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Critical Analysis – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

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Critical Analysis

Definition:

Critical analysis is a process of examining a piece of work or an idea in a systematic, objective, and analytical way. It involves breaking down complex ideas, concepts, or arguments into smaller, more manageable parts to understand them better.

Types of Critical Analysis

Types of Critical Analysis are as follows:

Literary Analysis

This type of analysis focuses on analyzing and interpreting works of literature , such as novels, poetry, plays, etc. The analysis involves examining the literary devices used in the work, such as symbolism, imagery, and metaphor, and how they contribute to the overall meaning of the work.

Film Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting films, including their themes, cinematography, editing, and sound. Film analysis can also include evaluating the director’s style and how it contributes to the overall message of the film.

Art Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting works of art , such as paintings, sculptures, and installations. The analysis involves examining the elements of the artwork, such as color, composition, and technique, and how they contribute to the overall meaning of the work.

Cultural Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting cultural artifacts , such as advertisements, popular music, and social media posts. The analysis involves examining the cultural context of the artifact and how it reflects and shapes cultural values, beliefs, and norms.

Historical Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting historical documents , such as diaries, letters, and government records. The analysis involves examining the historical context of the document and how it reflects the social, political, and cultural attitudes of the time.

Philosophical Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting philosophical texts and ideas, such as the works of philosophers and their arguments. The analysis involves evaluating the logical consistency of the arguments and assessing the validity and soundness of the conclusions.

Scientific Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting scientific research studies and their findings. The analysis involves evaluating the methods used in the study, the data collected, and the conclusions drawn, and assessing their reliability and validity.

Critical Discourse Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting language use in social and political contexts. The analysis involves evaluating the power dynamics and social relationships conveyed through language use and how they shape discourse and social reality.

Comparative Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting multiple texts or works of art and comparing them to each other. The analysis involves evaluating the similarities and differences between the texts and how they contribute to understanding the themes and meanings conveyed.

Critical Analysis Format

Critical Analysis Format is as follows:

I. Introduction

• Provide a brief overview of the text, object, or event being analyzed
• Explain the purpose of the analysis and its significance
• Provide background information on the context and relevant historical or cultural factors

II. Description

• Provide a detailed description of the text, object, or event being analyzed
• Identify key themes, ideas, and arguments presented
• Describe the author or creator’s style, tone, and use of language or visual elements

III. Analysis

• Analyze the text, object, or event using critical thinking skills
• Identify the main strengths and weaknesses of the argument or presentation
• Evaluate the reliability and validity of the evidence presented
• Assess any assumptions or biases that may be present in the text, object, or event
• Consider the implications of the argument or presentation for different audiences and contexts

IV. Evaluation

• Provide an overall evaluation of the text, object, or event based on the analysis
• Assess the effectiveness of the argument or presentation in achieving its intended purpose
• Identify any limitations or gaps in the argument or presentation
• Consider any alternative viewpoints or interpretations that could be presented
• Summarize the main points of the analysis and evaluation
• Reiterate the significance of the text, object, or event and its relevance to broader issues or debates
• Provide any recommendations for further research or future developments in the field.

VI. Example

• Provide an example or two to support your analysis and evaluation
• Use quotes or specific details from the text, object, or event to support your claims
• Analyze the example(s) using critical thinking skills and explain how they relate to your overall argument

VII. Conclusion

• Reiterate your thesis statement and summarize your main points
• Provide a final evaluation of the text, object, or event based on your analysis
• Offer recommendations for future research or further developments in the field
• End with a thought-provoking statement or question that encourages the reader to think more deeply about the topic

How to Write Critical Analysis

Writing a critical analysis involves evaluating and interpreting a text, such as a book, article, or film, and expressing your opinion about its quality and significance. Here are some steps you can follow to write a critical analysis:

• Read and re-read the text: Before you begin writing, make sure you have a good understanding of the text. Read it several times and take notes on the key points, themes, and arguments.
• Identify the author’s purpose and audience: Consider why the author wrote the text and who the intended audience is. This can help you evaluate whether the author achieved their goals and whether the text is effective in reaching its audience.
• Analyze the structure and style: Look at the organization of the text and the author’s writing style. Consider how these elements contribute to the overall meaning of the text.
• Evaluate the content : Analyze the author’s arguments, evidence, and conclusions. Consider whether they are logical, convincing, and supported by the evidence presented in the text.
• Consider the context: Think about the historical, cultural, and social context in which the text was written. This can help you understand the author’s perspective and the significance of the text.
• Develop your thesis statement : Based on your analysis, develop a clear and concise thesis statement that summarizes your overall evaluation of the text.
• Support your thesis: Use evidence from the text to support your thesis statement. This can include direct quotes, paraphrases, and examples from the text.
• Write the introduction, body, and conclusion : Organize your analysis into an introduction that provides context and presents your thesis, a body that presents your evidence and analysis, and a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis.
• Revise and edit: After you have written your analysis, revise and edit it to ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and well-organized. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure that your analysis is logically sound and supported by evidence.

When to Write Critical Analysis

You may want to write a critical analysis in the following situations:

• Academic Assignments: If you are a student, you may be assigned to write a critical analysis as a part of your coursework. This could include analyzing a piece of literature, a historical event, or a scientific paper.
• Journalism and Media: As a journalist or media person, you may need to write a critical analysis of current events, political speeches, or media coverage.
• Personal Interest: If you are interested in a particular topic, you may want to write a critical analysis to gain a deeper understanding of it. For example, you may want to analyze the themes and motifs in a novel or film that you enjoyed.
• Professional Development : Professionals such as writers, scholars, and researchers often write critical analyses to gain insights into their field of study or work.

Critical Analysis Example

An Example of Critical Analysis Could be as follow:

Research Topic:

The Impact of Online Learning on Student Performance

Introduction:

The introduction of the research topic is clear and provides an overview of the issue. However, it could benefit from providing more background information on the prevalence of online learning and its potential impact on student performance.

Literature Review:

The literature review is comprehensive and well-structured. It covers a broad range of studies that have examined the relationship between online learning and student performance. However, it could benefit from including more recent studies and providing a more critical analysis of the existing literature.

Research Methods:

The research methods are clearly described and appropriate for the research question. The study uses a quasi-experimental design to compare the performance of students who took an online course with those who took the same course in a traditional classroom setting. However, the study may benefit from using a randomized controlled trial design to reduce potential confounding factors.

The results are presented in a clear and concise manner. The study finds that students who took the online course performed similarly to those who took the traditional course. However, the study only measures performance on one course and may not be generalizable to other courses or contexts.

Discussion :

The discussion section provides a thorough analysis of the study’s findings. The authors acknowledge the limitations of the study and provide suggestions for future research. However, they could benefit from discussing potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between online learning and student performance.

Conclusion :

The conclusion summarizes the main findings of the study and provides some implications for future research and practice. However, it could benefit from providing more specific recommendations for implementing online learning programs in educational settings.

Purpose of Critical Analysis

There are several purposes of critical analysis, including:

• To identify and evaluate arguments : Critical analysis helps to identify the main arguments in a piece of writing or speech and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. This enables the reader to form their own opinion and make informed decisions.
• To assess evidence : Critical analysis involves examining the evidence presented in a text or speech and evaluating its quality and relevance to the argument. This helps to determine the credibility of the claims being made.
• To recognize biases and assumptions : Critical analysis helps to identify any biases or assumptions that may be present in the argument, and evaluate how these affect the credibility of the argument.
• To develop critical thinking skills: Critical analysis helps to develop the ability to think critically, evaluate information objectively, and make reasoned judgments based on evidence.
• To improve communication skills: Critical analysis involves carefully reading and listening to information, evaluating it, and expressing one’s own opinion in a clear and concise manner. This helps to improve communication skills and the ability to express ideas effectively.

Importance of Critical Analysis

Here are some specific reasons why critical analysis is important:

• Helps to identify biases: Critical analysis helps individuals to recognize their own biases and assumptions, as well as the biases of others. By being aware of biases, individuals can better evaluate the credibility and reliability of information.
• Enhances problem-solving skills : Critical analysis encourages individuals to question assumptions and consider multiple perspectives, which can lead to creative problem-solving and innovation.
• Promotes better decision-making: By carefully evaluating evidence and arguments, critical analysis can help individuals make more informed and effective decisions.
• Facilitates understanding: Critical analysis helps individuals to understand complex issues and ideas by breaking them down into smaller parts and evaluating them separately.
• Fosters intellectual growth : Engaging in critical analysis challenges individuals to think deeply and critically, which can lead to intellectual growth and development.

Advantages of Critical Analysis

Some advantages of critical analysis include:

• Improved decision-making: Critical analysis helps individuals make informed decisions by evaluating all available information and considering various perspectives.
• Enhanced problem-solving skills : Critical analysis requires individuals to identify and analyze the root cause of a problem, which can help develop effective solutions.
• Increased creativity : Critical analysis encourages individuals to think outside the box and consider alternative solutions to problems, which can lead to more creative and innovative ideas.
• Improved communication : Critical analysis helps individuals communicate their ideas and opinions more effectively by providing logical and coherent arguments.
• Reduced bias: Critical analysis requires individuals to evaluate information objectively, which can help reduce personal biases and subjective opinions.
• Better understanding of complex issues : Critical analysis helps individuals to understand complex issues by breaking them down into smaller parts, examining each part and understanding how they fit together.
• Greater self-awareness: Critical analysis helps individuals to recognize their own biases, assumptions, and limitations, which can lead to personal growth and development.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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For further queries or assistance in writing a critical analysis email Bill Wrigley .

What do you critically analyse?

In a critical analysis you do not express your own opinion or views on the topic. You need to develop your thesis, position or stance on the topic from the views and research of others . In academic writing you critically analyse other researchers’:

• concepts, terms
• viewpoints, arguments, positions
• methodologies, approaches
• research results and conclusions

This means weighing up the strength of the arguments or research support on the topic, and deciding who or what has the more or stronger weight of evidence or support.

Therefore, your thesis argues, with evidence, why a particular theory, concept, viewpoint, methodology, or research result(s) is/are stronger, more sound, or more advantageous than others.

What does ‘analysis’ mean?

A critical analysis means analysing or breaking down the parts of the literature and grouping these into themes, patterns or trends.

In an analysis you need to:

1. Identify and separate out the parts of the topic by grouping the various key theories, main concepts, the main arguments or ideas, and the key research results and conclusions on the topic into themes, patterns or trends of agreement , dispute and omission .

2. Discuss each of these parts by explaining:

i. the areas of agreement/consensus, or similarity

ii. the issues or controversies: in dispute or debate, areas of difference

ii. the omissions, gaps, or areas that are under-researched

3. Discuss the relationship between these parts

4. Examine how each contributes to the whole topic

5. Make conclusions about their significance or importance in the topic

What does ‘critical’ mean?

A critical analysis does not mean writing angry, rude or disrespectful comments, or  expressing your views in judgmental terms of black and white, good and bad, or right and wrong.

To be critical, or to critique, means to evaluate . Therefore, to write critically in an academic analysis means to:

• judge the quality, significance or worth of the theories, concepts, viewpoints, methodologies, and research results
• evaluate in a fair and balanced manner
• avoid extreme or emotional language

• strengths, advantages, benefits, gains, or improvements
• disadvantages, weaknesses, shortcomings, limitations, or drawbacks

How to critically analyse a theory, model or framework

The evaluative words used most often to refer to theory, model or framework are a sound theory or a strong theory.

The table below summarizes the criteria for judging the strengths and weaknesses of a theory:

• comprehensive
• empirically supported
• parsimonious

Evaluating a Theory, Model or Framework

The table below lists the criteria for the strengths and their corresponding weaknesses that are usually considered in a theory.

Critical analysis examples of theories

The following sentences are examples of the phrases used to explain strengths and weaknesses.

Smith’s (2005) theory appears up to date, practical and applicable across many divergent settings.

Brown’s (2010) theory, although parsimonious and logical, lacks a sufficient body of evidence to support its propositions and predictions

Little scientific evidence has been presented to support the premises of this theory.

One of the limitations with this theory is that it does not explain why…

A significant strength of this model is that it takes into account …

The propositions of this model appear unambiguous and logical.

A key problem with this framework is the conceptual inconsistency between ….

How to critically analyse a concept

The table below summarizes the criteria for judging the strengths and weaknesses of a concept:

• key variables identified
• clear and well-defined

Evaluating Concepts

Critical analysis examples of concepts

Many researchers have used the concept of control in different ways.

There is little consensus about what constitutes automaticity.

Putting forth a very general definition of motivation means that it is possible that any behaviour could be included.

The concept of global education lacks clarity, is imprecisely defined and is overly complex.

Some have questioned the usefulness of resilience as a concept because it has been used so often and in so many contexts.

Research suggests that the concept of preoperative fasting is an outdated clinical approach.

How to critically analyse arguments, viewpoints or ideas

The table below summarizes the criteria for judging the strengths and weaknesses of an argument, viewpoint or idea:

• reasons support the argument
• argument is substantiated by evidence
• evidence for the argument is relevant
• evidence for the argument is unbiased, sufficient and important
• evidence is reputable

Evaluating Arguments, Views or Ideas

Critical analysis examples of arguments, viewpoints or ideas

The validity of this argument is questionable as there is insufficient evidence to support it.

Many writers have challenged Jones’ claim on the grounds that …….

This argument fails to draw on the evidence of others in the field.

This explanation is incomplete because it does not explain why…

The key problem with this explanation is that ……


The existing accounts fail to resolve the contradiction between …

However, there is an inconsistency with this argument. The inconsistency lies in…

Although this argument has been proposed by some, it lacks justification.

However, the body of evidence showing that… contradicts this argument.

How to critically analyse a methodology

The table below provides the criteria for judging the strengths and weaknesses of methodology.

An evaluation of a methodology usually involves a critical analysis of its main sections:

design; sampling (participants); measurement tools and materials; procedure

• design tests the hypotheses or research questions
• method valid and reliable
• potential bias or measurement error, and confounding variables addressed
• method allows results to be generalized
• representative sampling of cohort and phenomena; sufficient response rate
• valid and reliable measurement tools
• valid and reliable procedure
• method clear and detailed to allow replication

Evaluating a Methodology

Critical analysis examples of a methodology

The unrepresentativeness of the sample makes these results misleading.

The presence of unmeasured variables in this study limits the interpretation of the results.

Other, unmeasured confounding variables may be influencing this association.

The interpretation of the data requires caution because the effect of confounding variables was not taken into account.

The insufficient control of several response biases in this study means the results are likely to be unreliable.

Although this correlational study shows association between the variables, it does not establish a causal relationship.

Taken together, the methodological shortcomings of this study suggest the need for serious caution in the meaningful interpretation of the study’s results.

How to critically analyse research results and conclusions

The table below provides the criteria for judging the strengths and weaknesses of research results and conclusions:

• appropriate choice and use of statistics
• correct interpretation of results
• all results explained
• alternative explanations considered
• significance of all results discussed
• consistency of results with previous research discussed
• results add to existing understanding or knowledge
• limitations discussed
• results clearly explained
• conclusions consistent with results

Evaluating the Results and Conclusions

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Being critical is at the heart of academic writing, but what is it and how can you incorporate it into your work?

What is criticality?

What is critical thinking.

Have you ever received feedback in a piece of work saying 'be more critical' or 'not enough critical analysis' but found yourself scratching your head, wondering what that means? Dive into this bitesize workshop to discover what it is and how to do it:

Critical Thinking: What it is and how to do it (bitesize workshop)[YouTube]

University-level work requires both descriptive and critical elements. But what's the difference?

Descriptive

Being descriptive shows what you know about a topic and provides the evidence to support your arguments. It uses simpler processes like  remembering , understanding and applying . You might summarise previous research, explain concepts or describe processes.

Being critical pulls evidence together to build your arguments; what does it all mean together? It uses more complex processes: analysing ,  evaluating and creating . You might make comparisons, consider reasons and implications, justify choices or consider strengths and weaknesses.

Bloom's Taxonomy  is a useful tool to consider descriptive and critical processes:

Bloom's Taxonomy [YouTube]  |  Bloom's Taxonomy [Google Doc]

Find out more about critical thinking:

What is critical writing?

Academic writing requires criticality; it's not enough to just describe or summarise evidence, you also need to analyse and evaluate information and use it to build your own arguments. This is where you show your own thoughts based on the evidence available, so critical writing is really important for higher grades.

Explore the key features of critical writing and see it in practice in some examples:

Introduction to critical writing [Google Slides]

While we need criticality in our writing, it's definitely possible to go further than needed. We’re aiming for that Goldilocks ‘just right’ point between not critical enough and too critical. Find out more:

Critical reading

Criticality isn't just for writing, it is also important to read critically. Reading critically helps you:

• evaluative whether sources are suitable for your assignments.
• know what you're looking for when reading.
• find the information you need quickly.

Critical reading [Interactive tutorial]  |  Critical reading [Google Doc]

Find out more on our dedicated guides:

Using evidence critically

Academic writing integrates evidence from sources to create your own critical arguments.

We're not looking for a list of summaries of individual sources; ideally, the important evidence should be integrated into a cohesive whole.  What does the evidence mean altogether?  Of course, a critical argument also needs some critical analysis of this evidence.  What does it all mean in terms of your argument?

Find out more about using evidence to build critical arguments in our guide to working with evidence:

Critical language

Critical writing is going to require critical language. Different terms will give different nuance to your argument. Others will just keep things interesting! In the document below we go through some examples to help you out:

Assignment titles: critical or descriptive?

Assignment titles contain various words that show where you need to be descriptive and where you need to be critical. Explore some of the most common instructional words: 

Descriptive instructional words

define : give the precise meaning

examine : look at carefully; consider different aspects

explain : clearly describe how a process works, why a decision was made, or give other information needed to understand the topic

illustrate : explain and describe using examples

outline : give an overview of the key information, leaving out minor details

Critical instructional words

analyse : break down the information into parts, consider how parts work together

discuss : explain a topic, make comparisons, consider strengths & weaknesses, give reasons, consider implications

evaluate : assess something's worth, value or suitability for a purpose - this often leads to making a choice afterwards

justify : show the reasoning behind a choice, argument or standpoint

synthesise : bring together evidence and information to create a cohesive whole, integrate ideas or issues

CC BY-NC-SA Learnhigher

More guidance on breaking down assignment titles:

• << Previous: Structure & cohesion
• Next: Working with evidence >>
• Last Updated: Apr 3, 2024 4:02 PM
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How to write a critical analysis

Unlike the name implies a critical analysis does not necessarily mean that you are only exploring what is wrong with a piece of work. Instead, the purpose of this type of essay is to interact with and understand a text. Here’s what you need to know to create a well-written critical analysis essay.

What is a critical analysis?

A critical analysis examines and evaluates someone else’s work, such as a book, an essay, or an article. It requires two steps: a careful reading of the work and thoughtful analysis of the information presented in the work.

Although this may sound complicated, all you are doing in a critical essay is closely reading an author’s work and providing your opinion on how well the author accomplished their purpose.

Critical analyses are most frequently done in academic settings (such as a class assignment). Writing a critical analysis demonstrates that you are able to read a text and think deeply about it. However, critical thinking skills are vital outside of an educational context as well. You just don’t always have to demonstrate them in essay form.

How to outline and write a critical analysis essay

Writing a critical analysis essay involves two main chunks of work: reading the text you are going to write about and writing an analysis of that text. Both are equally important when writing a critical analysis essay.

Step one: Reading critically

The first step in writing a critical analysis is to carefully study the source you plan to analyze.

If you are writing for a class assignment, your professor may have already given you the topic to analyze in an article, short story, book, or other work. If so, you can focus your note-taking on that topic while reading.

Other times, you may have to develop your own topic to analyze within a piece of work. In this case, you should focus on a few key areas as you read:

• What is the author’s intended purpose for the work?
• What techniques and language does the author use to achieve this purpose?
• How does the author support the thesis?
• Who is the author writing for?
• Is the author effective at achieving the intended purpose?

Once you have carefully examined the source material, then you are ready to begin planning your critical analysis essay.

Step two: Writing the critical analysis essay

Taking time to organize your ideas before you begin writing can shorten the amount of time that you spend working on your critical analysis essay. As an added bonus, the quality of your essay will likely be higher if you have a plan before writing.

Here’s a rough outline of what should be in your essay. Of course, if your instructor gives you a sample essay or outline, refer to the sample first.

• Background Information

Critical Analysis

Here is some additional information on what needs to go into each section:

Background information

In the first paragraph of your essay, include background information on the material that you are critiquing. Include context that helps the reader understand the piece you are analyzing. Be sure to include the title of the piece, the author’s name, and information about when and where it was published.

“Success is counted sweetest” is a poem by Emily Dickinson published in 1864. Dickinson was not widely known as a poet during her lifetime, and this poem is one of the first published while she was alive.

After you have provided background information, state your thesis. The thesis should be your reaction to the work. It also lets your reader know what to expect from the rest of your essay. The points you make in the critical analysis should support the thesis.

Dickinson’s use of metaphor in the poem is unexpected but works well to convey the paradoxical theme that success is most valued by those who never experience success.

The next section should include a summary of the work that you are analyzing. Do not assume that the reader is familiar with the source material. Your summary should show that you understood the text, but it should not include the arguments that you will discuss later in the essay.

Dickinson introduces the theme of success in the first line of the poem. She begins by comparing success to nectar. Then, she uses the extended metaphor of a battle in order to demonstrate that the winner has less understanding of success than the loser.

The next paragraphs will contain your critical analysis. Use as many paragraphs as necessary to support your thesis.

Discuss the areas that you took notes on as you were reading. While a critical analysis should include your opinion, it needs to have evidence from the source material in order to be credible to readers. Be sure to use textual evidence to support your claims, and remember to explain your reasoning.

Dickinson’s comparison of success to nectar seems strange at first. However the first line “success is counted sweetest” brings to mind that this nectar could be bees searching for nectar to make honey. In this first stanza, Dickinson seems to imply that success requires work because bees are usually considered to be hard-working and industrious.

In the next two stanzas, Dickinson expands on the meaning of success. This time she uses the image of a victorious army and a dying man on the vanquished side. Now the idea of success is more than something you value because you have worked hard for it. Dickinson states that the dying man values success even more than the victors because he has given everything and still has not achieved success.

This last section is where you remind the readers of your thesis and make closing remarks to wrap up your essay. Avoid summarizing the main points of your critical analysis unless your essay is so long that readers might have forgotten parts of it.

In “Success is counted sweetest” Dickinson cleverly upends the reader’s usual thoughts about success through her unexpected use of metaphors. The poem may be short, but Dickinson conveys a serious theme in just a few carefully chosen words.

What type of language should be used in a critical analysis essay?

Because critical analysis papers are written in an academic setting, you should use formal language, which means:

• No contractions
• Avoid first-person pronouns (I, we, me)

Do not include phrases such as “in my opinion” or “I think”. In a critical analysis, the reader already assumes that the claims are your opinions.

Your instructor may have specific guidelines for the writing style to use. If the instructor assigns a style guide for the class, be sure to use the guidelines in the style manual in your writing.

Additional t ips for writing a critical analysis essay

To conclude this article, here are some additional tips for writing a critical analysis essay:

• Give yourself plenty of time to read the source material. If you have time, read through the text once to get the gist and a second time to take notes.
• Outlining your essay can help you save time. You don’t have to stick exactly to the outline though. You can change it as needed once you start writing.
• Spend the bulk of your writing time working on your thesis and critical analysis. The introduction and conclusion are important, but these sections cannot make up for a weak thesis or critical analysis.
• Give yourself time between your first draft and your second draft. A day or two away from your essay can make it easier to see what you need to improve.

Frequently Asked Questions about critical analyses

In the introduction of a critical analysis essay, you should give background information on the source that you are analyzing. Be sure to include the author’s name and the title of the work. Your thesis normally goes in the introduction as well.

A critical analysis has four main parts.

• Introduction

The focus of a critical analysis should be on the work being analyzed rather than on you. This means that you should avoid using first person unless your instructor tells you to do otherwise. Most formal academic writing is written in third person.

How many paragraphs your critical analysis should have depends on the assignment and will most likely be determined by your instructor. However, in general, your critical analysis paper should have three to six paragraphs, unless otherwise stated.

Your critical analysis ends with your conclusion. You should restate the thesis and make closing remarks, but avoid summarizing the main points of your critical analysis unless your essay is so long that readers might have forgotten parts of it.

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Critical Analysis in Composition

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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."

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"
• A Rhetorical Analysis of E B. White's Essay "The Ring of Time"
• A Rhetorical Analysis of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
• "Saloonio: A Study in Shakespearean Criticism" by Stephen Leacock
• Writing About Fiction: A Critical Essay on Hemingway's Novel The Sun Also Rises

Quotes About Critical Analysis

• " [C]ritical analysis involves breaking down an idea or a statement, such as a claim , and subjecting it to critical thinking in order to test its validity." (Eric Henderson, The Active Reader: Strategies for Academic Reading and Writing . Oxford University Press, 2007)​
• "To write an effective critical analysis, you need to understand the difference between analysis and summary . . . . [A] critical analysis looks beyond the surface of a text—it does far more than summarize a work. A critical analysis isn't simply dashing off a few words about the work in general." ( Why Write?: A Guide to BYU Honors Intensive Writing . Brigham Young University, 2006)
• "Although the main purpose of a critical analysis is not to persuade , you do have the responsibility of organizing a discussion that convinces readers that your analysis is astute." (Robert Frew et al., Survival: A Sequential Program for College Writing . Peek, 1985)

Critical Thinking and Research

"[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)

How to Read Text Critically

 "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)

Critically Analyzing Persuasive Ads

"[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)

Critically Analyzing Video Games

 "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)

Critical Thinking and Visuals

 "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)

Related Concepts

• Analysis  and  Critical Essay
• Book Report
• Close Reading
• Critical Thinking
• Discourse Analysis
• Evaluation Essay
• Explication
• Problem-Solution
• Rhetorical Analysis
• Definition and Examples of Explication (Analysis)
• Rhetorical Analysis Definition and Examples
• Quotes About Close Reading
• How to Write a Critical Essay
• What Is a Critique in Composition?
• Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition
• Definition and Examples of Evaluation Essays
• Understanding the Use of Language Through Discourse Analysis
• What Is a Written Summary?
• Critical Thinking in Reading and Composition
• Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples
• Miss Brill's Fragile Fantasy
• 6 Skills Students Need to Succeed in Social Studies Classes
• Stylistics and Elements of Style in Literature
• Informal Logic
• literary present (verbs)

Writing a Critical Analysis

What is in this guide, definitions, putting it together, tips and examples of critques.

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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. Your instructor may have very specific requirements on how you are to write your critical analysis, so make sure you read your assignment carefully.

Critical Analysis

A deep approach to your understanding of a piece of media by relating new knowledge to what you already know.

Part 1: Introduction

• Identify the work being criticized.
• Present thesis - argument about the work.
• Preview your argument - what are the steps you will take to prove your argument.

Part 2: Summarize

• Provide a short summary of the work.
• Present only what is needed to know to understand your argument.

Part 3: Your Argument

• This is the bulk of your paper.
• Provide "sub-arguments" to prove your main argument.
• Use scholarly articles to back up your argument(s).

Part 4: Conclusion

• Reflect on  how  you have proven your argument.
• Point out the  importance  of your argument.
• Comment on the potential for further research or analysis.
• Cornell University Library Tips for writing a critical appraisal and analysis of a scholarly article.
• Queen's University Library How to Critique an Article (Psychology)
• University of Illinois, Springfield An example of a summary and an evaluation of a research article. This extended example shows the different ways a student can critique and write about an article
• Next: Background Information >>
• Last Updated: Feb 14, 2024 4:33 PM
• URL: https://libguides.pittcc.edu/critical_analysis

IOE - Faculty of Education and Society

Academic writing: Writing critically

Learn how to show critical analysis in academic writing and write critically.

Critical analysis

Writing critically, writing a critique (or critical review).

What does the term “critical analysis” mean in the context of academic writing? Showing critical analysis in academic writing could mean:

• Demonstrating your understanding of reading/evidence (“this appears to demonstrate that…”; “this implies…”; “this could result in…”).
• Showing reasoning and conclusions from your reading/reflections (“therefore…”; “as such…”).
• Considering questions such as “why”, “what if” and “so what”.
• Showing you understand how different ideas/evidence/perspectives relate to each other (“this is linked to Smith's concept of X…”; Building on Jones (2012), Green (2016) suggests…”).
• Demonstrating an understanding of how theories or research apply in your practice/context.
• Identifying possible limitations of research/theory and how these relate to your own arguments or own context (“in the context of international development…”; “in terms of learning in the Science classroom…”).
• Identifying how something could be interpreted or done differently (in relation to your reading and/or practice).

Back to top

Criticality?

If you have been told your writing is not critical enough, it probably means that your writing treats the knowledge claims as if they are true, well-supported, and applicable in the context you are writing about. This may not always be the case.

In these two examples, the extracts refer to the same section of text. In each example, the section that refers to a source has been highlighted in bold. The note below the example then explains how the writer has used the source material. 

Example a: " There is a strong positive effect on students, both educationally and emotionally, when the instructors try to learn to say students' names without making pronunciation errors (Kiang, 2004)". This is a simple paraphrase with no critical comment. It looks like the writer agrees with Kiang. This is not a good example of critical writing, as the writer has not made any critical comment.

Example b: "Kiang (2004) gives various examples to support his claim that 'the positive emotional and educational impact on students is clear' (p.210) when instructors try to pronounce students' names in the correct way. He quotes one student, Nguyet, as saying that he 'felt surprised and happy' (p.211) when the tutor said his name clearly . The emotional effect claimed by Kiang is illustrated in quotes such as these, although the educational impact is supported more indirectly through the chapter. Overall, he provides more examples of students being negatively affected by incorrect pronunciation, and it is difficult to find examples within the text of a positive educational impact as such". The writer describes Kiang's (2004) claim and the examples which he uses to try to support it. The writer then comments that the examples do not seem balanced and may not be enough to support the claims fully. This is a better example of writing which expresses criticality.

A critique (or critical review) is not to be mistaken for a literature review. A “critical review”, or “critique”, is a complete type of text (or genre), discussing one particular article or book in detail. In some instances, you may be asked to write a critique of two or three articles (e.g. a comparative critical review). In contrast, a “literature review”, which also needs to be “critical”, is a part of a larger type of text, such as a chapter of your dissertation. Most importantly: read your article/book as many times as possible, as this will make the critical review much easier.

Read and take notes

To improve your reading confidence and efficiency, visit our pages on reading. After you are familiar with the text, make notes on some of the following questions.

Choose the questions which seem suitable:

• What kind of article is it (for example does it present data or does it present purely theoretical arguments)?
• What is the main area under discussion?
• What are the main findings?
• What are the stated limitations?
• Where does the author's data and evidence come from? Are they appropriate/sufficient?
• What are the main issues raised by the author?
• What questions are raised?
• How well are these questions addressed?
• What are the major points/interpretations made by the author in terms of the issues raised?
• Is the text balanced? Is it fair/biased?
• Does the author contradict herself?
• How does all this relate to other literature on this topic?
• How does all this relate to your own experience, ideas and views?
• What else has this author written? Do these build/complement this text?
• (Optional) Has anyone else reviewed this article? What did they say? Do I agree with them?

Organise your writing

You first need to summarise the text that you have read. One reason to summarise the text is that the reader may not have read the text. 

In your summary, you will:

• Focus on points within the article that you think are interesting.
• Summarise the author(s) main ideas or argument.
• Explain how these ideas/argument have been constructed. For example, is the author basing her arguments on data that they have collected? Are the main ideas/argument purely theoretical?

In your summary you might answer the following questions:

• Why is this topic important?
• Where can this text be located? For example, does it address policy studies?
• What other prominent authors also write about this?

Evaluation is the most important part in a critical review. Use the literature to support your views. You may also use your knowledge of conducting research, and your own experience. Evaluation can be explicit or implicit.

Explicit evaluation

Explicit evaluation involves stating directly (explicitly) how you intend to evaluate the text, e.g. "I will review this article by focusing on the following questions. First, I will examine the extent to which the authors contribute to current thought on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) pedagogy. After that, I will analyse whether the authors' propositions are feasible within overseas SLA classrooms."

Implicit evaluation

Implicit evaluation is less direct. The following section on Linguistic features of writing a critical review contains language that evaluates the text. A difficult part of the evaluation of a published text (and a professional author) is how to do this as a student. There is nothing wrong with making your position as a student explicit and incorporating it into your evaluation. Examples of how you might do this can be found in the section on Linguistic features of writing a critical review. You need to remember to locate and analyse the author's argument when you are writing your critical review. For example, you need to locate the authors' view of classroom pedagogy as presented in the book/article and not present a critique of views of classroom pedagogy in general.

Linguistic features of a critical review

The following examples come from published critical reviews. Some of them have been adapted for student use.

• This article/book is divided into two/three parts. First...
• While the title might suggest...
• The tone appears to be...
• [Title] is the first/second volume in the series [Title], edited by... The books/articles in this series address...
• The second/third claim is based on...
• The author challenges the notion that...
• The author tries to find a more middle ground/make more modest claims...
• The article/book begins with a short historical overview of...
• Numerous authors have recently suggested that... (see [Author, Year]; [Author, Year]). [Author] would also be one such author. With his/her argument that...
• To refer to [Title] as a... is not to say that it is...
• This book/article is aimed at... This intended readership...
• The author's book/article examines the... To do this, the author first...
• The author develops/suggests a theoretical/pedagogical model to…
• This book/article positions itself firmly within the field of...
• The author in a series of subtle arguments, indicates that he/she...
• The argument is therefore...
• The author asks "..."
• With a purely critical/postmodern take on...
• [Topic], as the author points out, can be viewed as...
• In this recent contribution to the field of... this British author...
• As a leading author in the field of...
• This book/article nicely contributes to the field of... and complements other work by this author...
• The second/third part of... provides/questions/asks the reader...
• [Title] is intended to encourage students/researchers to...
• The approach taken by the author provides the opportunity to examine... in a qualitative/quantitative research framework that nicely complements...
• The author notes/claims that state support/a focus on pedagogy/the adoption of...remains vital if...
• According to [Author, Year] teaching towards examinations is not as effective as it is in other areas of the curriculum. This is because, as [Author, Year] claims that examinations have undue status within the curriculum.
• According to [Author, Year]… is not as effective in some areas of the curriculum/syllabus as others. Therefore, the author believes that this is a reason for some schools…
• This argument is not entirely convincing, as...furthermore it commodifies/rationalises the...
• Over the last five/10 years the view of... has increasingly been viewed as “complicated” (see [Author, Year]; [Author, Year]).
• However, through trying to integrate... with... the author...
• There are difficulties with such a position.
• Inevitably, several crucial questions are left unanswered/glossed over by this insightful/timely/interesting/stimulating book/article. Why should...
• It might have been more relevant for the author to have written this book/article as...
• This article/book is not without disappointment from those who would view... as...
• This chosen framework enlightens/clouds...
• This analysis intends to be... but falls a little short as...
• The authors rightly conclude that if...
• A detailed, well-written and rigorous account of...
• As a Korean student I feel that this article/book very clearly illustrates...
• The beginning of... provides an informative overview of...
• The tables/figures do little to help/greatly help the reader...
• The reaction by scholars who take a... approach might not be so favourable (e.g. Author, Year).
• This explanation has a few weaknesses that other researchers have pointed out (see [Author, Year]; [Author, Year]). The first is...
• On the other hand, the author wisely suggests/proposes that... By combining these two dimensions...
• The author's brief introduction to... may leave the intended reader confused as it fails to properly...
• Despite my inability to... I was greatly interested in...
• Even where this reader/I disagree(s), the author's effort to...
• The author thus combines... with... to argue... which seems quite improbable for a number of reasons. First...
• Perhaps this aversion to... would explain the author's reluctance to...
• As a second language student from ... I find it slightly ironic that such an Anglo-centric view is...
• The reader is rewarded with...
• Less convincing is the broad-sweeping generalisation that...
• There is no denying the author's subject knowledge nor his/her...
• The author's prose is dense and littered with unnecessary jargon...
• The author's critique of...might seem harsh but is well supported within the literature (see [Author, Year]; [Author, Year]; [Author, Year]). Aligning herself with the author, [Author, Year] states that...
• As it stands, the central focus of [Title] is well/poorly supported by its empirical findings...
• Given the hesitation to generalise to... the limitation of... does not seem problematic...
• For instance, the term... is never properly defined and the reader is left to guess as to whether...
• Furthermore, to label... as... inadvertently misguides...
• In addition, this research proves to be timely/especially significant to... as recent government policy/proposals has/have been enacted to...
• On this well-researched/documented basis the author emphasises/proposes that...
• Nonetheless, other research/scholarship/data tend to counter/contradict this possible trend/assumption... (see [Author, Year]; [Author, Year]).
• Without entering into details of the..., it should be stated that [Title] should be read by... others will see little value in...
• As experimental conditions were not used in the study the word “significant” misleads the reader.
• The article/book becomes repetitious in its assertion that...
• The thread of the author's argument becomes lost in an overuse of empirical data...
• Almost every argument presented in the final section is largely derivative, providing little to say about...
• She/he does not seem to take into consideration; however, that there are fundamental differences in the conditions of…
• As [Author, Year] points out, however, it seems to be necessary to look at…
• This suggests that having low… does not necessarily indicate that… is ineffective.
• Therefore, the suggestion made by [Author, Year]… is difficult to support.
• When considering all the data presented… it is not clear that the low scores of some students, indeed, reflect…
• Overall, this article/book is an analytical look at... which within the field of... is often overlooked.
• Despite its problems, [Title] offers valuable theoretical insights/interesting examples/a contribution to pedagogy and a starting point for students/researchers of... with an interest in...
• This detailed and rigorously argued...
• This first/second volume/book/article by... with an interest in... is highly informative...

An important note

We recommend that you do not search for other university guidelines on critical reviews. This is because the expectations may be different at other institutions. Ask your tutor for more guidance or examples if you have further questions.

How To Write a Critical Analysis Essay?

13 April, 2020

8 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

All works of art are subject to criticism. That criticism comes in the form of this essay type. Every time you read or watch a review or a discussion on a piece, you are exposing yourself to a critical analysis. Handmadewriting team has prepared this guide for You to learn how to write a critical analysis essay. Let's rock!

What is a Critical Analysis Essay?

A critical analysis essay puts you, the writer, in the position of judging creative work. Generally, these essays cover what you believe the work did well and what it did wrong while adding some personal insight. You will use examples from the piece to support your claims.

Having problems with your critical analysis? Our  essay writer help provides services 24\7!

How to Start A Critical Analysis Essay

Before you start the writing portion of your essay, you’ll need to spend some time with the creative work and get a good idea of the messages it attempts to portray.

Identify the Author’s Thesis

What is the main message behind the creative piece? Identify what the author is trying to argue. Which side of the argument do they fall on? Do they offer solutions to the argument or simply present to show awareness? This isn’t always clear in the work, and some outside research may be needed to fully understand the message.

Outline the Main Ideas

Go through the piece and note down any overarching messages. How does the creator appeal to your emotions? Is it done effectively, or could it have been done better? In most creative works, all of the main ideas come together to form the thesis statement.

A good way of searching for these is to work backwards from the previously established thesis. View the piece with the thesis in mind, and jot down each and every point that contributes to it.

Evaluate the Author’s Points

Summarize these points and state how well they support the thesis. Are they the strongest possible arguments for the thesis? What examples does the creator present against the thesis? Are they fair and objective, or do they lean heavily to one side? Like a good critical analysis, a good creative piece evaluates all sides of the presented argument and supports each side with evidence.

Check this guide in case you need to learn more about a rhetorical analysis .

Organizing your research into an outline is the best way to prepare for the writing. A proper outline will allow your writing to flow and give you a structure to adhere to.

How to write a Critical Analysis Essay Outline:

Introduction.

When starting a critical analysis essay, you need to state the name of the creative work, the creator, and any relevant publication/distribution details. Then, outline what parts of the work you’re going to discuss. This is when you should introduce the creator’s thesis and how they supported that thesis.

Once that’s done, end the introduction with your thesis statement . Your thesis should consist of your original thoughts and reactions to the creation and its message. Come up with a main idea about the work and use different examples from it to support your statement.

This is your opinion and it should not be the same as the creator’s thesis. A good thesis example would state what the creator’s argument is, and then what it does well/badly and how it accomplishes that.

Here, you’re going to go more in-depth on the main ideas you outlined in your introduction. Break down what the piece is about. Talk about the characters, the themes, how the creator utilizes these to show their vision and argue their points.

Pretend the reader hasn’t been exposed to the piece of creative work. Don’t hold back, show them what the piece is so they can understand where you are coming from.

The part you’ve waited for. The analysis is broken into multiple body paragraphs, much like other types of essays. Break down your ideas that you stated in your thesis, giving each their own paragraph. Do your best to state both positive and negative parts of the creative work. If you really feel strongly one way or the other, highlight the opposite feeling early on before getting into your opinions. If you hate the film, discuss what it did well at the beginning of your analysis, then get into what it did wrong.

When breaking down your ideas, be sure to discuss the three different types of appeals:

• Ethos: How the creator shows their credibility in their art. Why should they be trusted, or how did they fail to establish credibility?
• Pathos: All art is based on emotion. How did the creators work to appeal to your emotions specifically? Did you agree with how the creator wanted you to feel, or did they miss the mark completely?
• Logos: How does the creator use logic to get you on their side?

At the end of your analysis paragraphs, your paper should clearly state your thoughts and opinions on the creation, have those thoughts supported with examples from the piece, and address whether or not the creator achieved their goal.

Restate your thesis. Say it in a different, but similar, way to reaffirm it. Summarize the main point of each body paragraph, strengthening your thesis even more. Finally, your conclusion should show what the reader shall take away from the creation:

• You shouldn’t watch this movie because it’s offensive to all genders.
• You should read this book because it is an incredibly informative retelling of the Watergate scandal

While working on the planning and pre-planning stages of your essay, be sure to keep these tips in mind for a stronger end product:

Critical Analysis Essay Writing Tips from HandmadeWriting 

• Provoke your reader to rethink their opinions on the piece. Strive to make your opinion so sound that they have no choice but to consider it.
• Be fair. If you’re just whining or mindlessly praising the piece, no one is going to take your analysis seriously. Provide a quality argument with strong examples. Create a strong foundation for your opinion.
• Have fun. You’re speaking your mind on a creation. Really get into why you feel the way you do. If you’re having fun, it will show, and the reader will too. Check out our  paper writing guide  to learn how to write other essay types.

And finally, check your essay upon completion and make sure it follows these guidelines. If it does, you’re set:

Do’s and Don’ts From Our Writing Team

• Take the time to find strong examples both for and against your argument.
• Ensure the reader has a clear vision on what the piece is about before you get into the analysis.
• Be honest. Share your emotions with the reader. It will build a stronger argument, and an apt reader will see right through you being fake.
• Research the piece. Reading up on it will give you some insight you may not have considered, leading to a stronger argument.
• Lean too far one way without discussing the other.
• Write “My thoughts” or “My opinion is”. Just state your opinions.
• Use first or second pronouns. Say “the audience” or “the reader”.
• Spend too much time on the summary. Your analysis should be the biggest part of your paper.

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

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Study Skills

Critical analysis: home.

• Reading Critically

What is Critical Analysis?

Analysis is a word that is also often used when taking a critical approach to something. It could be that you look at some evidence and if you think it is good quality, you may choose to include that in your essay or writing to help support your argument. When you have analysed different sets of evidence you may  synthesize all the ideas gathered from multiple sources bringing together the relevant information into a different argument or idea. 

To evaluate something or someone, you think and consider it or them in order to make a judgment about it/them; this could be as simple as how good or bad they are. When you critically evaluate something or someone you consider how judgments vary from different perspectives and how some judgments are stronger than others. This often means creating an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case, based on the evaluation from different perspectives.

Taking a critical approach when you are studying involves constantly asking questions and keeping an open mind.

• Next: Reading Critically >>
• Last Updated: Aug 9, 2023 11:57 AM
• URL: https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/criticalanalysis

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• Critical Reviews

How to Write a Critical Analysis

Last Updated: March 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,462,677 times.

Reading Critically

• You may need to read the text more than once, especially if it is dense or complicated.

• It might be easier to find the thesis in an academic article than in a creative work, movie, or painting. If you’re critiquing a work of fiction or creative nonfiction, in either written form or film form, identify one of the main themes of the story instead. For a painting, identify what the painter may be trying to get across with their work of art.

• In an academic article, identify the topic sentences of each paragraph or section.
• For works of fiction or paintings, look for scenes and imagery that seem to support the thesis.

• If the text was a film or work of art, write a brief 1 to 2 paragraph synopsis of the film or description of the painting.

Analyzing the Text

• For example, if the text made you angry, what was it about the text that made you angry?
• If you found yourself laughing at the text, what about it was laughable?

• For example, if the author is an outspoken proponent of healthcare reform, then this would likely explain any bias in an argumentative essay on universal healthcare.
• The author’s background may also include credentials, such as a doctorate or medical degree. This is part of the ethos of the text since having credentials may help to bolster an author’s credibility.

• For example, if the author’s explanation of greenhouse gasses is long, full of jargon, and confusing, then you might focus on this as part of your critique.

Tip : Keep in mind that you can also have a positive critique of the text if you think it was effective. For example, if the author’s description of greenhouse gasses was written in simple, easy to understand language, you might note this as part of your analysis.

• For example, if the author has used a website that is known for being biased in favor of their argument, then this would weaken their position. However, if the author used sources that were fair and unbiased, then this would strengthen their position.
• Not all texts will incorporate evidence. For example, if you’re doing a critical analysis of a film or work of art, it probably won’t include secondary sources.

Drafting the Analysis

• For example, in the first sentence of your essay, provide the basic information on the text. Then, describe text’s argument in about 1 to 2 sentences.

• For example, you might write, “Darcy Gibbons’ essay on the environmental impact of consumerism provides a thorough and valuable overview of the problem.”
• Or, you might write, “Shannon Duperty’s mixed media painting, “Dove on Heroin,” falls short of its attempt at edgy political commentary.”

• Keep in mind that the summary paragraph is the only place in your essay where you may include summary. The rest of the essay should provide analysis of the essay.

• Organization. How did the author organize their argument? Was this a good strategy or not? Why?
• Style. What style did the author use to get their point across? How did the style hurt or help their argument?
• Effectiveness. In general, was the text effective at getting its point across? Why or why not?
• Fairness or bias. Did the author demonstrate a fair or biased perspective on their topic? How could you tell?
• Appeal to a specific audience. Did the author seem to have a specific audience in mind? If so, who were they and how well did the author meet their needs?

Tip : Check with your teacher for details on how to cite sources. They may want you to use a specific citation style, such as MLA, Chicago, or APA.

• For example, you might conclude by talking about how the author made a good effort in some regards, but ultimately their argument was ineffective, and then explain why in 2 to 3 sentences.

Sample Analyses

Expert Q&A

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• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/Critical_Analysis_Template30565.pdf
• ↑ https://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/Handouts/CriticalAnalysisPapers.pdf
• ↑ https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit09/Foundations/creating-a-thesis-and-an-outline-for-a-critical-analysis-essay.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions

About This Article

To write a critical analysis, first introduce the work you’re analyzing, including information about the work’s author and their purpose in writing it. As part of the introduction, briefly state your overall evaluation of the work. Then, summarize the author’s key points before you use the bulk of your paper to provide your full critique of the work. Try to put each point you want to make in a separate paragraph for clarity. Finally, write a concluding paragraph that restates your opinion of the work and offers any suggestions for improvement. To learn how to balance positive and negative comments in your critical analysis, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Developing Deeper Analysis & Insights

Analysis is a central writing skill in academic writing. Essentially, analysis is what writers do with evidence to make meaning of it. While there are specific disciplinary types of analysis (e.g., rhetorical, discourse, close reading, etc.), most analysis involves zooming into evidence to understand how the specific parts work and how their specific function might relate to a larger whole. That is, we usually need to zoom into the details and then reflect on the larger picture. In this writing guide, we cover analysis basics briefly and then offer some strategies for deepening your analysis. Deepening your analysis means pushing your thinking further, developing a more insightful and interesting answer to the “so what?” question, and elevating your writing.

Analysis Basics

Questions to Ask of the Text:

• Is the evidence fully explained and contextualized? Where in the text/story does this evidence come from (briefly)? What do you think the literal meaning of the quote/evidence is and why? Why did you select this particular evidence?
• Are you selecting a long enough quote to work with and analyze? While over-quoting can be a problem, so too can under-quoting.
• Do you connect each piece of evidence explicitly to the claim or focus of the paper?

Strategies & Explanation

• Sometimes turning the focus of the paper into a question can really help someone to figure out how to work with evidence. All evidence should answer the question--the work of analysis is explaining how it answers the question.
• The goal of evidence in analytical writing is not just to prove that X exists or is true, but rather to show something interesting about it--to push ideas forward, to offer insights about a quote. To do this, sometimes having a full sentence for a quote helps--if a writer is only using single-word quotes, for example, they may struggle to make meaning out of it.

Deepening Analysis

Not all of these strategies work every time, but usually employing one of them is enough to really help elevate the ideas and intellectual work of a paper:

• Bring the very best point in each paragraph into the topic sentence. Often these sentences are at the very end of a paragraph in a solid draft. When you bring it to the front of the paragraph, you then need to read the paragraph with the new topic sentence and reflect on: what else can we say about this evidence? What else can it show us about your claim?
• Complicate the point by adding contrasting information, a different perspective, or by naming something that doesn’t fit. Often we’re taught that evidence needs to prove our thesis. But, richer ideas emerge from conflict, from difference, from complications. In a compare and contrast essay, this point is very easy to see--we get somewhere further when we consider how two things are different. In an analysis of a single text, we might look at a single piece of evidence and consider: how could this choice the writer made here be different? What other choices could the writer have made and why didn’t they? Sometimes naming what isn’t in the text can help emphasize the importance of a particular choice.
• Shift the focus question of the essay and ask the new question of each piece of evidence. For example, a student is looking at examples of language discrimination (their evidence) in order to make an argument that answers the question: what is language discrimination? Questions that are definitional (what is X? How does Y work? What is the problem here?) can make deeper analysis challenging. It’s tempting to simply say the equivalent of “Here is another example of language discrimination.” However, a strategy to help with this is to shift the question a little bit. So perhaps the paragraphs start by naming different instances of language discrimination, but the analysis then tackles questions like: what are the effects of language discrimination? Why is language discrimination so problematic in these cases? Who perpetuates language discrimination and how? In a paper like this, it’s unlikely you can answer all of those questions--but, selecting ONE shifted version of a question that each paragraph can answer, too, helps deepen the analysis and keeps the essay focused.
• Examine perspective--both the writer’s and those of others involved with the issue. You might reflect on your own perspectives as a unique audience/reader. For example, what is illuminated when you read this essay as an engineer? As a person of color? As a first-generation student at Cornell? As an economically privileged person? As a deeply religious Christian? In order to add perspective into the analysis, the writer has to name these perspectives with phrases like: As a religious undergraduate student, I understand X to mean… And then, try to explain how the specificity of your perspective illuminates a different reading or understanding of a term, point, or evidence. You can do this same move by reflecting on who the intended audience of a text is versus who else might be reading it--how does it affect different audiences differently? Might that be relevant to the analysis?
• Qualify claims and/or acknowledge limitations. Before college level writing and often in the media, there is a belief that qualifications and/or acknowledging the limitations of a point adds weakness to an argument. However, this actually adds depth, honesty, and nuance to ideas. It allows you to develop more thoughtful and more accurate ideas. The questions to ask to help foster this include: Is this always true? When is it not true? What else might complicate what you’ve said? Can we add nuance to this idea to make it more accurate? Qualifications involve words like: sometimes, may effect, often, in some cases, etc. These terms are not weak or to be avoided, they actually add accuracy and nuance.

A Link to a  PDF Handout of this Writing Guide 

How to Critically Analyse Anything!

With Session 1 underway, you may be going through your course outline ready to start your assessments early.

Doing this, you may come across a new term that you haven’t heard before – critically analyse . You may also think you may have heard it before, but the meaning escapes you.

After a quick google search it seems like there are many different variations on how to critically analyse materials and apply these ideas in your assessment. It can be very confusing so to save you time we have a quick overview of what it means to critically analyse and how it can be utilised.

What does it mean to Critically Analyse?

There are two parts to be successful at critically analysing. The first is to be able to critically read and then be able to critically write.

Critically Reading

It is important to be able to develop ideas about your reading that are separate from that of the author. Always look at other articles or research reports in the area to develop your own opinion. To evaluate information, it is important to ask a series of questions, such as:

–  Is the research objective? Is there any evidence of bias?

– How have other writers or researchers investigated the same topic?

– Are there any areas that were not well covered or delved into?

Afterwards, it is important to think about how other information relates to what you have just written. This will assist you with identifying and contextualising ideas to create a concrete foundation and base your ideas upon.

How do I perform a Critical Analysis?

Critical analysis can be applied to a huge variety of assessments. This can include an essay, a report, presentations or throughout the term in discussion posts.

To critically analyse a piece of writing, it is important to understand what the piece of writing is telling you. By identifying the thesis statement and the main points, it will help in developing your own ideas and stance.

Once you begin writing, you will now need to provide evidence from the text to support your analysis. To cross analyse a piece of work or ideas, it is even suggested that the writer utilises the works of others to provide an in-depth discussion.

One last important tip is to avoid using personal pronouns when writing. A good way to remember this is to remind yourself that you are writing this piece of work and the reader will already know that this is written by you. Keep the focus on the subject of your analysis and you will have a great critically analysed piece of work. 

If you need further assistance check out CSU’s Study Support and Advice page.

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Essays: task words

Written Assignments

Explore what different task words mean and how they apply to your assignments

You'll need to understand what your assignments are asking you to do throughout your studies. Your assessments use 'task words' that explain what you need to do in your work.  

Task words are the words or phrases in a brief that tell you what to do. Common examples of task words are 'discuss', 'evaluate', 'compare and contrast', and 'critically analyse'. These words are used in assessment marking criteria and will showcase how well you've answered the question.

None of these words have a fixed meaning. Your lecturers may have specific definitions for your subject or task so you should make sure you have a good idea of what these terms mean in your field. You can check this by speaking to your lecturer, checking your course handbook and reading your marking criteria carefully.

Task words and descriptions

• Account for : Similar to ‘explain’ but with a heavier focus on reasons why something is or is not the way it is.
• Analyse : This term has the widest range of meanings according to the subject. Make a justified selection of some of the essential features of an artefact, idea or issue. Examine how these relate to each other and to other ideas, in order to help better understand the topic. See ideas and problems in different ways, and provide evidence for those ways of seeing them. 
• Assess : This has very different meanings in different disciplines. Measure or evaluate one or more aspect of something (for example, the effectiveness, significance or 'truth' of something). Show in detail the outcomes of these evaluations.
• Compare : Show how two or more things are similar.
• Compare and contrast : Show similarities and differences between two or more things.
• Contrast : Show how two or more things are different.
• Critically analyse : As with analysis, but questioning and testing the strength of your and others’ analyses from different perspectives. This often means using the process of analysis to make the whole essay an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case or position.
• Critically assess : As with “assess”, but emphasising your judgments made about arguments by others, and about what you are assessing from different perspectives. This often means making the whole essay a reasoned argument for your overall case, based on your judgments.
• Critically evaluate : As with 'evaluate', but showing how judgments vary from different perspectives and how some judgments are stronger than others. This often means creating an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case, based on the evaluation from different perspectives.
• Define : Present a precise meaning. 
• Describe : Say what something is like. Give its relevant qualities. Depending on the nature of the task, descriptions may need to be brief or the may need to be very detailed.
• Discuss : Provide details about and evidence for or against two or more different views or ideas, often with reference to a statement in the title. Discussion often includes explaining which views or ideas seem stronger.
• Examine : Look closely at something. Think and write about the detail, and question it where appropriate.
• Explain : Give enough description or information to make something clear or easy to understand.
• Explore : Consider an idea or topic broadly, searching out related and/or particularly relevant, interesting or debatable points.
• Evaluate : Similar to “assess”, this often has more emphasis on an overall judgement of something, explaining the extent to which it is, for example, effective, useful, or true. Evaluation is therefore sometimes more subjective and contestable than some kinds of pure assessment.
• Identify : Show that you have recognised one or more key or significant piece of evidence, thing, idea, problem, fact, theory, or example.
• Illustrate : Give selected examples of something to help describe or explain it, or use diagrams or other visual aids to help describe or explain something.
• Justify : Explain the reasons, usually “good” reasons, for something being done or believed, considering different possible views and ideas.
• Outline : Provide the main points or ideas, normally without going into detail.
• Summarise : This is similar to 'outline'. State, or re-state, the most important parts of something so that it is represented 'in miniature'. It should be concise and precise.
• State : Express briefly and clearly. 

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Critical analysis

Critical analysis essentially involves reading and thinking widely about an issue in order to develop a deep understanding and a point of view in relation to the issue. Students coming from school and college tend to see this in terms of pros and cons, or advantages and disadvantages and this is a useful starting point at Levels 1 and 2.

However, as you progress to Level 3 and beyond, you are expected to demonstrate a more sophisticated approach to critical analysis. This involves:

• identifying a range of relevant concepts, theories and models which help you understand an issue
• identifying relevant issues and sub-issues and associated problems, benefits, challenges, drawbacks, limitations
• showing that you understand the different perspectives presented in the literature around these issues, concepts, theories and models
• showing that you recognise the weight of these perspectives in the literature – what is the consensus of opinion on an issue or perspective? Is there broad agreement on an issue, is opinion roughly equally divided, or is a perspective held by only one or two writers?

At its heart, critical analysis involves asking questions: "What...", "How...", "Why...", "So what..."

You will read a variety of sources throughout your degree programme: textbooks, research articles, government and corporate reports, policy documents, organisational websites. It is useful to have in mind questions as you explore the definitions, key points of view/arguments, theories/models and policies discussed in these sources.

Click on this link for  examples of questions that can direct critical analysis

Writing about definitions

Writing critically about theory or models

Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

In Between the Lines: A Guide to Reading Critically

I often find that Princeton professors assume that we all know how to “read critically.” It’s a phrase often included in essay prompts, and a skill necessary to academic writing. Maybe we’re familiar with its definition: close examination of a text’s logic, arguments, style, and other content in order to better understand the author’s intent. Reading non-critically would be identifying a metaphor in a passage, whereas the critical reader would question why the author used that specific metaphor in the first place. Now that the terminology is clarified, what does critical reading look like in practice? I’ve put together a short guide on how I approach my readings to help demystify the process.

• Put on your scholar hat. Critical reading starts before the first page. You should assume that the reading in front of you was the product of several choices made by the author, and that each of these choices is subject to analysis. This is a critical mindset, but importantly, not a negative one. Not taking a reading at face value doesn’t mean approaching the reading hoping to find everything that’s  wrong, but rather what could be improved .
• Revisit Writing Sem : Motive and thesis are incredibly helpful guides to understanding tough academic texts. Examining why the author is writing this text (motive), provides a context for the work that follows. The thesis should be in the back of your mind at all times to understand how the evidence presented proves it, but simultaneously thinking about the motive  allows you to think about what opponents to the author might say, and then question how the evidence would stand up to these potential rebuttals.
• Get physical . Take notes! Critical reading involves making observations and insights—track them! My process involves underlining, especially as I see recurring terms, images, or themes. As I read, I also like to turn back and forth constantly between pages to link up arguments. I was reading a longer legal text for a class and found that flipping back and forth helped me clarify the ideas presented in the beginning of the text so I could track their development in later pages.
• Play Professor. While I’m reading, I like to imagine potential discussion or essay topics I would come up with if I were a professor. These usually involves examining the themes of the text, placing this text in comparison or contrast with another one we have read in the class, and paying close attention to how the evidence attempts to prove the thesis.
• Form an (informed) opinion. After much work, underlining, and debating, it’s safe to make your own judgments about the author’s work. In forming this opinion, I like to mentally prepare to have this opinion debated, which helps me complicate my own conclusions—a great start to a potential essay!

Critical reading is an important prerequisite for the academic writing that Princeton professors expect. The best papers don’t start with the first word you type, but rather how you approach the texts composing your essay subject. Hopefully, this guide to reading critically will help you write critically as well!

–Elise Freeman, Social Sciences Correspondent

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