how can i improve my writing critically??

guys i need help like literally asap!! i honestly do not know why i am so poor with my writing skills. i suck at writing critically :'(

like i can form points and sum up what is being said by authors of articles, but its the further developing my points and writing a counter argument that i struggle hard. like my writing structure is really bad.

any tips or advice would be really great. thanks!

Reply 1

mike23mike

1. Read books on critical writing
2. Ask to read the assignments of people on your course who achieved a high mark to understand how they have written critically

Reply 2

Coventry University Student Ambassadors

Official Rep

Original post by I.C.E.

Hi there,

I had the same issue some years ago. Reading books on critical thinking/writing helped me a lot, so I would suggest giving them a chance. :smile:

Hope that helps!

Ivaylo
BSc Psychology, MSc Health Psychology student
Student Ambassador at Coventry University

Reply 3

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by I.C.E.

Hi @I.C.E. Critical writing is really hard to get used to if you haven't done much before uni. Its definitely a skill that you learn an intuition for with practice.
I would suggest always making a plan when writing your essays/reports. Think of questions that need to be answered and put them in a logical order, this can help with the structure of your essay.
In terms of thinking critically, it sounds like what you've been doing so far is just descriptive writing. Meaning you are describing what a source has said, which isn't much use to the reader as they could just read the original. To make it more critical, you need to come up with a counter argument, this could be from your own head or from another academic source.
When you have written a paragraph, read it back and think deeply about what it is saying- is it answering your intended question? Does it do this without unnecessary waffle? Do the statements made have evidence to back them up? Its all about questioning everything, don't just assume something to be true, always think of another perspective.
Its a hard thing to explain in writing so I would suggest seeing if your uni offer any critical writing workshops as it can be really helpful to have these things explained to you in person. Hope this helps!
-Grace.

Reply 4

hallamstudents

Official Rep

HI @I.C.E. as Grace said, when writing critically, it is important to write a counter argument. The best way I have found to do this is to state what you think by using evidence from someone else's research, then find differing research/a different theory, one that could argue against what you first said, then find research either discrediting this second person or one in further support of the first person, saying this is why that is actually the stronger theory. This way you are making your point critically, even countering your counter argument, and have shown wider reading on the topic. Also, make sure your views are all backed up by research/evidence.

If you scroll down on this site https://libguides.shu.ac.uk/academicwriting it gives an example on how to do this. Definitely look into academic skills sessions on this, they are really key.

- Rosie

Reply 5

Durham Students

Official Rep

Original post by I.C.E.

Hi there @I.C.E.

What I suggest is that you read a variety of literature to get different opinions on the topic you're writing about. Once you do that, you could write what one author has said and compare it to another's opinion. Think about the implications of what they have said. How will it affect the status quo? Always give your opinion on which argument appeals more to you and why. If you think a proposition is poorly argued, say it and give reasons. If an alternative argument comes to mind, use it.

It's all about being able to analyse what others have said and determining whether it actually contributes to the actual question and what your opinion is on it.

Hope that helps!

-Himieka (Official DU Rep)

Reply 6

University of Huddersfield Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by I.C.E.

Hi @I.C.E.

Writing an essay can be overwhelming and stressful. There’s a lot of pressure to get top grades, and many of your university classes’ final grade will be exclusively based on the essays you have written. Here is something that I have found online that may help you:

1. Read the question of your essay carefully.
It’s important to make sure you really, fully and completely understand your thesis. You should feel comfortable moving forward, so if you have a list to choose from, make sure you have chosen wisely. Know what knowledge you have and be honest with yourself. Your choice could determine how much time you spend on it and what grade you may get. So before even writing one word, make sure you have a clear and concise idea of what you will write to answer your thesis.

2. Plan your time.
Whilst some people may work well under pressure, many do not and leaving your essays until the very last minute may make you panic or bury your head in the sand. Lay the foundations for a good start by making a note of all your deadlines and staggering the times you allot to each essay at the very beginning of term. Leave a couple of days (or at least hours) before your deadline so you have time to check your essays before you submit them.

3. Summarise your answer in one paragraph.
One way to guarantee you have a good grasp on your thesis is to summarise it. Make sure you organise your thoughts. First to yourself, and then if possible to a classmate, your professor or a tutor. They will be able to check if you have understood your thesis and that you are heading in the right direction. It will also help you see how comfortable you are summarising it. The last thing you would want is to write an essay that doesn’t properly target the thesis, as you can be heavily penalised for this. Also, once you start writing your essay, it’s difficult to change course. Which means if you start in the wrong direction, and realise it before handing it in, you may have to start over. Which would really be a pain.

4. Answer the question.
Similar to exams, there can be a discrepancy between the question you would like to answer and the question that you have to answer. It is important that you read the essay question carefully and understand what you are asked. If you are unsure, make sure to ask your lecturer or tutor since answering the question is crucial to getting a good grade.

5. Brainstorm.
Sometimes you may experience writer’s block. A good way to counter that is to brainstorm ideas in relation to the essay title as you think of potential readings, your structure, and start formulating the argument you may make. Brainstorming can take place in many ways and there is no one way to do it right. Be it mind maps or post-it notes, find out what works for you.

6. Make notes while reading.
Some students prefer to read all their readings and then go back to them whilst writing their essays. As lecturers expect you to reference from a wide range of sources it becomes increasingly difficult to remember which author said what. It can, therefore, be useful to highlight important parts of the text as well as make notes that clearly indicate where you got each quote or thought from to save time.

7. Write a clear argument.
Now that you have understood the question, brainstormed and read, you need to formulate a strong argument and extract sufficient evidence to make your case. Ensure that your argument is clear to the reader and indicate how you will make your case by outlining your structure in the introduction. Then follow this structure to keep yourself on track and allow the reader to follow what you are saying. Make sure that each component of your structure is relevant to your argument, which must clearly answer the set question.

8. Structure your essays.
Ensure that you have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. These are the three essential building blocks for your essay. Your introduction will introduce the reader to the topic, clarify any definitions and state your argument and structure. The conclusion sums up your main points and reiterates the argument you stated in the beginning. It is in your body that you expand your argument and provide the evidence that supports it in a clear, coherent and compelling manner.

9. Technical skills. Refine your tone, grammar, and vocabulary.
All of these skills will allow your essay to be easily read. Having a solid vocabulary, no grammatical mistakes, and an elegant tone will allow your readers to enjoy what they are reading, stay engaged and therefore have more facility in understanding the quality of your arguments. As I’ve mentioned earlier, your main goal throughout is to write as clearly and concisely as possible, so as to make sure your reader can follow your complex arguments. That is the point of writing an essay. Demonstrating that you have researched a topic and can clearly lay out your reasoning and proof with a high calibre of English.

10. Synthesise.
The term ‘synthesise’ has caused much confusion as students are expected to do it but often have no idea what it means. To synthesise means to break ideas down, discussing them and adding your own analysis in order to support your argument. It is not about simply describing what you have read but adding your own interpretations of the evidence presented and being able to demonstrate in a concise manner that you understand what the authors are arguing. Be critical of the material you read, which can often be conflicting, and assess which points are most convincing to you.

11. Reference whilst writing.
Even though some students prefer to keep the referencing until last, I recommend you make a note of the author, year and page number after each piece of evidence you present from the very beginning. This should be easy, as you will have linked ideas to authors in your notes already. If you try to link up evidence and authors at the very end, you can waste a lot of time by having to through every reading again to see what the different authors said.

12. Edit.
As mentioned earlier, it is useful to leave enough time for you to go away from your essay for a few days (or hours if time is tight), so you can give it a final edit with fresh eyes. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, confirm your argument makes sense and is supported, and ensure each of your paragraphs each has a topic sentence that introduces it and leads on logically from the previous one. Also make sure you have stuck to the word limit provided.

13. Make sure you repeat yourself.
Don’t underestimate the importance of being clear. Keep in mind that the person who will be reading and grading your paper will not have the same knowledge of your work and research as you. Make sure you start and end your essay, and each paragraph, strong. Keep in mind that each first and last line of each paragraph must be clear, concise and connect to the last idea you mentioned. In other words, you are the guide and must lead your reader at each step, making sure as you go along that each idea connects to the next and that there is no jump in though.

14. Present your essays in a professional manner.
The way you present your essay will give the marker a first impression. Therefore, check the style guide or, if still in doubt, use double spacing and a classic 12 point Times New Roman or Arial font. Number each page and ensure you used the correct referencing system. Also do not forget to include the essay title and your student ID number on the first page if marking is not anonymous.

Hope that helps :smile:

~ Leanne, 2nd year Midwifery student

Reply 7

EdgeHillStudents

Official Rep

Original post by I.C.E.

Hi @I.C.E.

There is some good advice in this thread which will hopefully help you out. Source analysis can be tricky and it is a skill you will develop as you progress through your degree, so please don't worry.
Feedback from your lecturers is always a great place to start, as they have actually read your work and know what you need to do to develop it further. This can either be with work you have submitted or a draft you send them (and do send them drafts of your work! We are allowed to send them 40% of any of our assignments at Edge Hill, I'm sure you'll be able to check what your uni's guidelines are in terms of drafts, and if you send them the bit you think is the worst they'll be able to give you good feedback to improve that bit and you can apply that to the rest of the assignment too). I know it can be daunting looking at feedback from lecturers, but please remember it is nothing personal and it is there so you can improve for next time.

I hope this helps, best of luck!

Grace :smile:

BA History
MA Nineteenth Century Studies

Reply 8

Rootkit77

Original post by I.C.E.

sorry to hear about your struggles. critical writing isn't something you can master overnight. it requires a great deal of focus and commitment. like many individuals have noted, you need more literature regarding critical writing and internalize information. significantly, understanding the assignment is vital as it will determine the kind of information you choose for your solution. most lectures tend to attach rubrics to guide students into providing quality papers. reviewing rubrics can help you condense your information and thoughts. finally read widely to see how other authors have organized their papers and pay attention to technical aspects such as citations, references and formats (MLA, APA, Harvard, and Chicago)

Reply 9

username5838724

thanks guys for the advice and guidance. truly appreciate it!! :smile:

Reply 10

University of Huddersfield Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by I.C.E.

thanks guys for the advice and guidance. truly appreciate it!! :smile:

Hi again @I.C.E

Please reach out again if you need us :smile:

All the best

~ Leanne, 2nd year Midwifery student

Reply 11

University of Derby

Original post by I.C.E.

Hi @I.C.E.,

Sorry to hear you are struggling with this. Writing at university level can often be a bit of a change for many coming from college or A levels. The important thing to remember is that everyone is in the same boat. It'd be a good idea to make use of the resources available to you, including the lectures, and the support services available outside your module's teaching team.

Others have suggested reading books on the topic, which is also a good idea. But to put it simply, academic writing is 'showing the marker what you know, not what you think'. In other words, you have to present legitimate arguments based on others' research. That will get you so far, but to get a good mark you have to start to compare and contrast the work of researchers against each other. In your final year, you are usually expected to start questioning the legitimacy of their work by looking at how they carried out their study, whether there were any limitations to it etc.

It all takes time to practice the art of writing academically - so don't give up and always seek feedback from your tutors where you can.

Best of luck!
UOD Student Rep :smile: