Critical Thinking and Writing Arguments

Dr. Chris McMillan – Academic Skills Adviser chris.mcmillan@brunel.ac.uk

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To understand the purpose and value of critical thinking

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To consider how to translate these principles into an argument

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To understand how to structure and plan the defence of an argument

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To be able to translate this argument into writing

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Moving from remembering, recording and describing information to analysing, evaluating and synthesising knowledge

Describing

Analysing and Evaluating

Critical thinking is a questioning attitude, rather than a set of skills

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Independent and active learning is essential at university

◦ The ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise is vital to producing high quality academic work

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Reasoning and analysis skills are highly valued by employers

◦ Need to be able to think for yourself and make independent judgements

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Universities have a vital role in democratic societies

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Having a critical identity makes you a more interesting person!

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Critical thinking is vital at university and requires specific skills ◦ Active and critical reading ◦ Analysing and evaluating research ◦ Developing our own arguments and defending them with reasoning and evidence

Key Tip #1 Critical thinking is the key to excelling at university

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Are you critical?

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Write for one minute on whether you are a critical thinker in your life and at university. Is it something you find difficult, or does it come naturally?

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Assignment questions

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Problems and issues

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Academic research

‌getting involved in the academic debate

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Research is the key to developing an argument

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Establish the issue you are responding to

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Understand the parameters and key figures in current debates

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Critically analyse and evaluate these positions

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Find your critical intervention

Critical analysis & evaluation

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What is the central argument?

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What are the main supporting reasons?

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What evidence has been provided?

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Is this evidence valid and reliable?

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Upon what ideological framework(s) is the research founded?

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What is the main argument?

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What are the supporting reasons?

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What evidence is used to justify the premises?

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Are you convinced?

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Critical thinking is an attitude and a process rather than a set of skills

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Academically, critical thinking begins with the initial processing of materials through listening, reading and notemaking

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The product of our thought processes is critique and arguments

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We represent that thought in written arguments

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We need to express our opinions

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Opinions differ from arguments

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An academic argument is an informed and authoritative opinion backed by evidence and reasoning

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This position is expressed as a thesis statement

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Your position is expressed at the beginning of your work: the thesis statement

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The remainder of the assignment is spent defending this position

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Thesis statements contain your justified response to the assignment question

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Thesis statements contain a claim, a justification and are often supplemented by a qualifying statement.

Hook the reader and tell them what they need to know

Context Tell them what you will write about

Preview

Thesis Statement

Tell them what you will be arguing

Question:

Critically evaluate the impact of fee increases on student satisfaction in higher education Thesis: As fees rise, students’ satisfaction is likely to decrease as they demand stronger services from universities that have not been provided with extra funding to offer that support. Conversely, there may be other ways, such as an increased focus on teaching standards, to maintain satisfaction levels without extra funding.

What is the Issue? 

Identify your response

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What are the main elements of this position? ◦ What evidence do you have for these claims?

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Where does conflicting evidence fit into your argument?

Key Tip #2 Know what you are arguing!

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It is vital to organise the defence of your critical intervention

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This defence can be organised into an writing plan

Primary position Alternative Position

Synthesis

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Weave your argument together by using sources to ‘interview’ each other

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Research provides the characters in the story you are telling

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Make sure that you ask the questions and direct the debate

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The manner in which you arrange, reconstruct and critique positions defines your argument

What do you think, Smith?

Do you think Smith’s research methods are valid, Jones?

Williams, do these methods work across different contexts?

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Counter arguments conflict with your main position

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Explain why you are not persuaded, remembering to include evidence and rhetoric

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Mix-up descriptive and critical writing: describe a position and link it together with the next using an argumentative verb

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Valuable points should be acknowledged in order to create a synthesis

◦ You must respond to these positions to strengthen your argument and provide evidence of critical analysis

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Thesis Statement

Although universities have a responsibility to produce employable graduates, their main function remains the production of critical thought.

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Consider the thesis statement on the following slide

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Try to develop an argument plan

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What is the main point you wish to make?

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What is the main opposing point?

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Can you establish a synthesis?

Key Tip #3 Plan your argument

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We need to drive the reader around our argument

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To do this, links between ideas need to be established

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These links can be developed within paragraphs through signposts

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Alternatively, links are established at the beginning and end of paragraphs

Globalisation has…

Conversely,…

Furthermore,…

Yet,…

In conclusion…

Adding on vs. Developing ‘Also…’

‘Another study that…’

‘Another example of…’ as opposed to…

‘This evidence suggests…’

‘These examples indicate…’

‘Similarly…’

‘Though these studies are…’

Drive your reader around Globalisation‌

However

Moreover

Statement/Topic sentence Evidence or Examples

Explanations and Reasoning

Evaluation/Transition: So what?

Statement/Topic sentence Evidence or Examples

Explanations and Reasoning Evaluation/Transition

Topic Sentence

S E E

In the tea industry, which relies heavily on reputation and taste over trend, the benefits of direct and organic marketing far outweigh the more traditional elements of the marketing mix. Direct marketing can provide a more personal service (Fill, 2005), whilst organic marketing can provide a sense of community and allows contact and the transferring of knowledge with customers (Ghambari, 2008).

In considering community in marketing strategy, Booms and Bitner (1981) suggest an extended marketing mix including people as a key element. This emphasises the impact of culture on the success of the tea industry, and in turn allows for the inclusion of cultural practices in marketing strategy development.

These cultural practices, however, are often Conversely, cultural practices are often highlyhighly differentiated, differentiated,especially especiallywithin withinthe thetea teaindustry. industry,Here Hereititis‌ is

Key Tip #4 Create links between your ideas

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Confident, but not opinionated

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Judgemental and critical, but not dismissive

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Fair and reasoned, without prejudice

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Making conclusions, without jumping to conclusions

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Traditional academic writing only uses the 3rd person e.g. Not YOU think or I think, but SMITH thinks

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Non-personal terms sound more objective: they remove overt indications of personal bias

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Most of the time personal pro-nouns can simply be removed from the text

“Drawing on a range of supporting literature, the issue of to what extent to which the political views of the romantic poets influenced those of the educated classes will be explored”

“Drawing on a range of supporting literature, I shall explore the extent to which the political views of Romantic poets influenced those of the educated classes” Source: Copus (2009, p.88)

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“Although Nonu (2010) distinguishes between climate change and global warming, I think he fails to do so convincingly”

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“Although Nonu (2010) distinguishes between climate change and global warming, he fails to do so convincingly”

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Vary your use of direct and indirect quotations

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Direct quotations signify the importance of the original author’s terms

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Using in-direct quotations shows greater understanding of the topic

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Always analyse and evaluate sources

• University study requires a critical approach to learning • This approach is applied in creating a critical response to essay questions • This response is constructed as a thesis statement and developed throughout your essay • Always ensure that your ideas are well structured and linked together

Contact ASK at ask@brunel.ac.uk or chris.mcmillan@brunel.ac.uk Check out the ASK u-link/Blackboard Learn section for interactive resources

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