance between critical and descriptive writing (generally more critical writing than description)? | |||
Are the arguments supported using evidence from other sources (not just the writer's own ideas)? | |||
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? | |||
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? Is there a clear line of reasoning leading up to the conclusions? |
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).
Yale University (2017) Bloom’s Taxonomy . Available at: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/BloomsTaxonomy (Accessed: 1 September, 2020).
Find out about research skills in the next section.
Go back to the previous section about writing objectively .
Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 06 January 2022.
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 and LinkedIn .
Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.
Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).
Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.
Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).
Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.
Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.
Video lesson on how to write a critical essay.
After watching our informative video on YouTube, you will feel more confident about critical essay writing. Learn more about the critical essay outline, format, and how to follow the core academic standards. You will also find a list of great topics for your critical essay in our video lesson.
If you decide that you need more information about essays, you can consider reading the book “Essay Becomes Easy. Part II” that you can find on Amazon. In the book, you will find detailed guides on writing for seven different types of essays with two samples of each kind of paper, valuable checklists, secrets and tips, and much more.
What do you think about when you hear the phrase “critical essay?” Most students associate the concept of a critical essay with the negative opinion about the creator and their creation, but that is only half-true. The critical analysis definition may be formulated as an academic paper designed to understand a certain written work. To speak as a professional essay writer , the adjective “critical” should be replaced by the term “evaluative” and be perceived both in a positive and negative meaning.
Essays of such types are usually subjective considering the text that usually stands behind them to provide personal opinions. Of course, this means a backed-up opinion, and not just saying you didn’t like the book.
You will notice that the structure for a critical essay is slightly different from a traditional 5-paragraph essay structure. Still, you should follow the three part structure, which includes the introduction with the thesis statement, the body and the conclusion.
Let’s take a closer look at the details of writing of each part.
Background information. This is the obligatory part when you state the purpose of your work mentioning in the topic and sometimes why you decided to choose this topic. Information about the work. The main feature of a critical essay is the absence of intrigue. In other words, from the very beginning you must indicate basic information about the subject of your critical evaluation, such as the title, author, publication information, statement of topic and purpose.
Summary. This part marks the beginning of the main body of the essay. If you want to draw parallels with the more tradition perception of essay structure. The summary is the fundamental part of the critical analysis. This part proves that you have completed at least part of a task – you have read, or seen or listened to the subject. Furthermore, it proves that you considered and analyzed the received information.
Interpretation. Finally the part for the sake of which everything was started. Your personal subject interpretation and honest opinions, whether they are negative or positive. Possible themes that may be addressed are the organization of the work, style of the work, the meaning pledged in work, and the methods and effectiveness of appealing to a particular audience.
Conclusion. Summarize all of your ideas. However, check if this part matches the introduction regarding ideas and arguments, as well as the general tone of the essay.
We have around eight stages of writing a critical essay. Here we go.
Now to give you a couple of ideas, we have prepared a list of good topics to choose while writing a critical essay.
The biggest mistake with which even the most experienced writers are faced is the fear of a blank list. You do not know what to write first and make a big mistake — you stop trying to write. Remember, it does not matter where you start: most importantly, do not stop writing and do not worry about style and spelling.
Now that you have acquainted with the definition of the critical essay, it’s structure, tips of writing and what mistakes to avoid, you can check out your essay once again to be sure that it will be the best it can be and deserves an excellent grade.
Here is a critical essay writing checklist.
– Is there an introduction with an attention gatherer that grabs the interest of the audience? Is the thesis statement clearly stated and described as well? – Ask whether the main points reflected by the topic sentences are supported with concrete and detailed examples. Do the main points relate to the thesis directly? – Are topic sentences clear and do all of them relate to the thesis? Do the rest parts of the body paragraphs support each of the topic sentences? Is there enough evidence, which means that there is no need for additional examples or details? – Think whether the examples you have used were the best. What are the weaknesses of your examples? Are there any ambiguities? – What are the strengths and weaknesses of your arguments? Were the arguments clear? – Is there logic in the presentation of ideas through the whole paper? Check whether transitions are used appropriately, vary with structure, and are not limited to their usage only in the topic sentence. – Check the balance between descriptive and critical elements of writing. Do not forget that a critical essay is not a retelling of a book, so ask yourself whether this essay is your analysis, your interpretation, and your presentation of the ability to think critically. – Does the conclusion make sense? Does the conclusion have a distinct ending rather than simply an abrupt stop? – Is your critical essay free from wordiness, clichés, and gender or race biased language? Does the text contain an appropriate vocabulary, and use active over passive voice?
After reading the article above, we hope that you already have a vision of the main peculiarities of critical essays. In addition, we recommend you go through this critical essay example, and also check this perfect critical essay sample.
When it comes to the moral character of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird , the focus is on the question of whether or not people are fundamentally good or wicked. By dramatizing Scout and Jem’s transition from a perspective of childhood innocence, in which they assume that people are good because they have never seen evil, to a more adult perspective, in which they have confronted evil and must incorporate it into their understanding of the world, the novel approaches this question. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, two innocent characters, are devastated because they are unprepared for the evil that they face because of their lack of knowledge of prejudice, intolerance, and ignorance (Lee). This is one of the book’s most prominent subthemes. Even Jem is a victim of his own awareness of the evils of racism during the trial. Jem’s confidence in justice and humanity has been severely wounded, and he sinks into despair. Scout, on the other hand, is able to preserve her basic faith in human nature in the face of Tom’s conviction (Lee).
Scout loses her innocence to varying degrees as she learns from the grownups in her life. As she looks up to her father, Atticus Finch, the most, she picks up many life lessons from him. She also learns a lot from her instructor, Miss Caroline, early on in the story about how the adult world operates (Lee). Scout learns a lot from Boo Radley in the story, and he plays a big part in that.
The mockingbird becomes a symbol of innocence in this narrative of innocent victims of wickedness. Therefore, it is wrong to murder a mockingbird. It is common knowledge that several characters in the novel may be recognized as mockingbirds, innocents who have been harmed or destroyed by evil. According to Mr. Underwood, once Tom Robinson is shot, he compares his death to “the mindless murder of songbirds,” and towards the end of the book Scout believes that injuring Boo Radley is like “shootin’ a mockingbird” (Lee). In addition to this, Miss Maudie informs Scout that “Mockingbirds don’t do anything except singing their hearts out for us,” as she puts it (Lee). Killing a mockingbird is thus a sin. They are particularly susceptible in the prejudiced society of Maycomb, which frequently treats the pure innocence of infancy severely because Jem and Scout have the last name Finch.
It is a good indicator of how far they have progressed from childlike innocence to mature morality. Until the end of the novel, Boo is nothing more than a source of childish superstition. They begin to see him as a real person when he leaves them gifts and fixes Jem’s clothes. The fact that he becomes totally human to Scout at the conclusion of the book shows how much she has grown as a person as sympathetic and understanding (Lee). It is difficult for Atticus to convey to his children that the world is not always fair, but he does his best. Atticus teaches Scout and Jem to treat all people with respect, even though most of the town harbors racist views toward African Americans (Lee). Boo is one of the book’s most significant mockingbirds; he is also a representation of the goodness that dwells inside individuals. Despite his past trauma, Boo’s interactions with the youngsters are governed by the sincerity of his heart (Lee). Boo shows to be the ultimate emblem of good by protecting Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell.
It is difficult for Atticus to convey to his children that the world is not always fair, but he does his best. Atticus teaches Scout and Jem to treat all people with respect, despite the prejudiced sentiments of the rest of the town.
Works Cited
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Warner , 1982. Print.
1. what is a critical essay format.
If you are assigned to write a critical essay, you must follow a particular way of arranging the text. Usually, you must create a paper following one of the three academic formatting styles: APA. MLA, and Chicago/Turabian. Each format has its unique aspects in arranging sources, citations, fonts, paragraphs, and more.
A standard essay of any type must contain at least five paragraphs. Assuming that one of them will be an introduction and the other one will be a conclusion, there are at least three paragraphs left for the body. The optimal number of sections for a critical essay is five to eight.
Each type of essay has its peculiarities, so each essay is different and cannot be written without considering its core aspects. For a critical essay, exposing strengths and weaknesses of the subject are essential.
Among the core skills required to write compelling critical essays are sourcing skills and time-managing skills. A student should know how to present his or her thoughts and arguments. Moreover, formatting and referencing skills are necessary.
It is obvious that writing numerous papers is a challenging task. Students often require help with voluminous essays. Moreover, to cope with a critical essay, deep sourcing skills and writing experience are required. If you cannot finish a critical paper by yourself, we are here to help you. In addition to useful tips and video lessons, you have an opportunity to order professional help from our writers. By completing the form on our site, you will promptly start getting bids from authors who are proficient in critical writing. Turn to us anytime you need assistance and get qualified solutions.
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Definition of critical essay.
Contrary to the literal name of “critical,” this type of essay is not only an interpretation, but also an evaluation of a literary piece. It is written for a specific audience , who are academically mature enough to understand the points raised in such essays. A literary essay could revolve around major motifs, themes, literary devices and terms, directions, meanings, and above all – structure of a literary piece.
Critical essays in English started with Samuel Johnson. He kept the critical essays limited to his personal opinion, comprising praise, admiration, and censure of the merits and demerits of literary pieces discussed in them. It was, however, Matthew Arnold, who laid down the canons of literary critical essays. He claimed that critical essays should be interpretative, and that there should not be any bias or sympathy in criticism.
Example #1: jack and gill: a mock criticism (by joseph dennie).
“The personages being now seen, their situation is next to be discovered. Of this we are immediately informed in the subsequent line, when we are told, Jack and Gill Went up a hill. Here the imagery is distinct, yet the description concise. We instantly figure to ourselves the two persons traveling up an ascent, which we may accommodate to our own ideas of declivity, barrenness, rockiness, sandiness, etc. all which, as they exercise the imagination, are beauties of a high order. The reader will pardon my presumption, if I here attempt to broach a new principle which no critic, with whom I am acquainted, has ever mentioned. It is this, that poetic beauties may be divided into negative and positive, the former consisting of mere absence of fault, the latter in the presence of excellence; the first of an inferior order, but requiring considerable critical acumen to discover them, the latter of a higher rank, but obvious to the meanest capacity.”
This is an excerpt from the critical essay of Joseph Dennie. It is an interpretative type of essay in which Dennie has interpreted the structure and content of Jack and Jill.
“But to return from this digression , my understanding could furnish no reason why the knocking at the gate in Macbeth should produce any effect, direct or reflected. In fact, my understanding said positively that it could not produce any effect. But I knew better; I felt that it did; and I waited and clung to the problem until further knowledge should enable me to solve it. At length, in 1812, Mr. Williams made his debut on the stage of Ratcliffe Highway, and executed those unparalleled murders which have procured for him such a brilliant and undying reputation. On which murders, by the way, I must observe, that in one respect they have had an ill effect, by making the connoisseur in murder very fastidious in his taste, and dissatisfied by anything that has been since done in that line.”
This is an excerpt from Thomas De Quincey about his criticism of Macbeth, a play by William Shakespeare. This essay sheds light on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and their thinking. This is an interpretative type of essay .
“To keep Jake Barnes drunk, fed, clean, mobile, and distracted in The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway employs a large retinue of minor functionaries: maids, cab drivers, bartenders, porters, tailors, bootblacks, barbers, policemen, and one village idiot. But of all the retainers seen working quietly in the background of the novel, the most familiar figure by far is the waiter. In cafés from Paris to Madrid, from one sunrise to the next, over two dozen waiters deliver drinks and relay messages to Barnes and his compatriots. As frequently in attendance and as indistinguishable from one another as they are, these various waiters seem to merge into a single emblematic figure as the novel progresses. A detached observer of human vanity, this figure does more than serve food and drink: he serves to illuminate the character of Jake Barnes.”
This is an excerpt from an essay written about Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises . This paragraph mentions all the characters of the novel in an interpretative way. It also highlights the major motif of the essay .
A critical essay intends to convey specific meanings of a literary text to specific audiences. These specific audiences are knowledgeable people. They not only learn the merits and demerits of the literary texts, but also learn different shades and nuances of meanings. The major function of a literary essay is to convince people to read a literary text for reasons described.
Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms
In composition , critical analysis is a careful examination and evaluation of a text , image, or other work or performance.
Performing a critical analysis does not necessarily involve finding fault with a work. On the contrary, a thoughtful critical analysis may help us understand the interaction of the particular elements that contribute to a work's power and effectiveness. For this reason, critical analysis is a central component of academic training; the skill of critical analysis is most often thought of in the context of analyzing a work of art or literature, but the same techniques are useful to build an understanding of texts and resources in any discipline.
In this context, the word "critical" carries a different connotation than in vernacular, everyday speech. "Critical" here does not simply mean pointing out a work's flaws or arguing why it is objectionable by some standard. Instead, it points towards a close reading of that work to gather meaning, as well as to evaluate its merits. The evaluation is not the sole point of critical analysis, which is where it differs from the colloquial meaning of "criticize."
"[I]n response to the challenge that a lack of time precludes good, critical analysis , we say that good, critical analysis saves time. How? By helping you be more efficient in terms of the information you gather. Starting from the premise that no practitioner can claim to collect all the available information, there must always be a degree of selection that takes place. By thinking analytically from the outset, you will be in a better position to 'know' which information to collect, which information is likely to be more or less significant and to be clearer about what questions you are seeking to answer." (David Wilkins and Godfred Boahen, Critical Analysis Skills For Social Workers . McGraw-Hill, 2013)
"Being critical in academic enquiry means: - adopting an attitude of skepticism or reasoned doubt towards your own and others' knowledge in the field of enquiry . . . - habitually questioning the quality of your own and others' specific claims to knowledge about the field and the means by which these claims were generated; - scrutinizing claims to see how far they are convincing . . .; - respecting others as people at all times. Challenging others' work is acceptable, but challenging their worth as people is not; - being open-minded , willing to be convinced if scrutiny removes your doubts, or to remain unconvinced if it does not; - being constructive by putting your attitude of skepticism and your open-mindedness to work in attempting to achieve a worthwhile goal." (Mike Wallace and Louise Poulson, "Becoming a Critical Consumer of the Literature." Learning to Read Critically in Teaching and Learning , ed. by Louise Poulson and Mike Wallace. SAGE, 2004)
"[I]n my first-year composition class, I teach a four-week advertisement analysis project as a way to not only heighten students' awareness of the advertisements they encounter and create on a daily basis but also to encourage students to actively engage in a discussion about critical analysis by examining rhetorical appeals in persuasive contexts. In other words, I ask students to pay closer attention to a part of the pop culture in which they live. " . . . Taken as a whole, my ad analysis project calls for several writing opportunities in which students write essays , responses, reflections, and peer assessments . In the four weeks, we spend a great deal of time discussing the images and texts that make up advertisements, and through writing about them, students are able to heighten their awareness of the cultural 'norms' and stereotypes which are represented and reproduced in this type of communication ." (Allison Smith, Trixie Smith, and Rebecca Bobbitt, Teaching in the Pop Culture Zone: Using Popular Culture in the Composition Classroom . Wadsworth Cengage, 2009)
"When dealing with a game's significance, one could analyze the themes of the game be they social, cultural, or even political messages. Most current reviews seem to focus on a game's success: why it is successful, how successful it will be, etc. Although this is an important aspect of what defines the game, it is not critical analysis . Furthermore, the reviewer should dedicate some to time to speaking about what the game has to contribute to its genre (Is it doing something new? Does it present the player with unusual choices? Can it set a new standard for what games of this type should include?)." (Mark Mullen, "On Second Thought . . ." Rhetoric/Composition/Play Through Video Games: Reshaping Theory and Practice , ed. by Richard Colby, Matthew S.S. Johnson, and Rebekah Shultz Colby. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013)
"The current critical turn in rhetoric and composition studies underscores the role of the visual, especially the image artifact, in agency. For instance, in Just Advocacy? a collection of essays focusing on the representation of women and children in international advocacy efforts, coeditors Wendy S. Hesford and Wendy Kozol open their introduction with a critical analysis of a documentary based on a picture: the photograph of an unknown Afghan girl taken by Steve McCurry and gracing the cover of National Geographic in 1985. Through an examination of the ideology of the photo's appeal as well as the 'politics of pity' circulating through the documentary, Hesford and Kozol emphasize the power of individual images to shape perceptions, beliefs, actions, and agency." (Kristie S. Fleckenstein, Vision, Rhetoric, and Social Action in the Composition Classroom . Southern Illinois University Press, 2010)
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Published on May 30, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.
Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment .
To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources .
Critical thinking skills help you to:
Why is critical thinking important, critical thinking examples, how to think critically, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about critical thinking.
Critical thinking is important for making judgments about sources of information and forming your own arguments. It emphasizes a rational, objective, and self-aware approach that can help you to identify credible sources and strengthen your conclusions.
Critical thinking is important in all disciplines and throughout all stages of the research process . The types of evidence used in the sciences and in the humanities may differ, but critical thinking skills are relevant to both.
In academic writing , critical thinking can help you to determine whether a source:
Outside of academia, critical thinking goes hand in hand with information literacy to help you form opinions rationally and engage independently and critically with popular media.
The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:
Critical thinking can help you to identify reliable sources of information that you can cite in your research paper . It can also guide your own research methods and inform your own arguments.
Outside of academia, critical thinking can help you to be aware of both your own and others’ biases and assumptions.
However, when you compare the findings of the study with other current research, you determine that the results seem improbable. You analyze the paper again, consulting the sources it cites.
You notice that the research was funded by the pharmaceutical company that created the treatment. Because of this, you view its results skeptically and determine that more independent research is necessary to confirm or refute them. Example: Poor critical thinking in an academic context You’re researching a paper on the impact wireless technology has had on developing countries that previously did not have large-scale communications infrastructure. You read an article that seems to confirm your hypothesis: the impact is mainly positive. Rather than evaluating the research methodology, you accept the findings uncritically.
However, you decide to compare this review article with consumer reviews on a different site. You find that these reviews are not as positive. Some customers have had problems installing the alarm, and some have noted that it activates for no apparent reason.
You revisit the original review article. You notice that the words “sponsored content” appear in small print under the article title. Based on this, you conclude that the review is advertising and is therefore not an unbiased source. Example: Poor critical thinking in a nonacademic context You support a candidate in an upcoming election. You visit an online news site affiliated with their political party and read an article that criticizes their opponent. The article claims that the opponent is inexperienced in politics. You accept this without evidence, because it fits your preconceptions about the opponent.
There is no single way to think critically. How you engage with information will depend on the type of source you’re using and the information you need.
However, you can engage with sources in a systematic and critical way by asking certain questions when you encounter information. Like the CRAAP test , these questions focus on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.
When encountering information, ask:
Critical thinking also involves being aware of your own biases, not only those of others. When you make an argument or draw your own conclusions, you can ask similar questions about your own writing:
If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Plagiarism
Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.
Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.
Critical thinking skills include the ability to:
You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.
Ask questions such as:
A credible source should pass the CRAAP test and follow these guidelines:
Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.
Being information literate means that you:
Confirmation bias is the tendency to search, interpret, and recall information in a way that aligns with our pre-existing values, opinions, or beliefs. It refers to the ability to recollect information best when it amplifies what we already believe. Relatedly, we tend to forget information that contradicts our opinions.
Although selective recall is a component of confirmation bias, it should not be confused with recall bias.
On the other hand, recall bias refers to the differences in the ability between study participants to recall past events when self-reporting is used. This difference in accuracy or completeness of recollection is not related to beliefs or opinions. Rather, recall bias relates to other factors, such as the length of the recall period, age, and the characteristics of the disease under investigation.
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A critical analysis essay is an academic paper that requires a thorough examination of theoretical concepts and ideas. It includes a comparison of facts, differentiation between evidence and argument, and identification of biases.
Crafting a good paper can be a daunting experience, but it will be much easier if you have the right approach. In this guide by our custom writing team, you will find:
Criticism is the process of appraising things such as works of art and literature. It comes from the word meaning “able to make judgments”. A critical analysis essay is often referred to as a critical thinking essay, critical response paper, critical evaluation essay, and summary and response essay.
When we hear the word “criticism,” we often associate it with negative judgments. However, to criticize doesn’t necessarily mean to find faults. Even though criticism involves active disagreement, it strives to understand the meaning further and evaluate its efficiency. We call it constructive criticism .
In other words, critical analysis is an evaluation of a piece of work that promotes its better understanding . Have a look at this comparison and see what critical analysis is and what it isn’t:
Critical analysis is: | Critical analysis is not: |
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Aside from art and literature, critical analysis is often used in theoretical research, nursing, and social work. In any of these areas, you have an opportunity to exercise your critical faculties.
Analysis is a step you take before writing any paper. It’s aimed at evaluating and interpreting the sources. To do it, you break them down and study them in detail. You can learn more from this article on critical analysis by Southeastern Louisiana University .
In the following table, we’ve compiled several forms of analysis in writing and illustrated each type with a topic example:
Type of Analysis | Explanation | Topic example |
---|---|---|
Rhetorical Analysis | The purpose of this analysis type is to discover how a text persuades its readers. It can help you develop an ability to detect manipulations. | Techniques that Sir Ken Robinson to emotionally appeal to the viewer in his TED talk |
Process Analysis | This form of analysis divides a business, social, or political process into several steps. There are two distinct types of process analysis: | How to purify water using carbon filtering. |
Causal Analysis | This type of analysis focuses on the events that already happened and may try to predict what will happen in the future. Counter-arguments are a crucial part of the causal analysis. | Causes and effects of internet addiction among younger generations. |
Critical analysis | This type of analysis aims to evaluate a work and to promote its better understanding. | The role of Zen Buddhism in JD Salinger’s . |
Students often confuse analysis with summary and get a lower grade as a result. Here is how two notions differ. A summary is a brief restatement of the text’s main points that involves paraphrasing. An analysis is a detailed examination of the evidence that uncovers something new.
Check out this comparison to understand the difference better:
Summary | Analysis |
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Now, we will show you the steps to writing a critical analysis with examples to guide you through this process. Keep in mind that the purpose of your critical analysis paper is to help readers understand a subject to a full extent.
Critical analysis consists of two stages: critical reading and critical writing. Read on to learn more about them.
Critical reading a technique that involves discovering and evaluating the text’s meaning and incorporating it into what you already know. It’s the first stage of critical analysis.
According to Cleveland State University, critical reading occurs after you’ve skimmed the research material and decided where to focus your efforts. While you are reading, use the following techniques to stay on track:
When it comes to recognizing manipulations, authors use three persuasive appeals to convince their readers of something: ethos , pathos , and logos .
Ethos, or the appeal to ethics, refers to the author’s effort to convince you of their credibility through appropriate language. It refers to the author’s reputation and the reader’s trust. | |
Pathos, or the appeal to feelings, refers to the effort to persuade a reader by making them feel a particular emotion. It is achieved through language, tone of voice, use of anecdotes, and metaphors. | |
Logos, or the appeal to rationality, is persuasion through logic and reason. Storytelling, historical facts, recorded evidence, and exceptional arguments are the authors’ tools to convince you. |
Now, let’s apply the critical reading techniques to an actual text:
The death estimates during the US invasions of Tokyo were exaggerated by a factor of ten to twenty. The wartime casualty estimates were based on inaccurate assumptions. The data was not updated to exclude the civilians’ deaths and justify the strategic decision to drop off an atomic bomb.
When you are able to recognize these persuasive modes in your reading, you can master them in writing.
Critical writing is a process of commenting on another piece of work using several writing strategies. It is the second stage of critical analysis.
Want to know how to write critically? Have a look at the following tips:
When it comes to the critical writing, certain strategies can be beneficial. Yet, others are better to avoid. We’ve compiled the most important dos and don’ts in the table below:
✔️ Dos | ❌ Don’ts |
---|---|
. The more thorough you are with your primary and additional sources, the stronger your argument will be. . Credible sources and strong arguments will help you to prove your point. . The way you communicate your point and structure your paper will determine how confident your writing sounds. . Present the reader not only with facts and quotes but also with in-depth research and thorough analysis. | . The only essay part where you can take advantage of descriptive writing is the summary. . Question your sources and always back up your arguments. . Instead of drawing attention to yourself, focus on the strengths or weaknesses of the piece you are analyzing. . Always use proper citation style and have works cited page at the end of your paper. . Instead, re-read it out loud. Look for mistakes and missing information. |
Want to learn more? Check out our article on critical writing .
Now that you’ve learned about critical analysis, there is a big question to answer: how do you choose the topic for your essay? It might require using a specific strategy to make the right choice.
Many students find it helpful to have a list of critical thinking questions to answer while brainstorming. We’ve prepared them for you:
Answering these questions will help you with deciding on critical thinking essay topics. If you want some additional inspiration, feel free to use our topic generator .
After carefully analyzing all of your sources, you can start writing your first draft using our critical analysis template. Use this outline to structure your essay and to ensure your arguments are related to your thesis.
To create an outstanding opening paragraph, you may want to start it with a hook. It can be a quote from your source or a rhetorical question. Be sure to make it catchy so that it will grab your reader’s attention.
After you’re done with the hook, write the following:
Here are two introduction examples for your inspiration:
What happens when there is a considerable wage gap between the upper and middle classes? The unsurprising reality forces poor people to use credit cards to pay off their debt. Credit card industries collect interest from those who can’t pay off their debt right away.
A romantic novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is about overcoming social stereotypes in the name of love. Its main character, Elizabeth Bennet, has to fight against her discrimination against wealthy men like Mr. Darcy to find love and be happy.
A thesis statement is what you are aiming to prove. Ideally, it should be the first thing you write because every other part of your critical analysis paper will be connected to it.
To create a strong thesis statement, you want to start with a broader idea of what you would like to critique. Then, you narrow it down. Choose a debatable thesis so you can back it up with evidence from your sources and anchor your entire paper around it.
The examples below will help you write your essay’s thesis:
People in positions of power are less likely to recognize the social injustice than marginalized groups of the civilian population.
In a 1989 American superhero film Batman, Tim Burton subverts the concept of heroism by refraining Batman from murder and making him morally ambiguous.
The body paragraphs of a critical essay consist of your source’s summary and a response with arguments.
A summary should present specific facts from your source to help your reader understand your arguments better. You can use these sentence starters to structure a summary:
The main plot of Elizabeth Bennet’s plan to save her family from poverty intersects with stereotypes that romantic love and marriage don’t go together. She does not accept a marriage proposal from Mr. Darcy because she does not want to be walking proof that women marry for money. The rejected proposal leads Darcy to open up and change Elizabeth’s perception of him.
A response should present your main arguments that support your thesis statement. Each argument is a sub-thesis that connects to your central thesis. It’s crucial to discuss each point in detail and prove it with strong evidence.
Your arguments should be:
At first, Elizabeth Bennet sees Mr. Darcy only as a powerful man with wealth and high social status. For her, he represents a marriage of convenience that she is so desperately trying to fight against. After Mr. Darcy attempts to separate Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth gets proof for her ideas about powerful men who do everything in their power to destroy a loving relationship for a better financial suit.
The final stage of essay writing is to ensure you have proven your arguments. The goal of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your thesis and the essay’s main points. You may also want to leave them with some final statements for consideration.
Keep in mind that the concluding paragraph is not a place to introduce new evidence. Instead, you can do the following:
Elizabeth Bennet struggles with the societal association of marriage with financial stability. Eventually, she marries a rich man, Mr. Darcy, but she marries him for love rather than his money and social status. Her pride and prejudice towards him were destroyed by his acts of kindness and true love. Their relationship had a rough start, but both of them could get their happy ending by breaking out of old beliefs and habits.
Choosing the correct type of analysis will help you stay on track with your research objectives. It will give you the anchor to develop your essay around in a systematic manner.
Critical analysis can be categorized into 4 main types:
Literary analysis is an argument that expresses one’s critical evaluation of a poem, novel, short story, or play. A critique of literature has the same characteristics as other types of critical essays. The difference is the kind of information you can include in this type of essay.
Here’s how to analyze literature:
You will find more interesting info in our article on literary analysis essays .
Critical analysis of an article aims to analyze the writing strategies and techniques an author uses to develop their argument. The process is a little different than persuading the reader to accept a particular point of view. Here is a sample outline:
Film analysis goes beyond the plot structure and includes composition elements such as camera work, lighting, costume choices, etc. After watching the film at least twice, you can select what type of film analysis you will be performing. Check out the types and see what they’re about:
Once you’ve chosen a topic, use this outline to guide you through the writing process:
You can learn more from our article on film analysis .
Critical analysis essay refers to your comment upon one specific cultural aspect that works or doesn’t work in a society. After you’ve chosen a topic for your cultural analysis paper, you can start drafting your outline. Here is how the structure of this kind of paper differs from others:
The following writing tips will help you understand how to apply your critical thinking skills in practice and write an excellent critical essay on your own.
Looking for some tips on how to format your paper? This section reflects the latest guidelines for citing your sources with the latest APA 7th and MLA 9th publication manuals.
APA format | MLA format | |
---|---|---|
Not required. | ||
Sources in alphabetical order. | Sources in alphabetical order. |
Before you dive into writing your critical analysis paper, get inspired with some compelling essay examples. The first is a film analysis example. You can download the PDF file below:
The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock is a thriller that derives its suspense from the violence which stands on the borderline with divine retribution. The birds of the film are the symbol of the said violence and primary actors that contribute to the semiotic revelations of the film.
The following critical analysis essay is concerned with a literary work. You can download it below:
Feminism has been influential in various aspects of society for many decades. With the beginning of women’s emancipation, humanity has progressed not only in political and social life but also in science, culture, and literary studies. A feminist standpoint in literature research points to the limited portrayal of the characters in literary works, which showed the world mainly from a patriarchal perspective.
Here’s the list of critical analysis essay examples. You can check them out to get a better understanding of critical analysis and to gain some inspiration.
Critical thinking is the process of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information. It is about careful reasoning directed to a goal. The main components of this process include observing, wondering, imagining, experimenting, judging, and deciding.
This type of thinking is instrumental in conducting a critical analysis. To succeed at it, you need to be attentive, confident, and open-minded. Below are some questions that you can ask yourself while thinking critically:
Critical thinking is a skill that develops with time and effort. However, you may encounter barriers that can prevent you from making accurate judgments. The following tips will help you overcome them:
Want to learn more? Feel free to check out our article on critical thinking essays .
Now you know everything necessary to write a perfect critical analysis essay. Feel free to share this article or leave a comment!
Further reading
When analyzing any literary text, it is essential to evaluate the work and use the theme to support your opinion. The response’s goal is to show the reader what the selection of the source and the theme means to you personally.
The purpose of a response to a literature essay is to inform your reader about something interesting and insightful you found in a literary work. It may focus on the characters, plot, or theme of the story.
In a critical essay, choose the formal language and avoid using “I” statements. Focus on the piece you are analyzing, its strengths, and weaknesses. Using the first-person singular will take away the reader’s attention from your argument to you.
A critical source is a source that interprets, analyzes, critiques, and adds to the discussion of the primary source. It is then integrated into critical writing. The best critical sources can be found through library catalogs and scholarly databases.
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People love criticizing everything: from fresh vegetables and new emojis to literature and banking reforms. However, when talking about a critical essay, it is not necessarily a negative opinion regarding something. The author of such an essay analyzes, evaluates, or attempts to interpret a specific subject. Making a claim, an author offers some supporting ideas to prove it.
If the task of writing a critical-type personal statement has you feeling overwhelmed, especially given its importance in academic and professional settings, you may find the specialized services of StudyMoose to be invaluable.
A critical essay presupposes the use of critical thinking. However, you should also be aware that writing a critical essay also requires vital reading and writing skills. You must learn how to analyze what you read or see and interpret its creator’s purpose and intent. Notably, a critical essay excludes your feelings and must demonstrate your reasoning and supporting facts.
You may have noticed that nearly every job description includes critical thinking as one of the desired skills. People must be able to prove their position using a crucial vision and argument. Critical essays can be reasonable means to improve that skill to perfection. Besides, it is an excellent assignment to train your interpretation abilities.
For instance, if you take a classical movie, you can interpret it in the context of the time when it was shot. You can go further and analyze it in the context of politics or contemporary art. It is up for you to decide. And it is similar when it comes to critical essays. This is a thought-provoking train-up.
Here are some crucial writing goals you need to follow when working on your assignment:
Critical reflection.
You should not bother if you have not written this type of written task yet. A critical essay is not that complicated if you know what to do and how to handle it the best. The main point here is to comprehend the instructions clearly and the expected result.
Some people prefer to create a rough draft as they are reading the original source. Yet, it might be somewhat distracting. Perhaps, it is a suitable option for those who have some experience in writing this type of essay. The optimal variant is to sketch something after the second reading of the text; however, it is up for you to decide.
The critical essay outline’s structure is the same as that of any other essay: introduction, central part, and conclusion. Your body part presupposes some subheadings in it. You will likely realize what subheadings should be in your work during the active reading. Refer to your notes as you create the paper’s plan — these will help you create a solid body of the essay. Be ready to rewrite the outline several times.
Arguable thesis means that it can be argued. It must either state or refute an argument about your topic. To be debateable, a thesis must have some possibility of being true. However, the thesis should not be universally accepted as true. Instead, it should be something that people can disagree with. A thesis can be both an observation or an opinion.
observation + opinion (the "why") = thesis
Seeing if your thesis creates a powerful antithesis is an excellent approach to determine how strong it is.
Common thesis pitfalls:
As you may understand, your critical essay must include an introductory part with an effective thesis statement, the main body with all the necessary ’stuffing,’ and conclusion — the only summarizing part of your work. These three sections comprise complete and meaningful critical writing.
The introductory part. The introduction is the most complicated part for many students. It is the very beginning of your essay, and you still struggle with the desire to quit and hang out with friends instead of writing the task. Some people also start writing an article from the body part and go back to the introduction after completing their work’s significant bulk. But you still need a thesis.
The thesis statement is you pole-star. You must understand that this closing sentence of the introductory paragraph is a measure of your successful completion of the assignment. If you have a correct and catchy thesis — the entire essay will be excellent; if not — perhaps, you do not even need to continue writing the essay. It is a joke, of course; the point is that having a grasping thesis is a must.
Consider following these rules:
The body part. It is the essence of your work. You must keep it to the point and always refer to the thesis statement without scattering your readers’ attention. It is an excellent practice to always check up with the thesis if you are unsure whether you write something worthy. If the paragraph supports your key idea — you are doing it right.
Every claim you make should not only correspond to the thesis but also offer some backup. Your evidence should come from credible sources; make sure to use examples and quotes if needed. Note that your work should consist of not less than three paragraphs in the body paragraph.
The conclusion. Your final point of destination is the conclusion. It is, perhaps, the easiest part of any essay, as you need to restate the thesis from the introduction and mention the claims you used for your main body. At the same time, you may want to impel a reader to further thinking and searching for the solutions independently. All in all, a strong statement that underpins your central point is a perfect way to finish the critical essay.
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A Critical Reflection (also called a reflective essay) is a process of identifying, questioning, and assessing our deeply-held assumptions – about our knowledge, the way we perceive events and issues, our beliefs, feelings, and actions. When you reflect critically, you use course material (lectures, readings, discussions, etc.) to examine our biases, compare theories with current actions, search for causes and triggers, and identify problems at their core. Critical reflection is not a reading assignment, a summary of an activity, or an emotional outlet. Rather, the goal is to change your thinking about a subject, and thus change your behaviour.
Tip: Critical reflections are common in coursework across all disciplines, but they can take very different forms. Your instructor may ask you to develop a formal essay, produce weekly blog entries, or provide short paragraph answers to a set of questions. Read the assignment guidelines before you begin.
Writing a critical reflection happens in two phases.
A popular method for analyzing is the three stage model: What? So What? Now what?
In the What? stage, describe the issue, including your role, observations, and reactions. The what? stage helps you make initial observations about what you feel and think. At this point, there’s no need to look at your course notes or readings.
Use the questions below to guide your writing during this stage.
In the second So What? stage, try to understand on a deeper level why the issue is significant or relevant. Use information from your first stage, your course materials (readings, lectures, discussions) -- as well as previous experience and knowledge to help you think through the issue from a variety of perspectives.
Tip: Since you’ll be using more course resources in this step, review your readings and course notes before you begin writing.
Below are three perspectives you can consider:
In the third Now what? stage, explore how the experience will shape your future thinking and behaviour.
Use the following questions to guide your thinking and writing:
After completing the analysis stage, you probably have a lot of writing, but it is not yet organized into a coherent story. You need to build an organized and clear argument about what you learned and how you changed. To do so, develop a thesis statement , make an outline , write , and revise.
Develop a clear argument to help your reader understand what you learned. This argument should pull together different themes from your analysis into a main idea. You can see an example of a thesis statement in the sample reflection essay at the end of this resource.
Tip: For more help on developing thesis statements, see our Thesis statements resource
Once you have a clear thesis statement for your essay, build an outline. Below is a straightforward method to organize your essay.
Time to get writing! Work from your outline and give yourself enough time for a first draft and revisions.
Even though you are writing about your personal experience and learning, your audience may still be an academic one. Consult the assignment guidelines or ask your instructor to find out whether your writing should be formal or informal.
Below are sample annotated paragraphs from one student’s critical reflection for a course on society and privilege.
Background/context of reflection : I became aware of privileged positions in society only in recent years. I was lucky enough, privileged enough, to be ignorant of such phenomena, but for some, privilege is a daily lesson of how they do not fit into mainstream culture. In the past, I defined oppression as only that which is obvious and intentional. I never realized the part I played. However, during a class field study to investigate privileged positions in everyday environments, I learned otherwise. Thesis: Without meaning to, I caused harm by participating in a system where I gained from others’ subtle oppression. In one of these spaces, the local mall, everything from advertisements to food to products, to the locations of doorways, bathrooms and other public necessities, made clear my privilege as a white, heterosexual male.
Topic sentence : Peggy McIntosh describes privilege as an invisible knapsack of tools and advantages. This description crystalized for me when I shopped for a greeting card at the stationary store. There, as a white, heterosexual male, I felt comfortable and empowered to roam about the store as I pleased. I freely asked the clerk about a mother’s day card. Writer’s past position: Previously, I never considered that a store did anything but sell products. However, when I asked the sales clerk for same sex greeting cards, she paused for a few seconds and gave me a look that made me feel instantly uncomfortable. Some customers stopped to look at me. I felt a heat move over my face. I felt, for a moment, wrong for being in that store. I quickly clarified that I was only doing a report for school, implying that I was not in fact homosexual. Writer’s current position: The clerk’s demeanor changed. I was free to check, she said. It was the only time during the field study that I had felt the need to explain what I was doing to anyone. I could get out of the situation with a simple clarification. But what if I really was a member of the homosexual community? The looks and the silence taught me that I should be feared. I realized that, along with its products, the store was selling an image of normal. But my “normality” was another person’s “abnormality.” After I walked out of the store I felt guilty for having denied being homosexual.
Summary of learning: At the mall I realized how much we indirectly shame nonprivileged groups, even in seemingly welcoming spaces. That shame is supported every time I or any other privileged individual fails to question our advantage. And it leads to a different kind of shame carried by privileged individuals, too. Value for self and others: All of this, as Brown (2003) documents, is exacerbated by silence. Thus, the next step for me is to not only question privilege internally, but to publicly question covert bias and oppression. If I do, I may very well be shamed for speaking out. But my actions might just encourage other people to speak up as well.
Sample paragraphs adapted from James C. Olsen's Teaching Portfolio from Georgetown University .
Imagine this: Your company’s entire network goes down, halting operations across the globe. Panic sets in as every minute of downtime means lost revenue and frustrated customers. What do you do? This scenario is a classic example of why Critical Incident Management (CIM) is vital. It's about having the right processes, people, and tools in place to manage high-impact events effectively and minimize damage.
In this article, we’ll explore what CIM is, how it differs from regular Incident Management , and why classifying incidents by severity is crucial. We’ll also cover best practices and the tools you can use to keep your business running smoothly even in the face of disaster.
Critical Incident Management (CIM) is a specialized area within IT Service Management (ITSM) focused on identifying, managing, and resolving high-severity incidents that can significantly impact an organization's operations. These incidents are often time-sensitive and require immediate action to prevent substantial business disruption.
In essence, CIM ensures that when something goes seriously wrong—whether it’s a system outage, a security breach, or any other major event—there’s a structured process in place to manage the situation effectively and ensure business continuity . This not only helps in restoring normal operations as quickly as possible but also minimizes potential losses.
Within the ITSM world, Critical Incident Management plays a crucial role in maintaining business continuity. While regular Incident Management deals with day-to-day issues, CIM focuses on events that pose a significant risk to the business. These incidents are usually rare but have the potential to cause widespread disruption if not managed properly. A recent example of a critical incident is the CrowdStrike outage . CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity company, experienced a significant service disruption that impacted its customers' ability to access vital security tools.
Given the nature of CrowdStrike's services, which are critical for detecting and responding to cyber attacks , the outage had severe implications for organizations relying on these tools to protect their IT infrastructure .
The incident required immediate attention from CrowdStrike's incident response teams to restore service and ensure that customers' security was not compromised during the downtime. This situation highlights the importance of having robust Critical Incident Management processes in place to handle such high-stakes scenarios.
CIM involves a coordinated effort between different teams, including IT, security, and operations, to quickly assess the situation, prioritize actions, and implement solutions. The goal is to restore services as fast as possible while minimizing the impact on the organization and its stakeholders.
Incidents classification.
Effective incident classification is at the heart of successful Critical Incident Management. By categorizing incidents based on severity, organizations can prioritize responses and allocate resources more effectively. Severity levels help in determining the urgency of the incident and the scale of the response required.
Definition: Incidents that cause complete outage or failure of critical systems or services, impacting all users or a significant portion of the business.
Actions: Immediate escalation to the highest level of IT and business management . Continuous communication with stakeholders and rapid response teams to resolve the issue.
Definition: Incidents that significantly degrade performance or availability of essential services, affecting a large group of users.
Actions: Prioritized for rapid resolution. Involvement of senior IT Management and focused communication to affected users.
Definition: Incidents causing partial service disruptions or performance issues, affecting multiple users but not critical systems.
Actions: Handled with standard Incident Management processes but with increased monitoring and regular updates to stakeholders.
Definition: Incidents causing minor service disruptions or issues, with limited impact on business operations.
Actions: Managed through standard processes with regular updates. Resolution may be deferred if higher-severity incidents occur.
Definition: Incidents with no immediate impact on services but require attention to prevent future issues.
Actions: Logged for future reference or preventive action. No immediate response required.
Difference between critical incident management and incident management.
While both Critical Incident Management and Incident Management aim to restore normal operations, they differ significantly in scope and urgency. Incident Management deals with a broad range of issues, from minor glitches to major outages. It focuses on resolving these issues as quickly as possible to minimize disruptions.
On the other hand, Critical Incident Management zeroes in on high-impact incidents that pose a significant threat to the organization. These incidents require a more intense, coordinated response, often involving multiple teams and high-level management. CIM processes are typically more stringent and involve quicker escalation protocols to ensure that critical incidents are resolved swiftly.
Critical incident management best practices.
To manage critical incidents effectively, organizations need to follow certain best practices. Here are five key practices to ensure a robust CIM process:
Having a specialized incident response team is fundamental to the success of Critical Incident Management. This team should comprise members from various departments, including IT, security, operations, and even legal or public relations, depending on the nature of potential incidents.
The team must be well-trained, with a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities during a critical incident. Regular employee training programs and simulations can help reinforce these roles, ensuring that team members are prepared to act swiftly and decisively when an incident occurs.
Moreover, the incident response team should have a clear command structure, with designated leaders who can make critical decisions quickly. These leaders must be empowered to act without bureaucratic delays, which can be fatal during a high-severity incident.
The team should also be equipped with the necessary tools (ideally in the form of Incident Management software ) and resources to perform their duties effectively. By having a dedicated and well-prepared team, organizations can significantly reduce the response time and the overall impact of critical incidents.
2. implement clear escalation protocols.
Clear escalation protocols are crucial in ensuring that critical incidents are handled with the urgency and attention they require. These protocols should outline the steps to be taken when an incident reaches a certain severity level, including who should be notified, how the incident should be communicated, and what immediate actions need to be taken.
Escalation protocols help prevent confusion and ensure that the right people are involved at the right time, minimizing delays in the response process.
In addition to having these protocols in place, it's essential to regularly review and update them to reflect changes in the organization’s structure, technology, or external environment. This ensures that the protocols remain relevant and effective. Organizations should also conduct regular training on these protocols, so all employees understand when and how to escalate an issue. Properly implemented escalation protocols can make the difference between a minor disruption and a full-blown crisis.
3. conduct regular incident drills.
Incident drills are a critical component of an effective Critical Incident Management strategy . These drills simulate real-life critical incidents, allowing the response team to practice and refine their actions in a controlled environment. By conducting regular drills, organizations can identify weaknesses in their incident management processes, such as gaps in communication, slow response times, or unclear roles. These drills provide invaluable insights that can be used to strengthen the organization’s overall readiness for actual incidents.
Moreover, incident drills help build muscle memory for the response team, ensuring that they can act quickly and effectively when a real incident occurs. It also familiarizes them with the tools and systems they will use during a critical incident, reducing the likelihood of errors. For maximum effectiveness, drills should be varied in scope and complexity, covering different types of incidents and scenarios. This ensures that the team is prepared for a wide range of potential threats and can respond effectively under any circumstances.
Automated monitoring tools play a vital role in the early detection and management of critical incidents. These tools continuously monitor systems and networks for signs of trouble, such as performance degradation, unusual traffic patterns, or security breaches. When an issue is detected, the tool can automatically escalate the incident, triggering the appropriate response protocols. T
his level of automation helps to reduce the time between the detection and response phases, which is critical in managing high-severity incidents.
Additionally, automated tools can be configured to perform predefined actions in response to specific triggers. For example, if a critical server goes down, the tool can automatically initiate a failover to a backup server while simultaneously notifying the incident response team.
This reduces the potential for human error and ensures that the initial response is both immediate and effective. In a world where seconds can make a significant difference, the use of automated monitoring tools is essential for maintaining business continuity during critical incidents.
5. maintain transparent communication.
Transparent communication is essential during a critical incident, both within the organization and with external stakeholders. Internally, clear and timely communication ensures that all team members are aware of the current situation, what steps are being taken, and what their specific roles are. This helps to prevent confusion and duplication of efforts, enabling a more coordinated and effective response. It’s also important that communication channels are open and accessible, allowing team members to share updates and collaborate in real-time.
Externally, maintaining transparency with customers, partners, and the public is equally important. This can involve issuing timely updates about the incident, its impact, and the steps being taken to resolve it. Transparent communication helps to manage expectations and maintain trust, even in challenging situations. Organizations should have predefined communication plans that outline how and when to communicate with external parties during a critical incident. By being open and honest, organizations can mitigate the reputational damage that often accompanies high-severity incidents.
The role of communication in critical incident management.
Effective communication is crucial during a critical incident. Without clear and timely communication, even the best-prepared response teams can struggle to manage the situation. This section can discuss the importance of communication at various stages of Incident Management—from initial detection to resolution—and how to ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed.
It’s essential to have dedicated internal communication channels that are accessible to all team members involved in incident management. Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can be invaluable for real-time updates and collaboration during an incident.
Keeping customers, partners, and other external stakeholders informed during a critical incident is equally important. This section can cover best practices for managing public relations and customer communications to maintain trust and transparency.
Every critical incident presents an opportunity to learn and improve. This section can explore the importance of conducting post-incident reviews to analyze what went well and what didn’t. It can also provide guidelines on how to document these lessons and implement changes to improve future incident responses.
A post-incident review should be thorough and objective. It should involve all stakeholders and focus on identifying both strengths and areas for improvement in the incident management process.
Once lessons have been identified, it’s crucial to act on them. This section can discuss how to implement process improvements, update documentation, and train teams to ensure better preparedness for future incidents.
Managing critical incidents effectively requires the right tools. Here are three essential Incident Management tools for CIM :
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PagerDuty is a popular Incident Management tool that provides real-time incident response capabilities. It allows teams to manage and resolve incidents quickly through automated alerting, escalation, and collaboration features.
Splunk is a robust tool for monitoring and analyzing machine data, helping teams detect and respond to critical incidents. Its powerful analytics capabilities enable proactive incident management by identifying potential issues before they escalate.
Critical Incident Management is a vital component of any ITSM strategy . By understanding the differences between CIM and regular Incident Management, organizations can better prepare for high-impact events that have the potential to disrupt operations significantly. Effective incident classification, along with best practices and the right tools, can make all the difference in minimizing the impact of critical incidents.
By following the guidelines and practices outlined in this article, your organization can ensure that it’s well-equipped to handle any critical incident that comes its way.
1. what is the primary goal of critical incident management.
The primary goal of CIM is to restore normal operations as quickly as possible during a high-impact event while minimizing the disruption to business functions.
CIM focuses specifically on high-severity incidents that pose a significant threat to the organization, requiring a more intense and coordinated response compared to regular Incident Management.
Common tools for CIM include InvGate Service Desk, PagerDuty, and Splunk, each offering features that support rapid incident detection, response, and resolution.
Incident classification helps prioritize responses based on the severity of the incident, ensuring that the most critical issues are addressed first, reducing potential damage.
Organizations can prepare by establishing a dedicated incident response team, conducting regular drills, implementing clear escalation protocols, and utilizing automated monitoring tools.
Read other articles like this : Incident Management
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A critical essay is a form of academic writing that analyzes, interprets, and/or evaluates a text. In a critical essay, an author makes a claim about how particular ideas or themes are conveyed in a text, then supports that claim with evidence from primary and/or secondary sources. In casual conversation, we often associate the word "critical ...
Definition of Critical Essay. Contrary to the literal name of "critical," this type of essay is not only an interpretation, but also an evaluation of a literary piece. It is written for a specific audience, who are academically mature enough to understand the points raised in such essays.A literary essay could revolve around major motifs, themes, literary devices and terms, directions ...
A critical analysis essay requires you to analyze a subject and determine its meaning, backing it with evidence and ideas of your own. We've got examples to help you write one. Dictionary
A critical essay is an analysis of any piece of text. It can be a book, a movie, an article or even a painting. The main point of this type of an essay is to interpret text or position it in a wider context. For instance, if you write a critical analysis of a book, you may analyze the tone of its text and find out how it influences the overall ...
Perform a critical reading of your source(s). A critical essay assignment asks you to evaluate a book, an article, a movie, a painting, or some other type of text. In order to perform a critical analysis of any text, you need to become very familiar with the primary text. Get to know the text inside and out by reading and rereading it.
Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 3 min read. Critical analysis essays can be a daunting form of academic writing, but crafting a good critical analysis paper can be straightforward if you have the right approach. Explore.
Critical Essay Definition. A critical is a form of analytical essay that analyzes, evaluates, and interprets a piece of literature, movie, book, play, etc. ... Critical Essay Examples. Writing a critical essay about any theme requires you take on different approaches. Here are some examples of critical essays about literary works and movies ...
Writing a critical essay may sound challenging, but it is much easier than creative or reflective writing because you only have to work with definite content. It is outlined clearly in a definition. A critical essay represents academic writing where you analyze, interpret, and evaluate specific content to find weak and strong points.
A critical essay involves evaluating information, theories or situations and is an important way of analysing information, posing questions and challenging information. The critical essay is an important academic tool that allows your knowledge to develop, because rather than being a personal opinion, the critical essay requires an in-
This guide is meant to help you understand the basics of writing a critical analysis. A critical analysis is an argument about a particular piece of media. There are typically two parts: (1) identify and explain the argument the author is making, and (2), provide your own argument about that argument.
Critical writing. 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 ...
A critical essay combines a text (whether literary or otherwise academic) and your analysis of that text with expert opinion and contextual background. The aim of the critical essay is to analyze ...
The critical analysis definition may be formulated as an academic paper designed to understand a certain written work. ... In addition, we recommend you go through this critical essay example, and also check this perfect critical essay sample. Critical Essay - The Innocence and the Evil in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird ...
After critically examining the work, an outline should be written for the critical analysis essay. Once the outline is written, take a step back and analyze the subject before beginning the actual essay. Once you have determined the effectiveness of the author, create a list of reasons why you think the author's methods were effective, or why ...
write the abstract is a single paragraph (around 250 words). Format. double-spaced with 1-inch margins; page header with page numbers on the flush right; 10-12-point font. make the paper double-spaced with 1-inch margins; create a page header with page numbers flush right; use an 11-12-point font. In-text citations.
CRITICAL ESSAY Characteristics of a Critical Essay The purpose is to analyze and evaluate a work (a book, a theory, a plan of action) ... Costs Hurts family Costs Bad example I. Introduction 1. What is depression 2. Thesis - Depression is a complex condition ... Definition: Identify, define, and/or describe the topic, concept, or literary ...
Definition of Critical Essay. Contrary to the literal name of "critical," this type of essay is not only an interpretation, but also an evaluation of a literary piece. It is written for a specific audience, who are academically mature enough to understand the points raised in such essays. A literary essay could revolve around major motifs ...
Examples of Critical Essays. "Jack and Gill: A Mock Criticism" by Joseph Dennie. "Miss Brill's Fragile Fantasy": A Critical Essay About Katherine Mansfield's Short Story "Miss Brill" and "Poor, Pitiful Miss Brill". "On the Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth" by Thomas De Quincey. A Rhetorical Analysis of Claude McKay's "Africa".
Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment. To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources. Critical thinking skills help you to: Identify credible sources. Evaluate and respond to arguments.
Critical analysis of an article aims to analyze the writing strategies and techniques an author uses to develop their argument. The process is a little different than persuading the reader to accept a particular point of view. Here is a sample outline: Introduction. Introduce the author and the work under analysis.
Critical Essay Examples. Critical Reflection; ... Define the most apparent problematic issues as you are reading or reviewing the material. In most cases, the material for a critical essay has got something on the surface — the problems or challenges that seem primary for the author. It is better to note every problematic aspect that seems to ...
Critical Reflection. A Critical Reflection (also called a reflective essay) is a process of identifying, questioning, and assessing our deeply-held assumptions - about our knowledge, the way we perceive events and issues, our beliefs, feelings, and actions. When you reflect critically, you use course material (lectures, readings, discussions ...
2. Implement clear escalation protocols. Clear escalation protocols are crucial in ensuring that critical incidents are handled with the urgency and attention they require. These protocols should outline the steps to be taken when an incident reaches a certain severity level, including who should be notified, how the incident should be communicated, and what immediate actions need to be taken.