The word "critical"
has positive as well as negative meanings. You
can write a critical essay that agrees entirely
with the reading. The word "critical"
describes your attitude when you read the article.
This attitude is best described as "detached
evaluation," meaning that you weigh the coherence
of the reading, the completeness of its data,
and so on, before you
It involves three steps
An analytical task
In doing thesis for critical essay, you state
the view u wish to defend in contrast to other
views. Critical analysis involves taking apart
a whole topic/subject, and then to reassemble
it in your own terms. its better to state the
clearly the argument or position of the author
or school of thought in question. the point is
not to summarize the authors thoughts only highlighting
the main points but interrelating them and finding
appreciation in them judging and selecting them
accordingly. You need to show how the major points
are interlinked to try to form the logical structure
of an argument, supporting a particular thesis.
An evaluative task
As a critical reader, you must determine the importance
of an author's argument or point of view as well
as its soundness.
An evaluation of the author's work, including
- An assessment of the "facts" presented
on the basis of correctness, relevance, and
whether or not pertinent facts were omitted
- An evaluation or judgment of the logical consistency
of the author's argument
- An appraisal of the author's values in terms
of how you feel or by an accepted standard
A constructive task
You should suggest alternative ways of looking
at the issue(s) of concern and the advantages
or importance of the alternatives, or you can
show better and correct ways tow rite certain
things pointing out the mistakes in reasoning,
evidence and coverage. provide lacking evidence
and highlight new and important conclusions.
Finally, a good conclusion is part summary and
part drawing things together for the reader so
she is reminded of the point of the essay, the
major steps in getting to that point, and why
that point is an important one. No one writes
an excellent critical essay in a first draft.
An essay that performs the analytical, evaluative,
and constructive tasks well takes several drafts,
as you critically evaluate your own work. Also,
while writing is in part a solitary activity,
it is intrinsically social in that it is normally
meant to be read by others. Thus, you may want
to share drafts with your peers, involving other
readers in the process of critically evaluating
drafts.
See Critical
Essay Sample
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