Critical Thinking in College Critical Thinking in College WritingWriting

From the Personal to the Academic

Discipline:Writing in EnglishProfessor: Vivian Margutti

Group 4: Heidi, Melina, Talita and Bruna

What is criticism?

“ Criticism is the process of responding to and evaluating ideas, argument, and style so that readers understand how and why

you value these items.”

Critical thinking

Critical thinking=serious thinking

Clear and flexible thinking

Better understanding of the subject

Fundamental to all subject

Various methods and techniques

Attentive Reading

Critical thinker

◦ Informed opinion

◦Thoughtful response

A critical thinker is a good reader.

◦Read attentively and with an open mind

◦Absorb new ideas and form your own

Listing Important IdeasListing Important Ideas

- Allows you to remember the ideas

- Helps you to get a better understanding

Noticing Key TermsNoticing Key Terms

- Terms that will demand time to

understand

- Discover the relationship between them

- Summarize important quotes taking the

key terms into account

Looking inwardLooking inward Writing a personal response Writing a personal response

• Essays provoke responses in your mind.

• Write what you feel ( thoughts) about the essay you read.

• Select quotes, explain and write personal responses to

that.

• Critical thinking is to establish your relationship with a

text. Your initial reaction to the text will shape your views

about it.

Strategies to beginStrategies to begin Tell a storyFocus on important ideas for youWhy are the ideas meaningful?Write your toughts with 1st personWrite a letter to the author

ComplimentAskStart up a conversation

Looking outward Looking outward Making an academic connectionMaking an academic connection

Academic writing key elements:

advanced ideas

concepts

theories

critical thinking and analysisNot impersonal, it always starts with

personal writing.From private opinion to larger more

abstract ideas.

Second stageSecond stage Involving textual analysis

Summarizing author’s ideas – basis for extented analysis.

Evaluate worthiness (or lack of)Identify contradictions of the authorExamine strategies used by the author(style,

figurative language, voice)Include a second text (help your opinion)Extend writer’s ideas, develop your own perspective

and propose new ways of thinking about the subject at hand.

Crafting the essay

• With your notes in hand you can start to

develop your essay.

• Show critical thinking

•Show your personal opinion

(it makes the reader relate to you)

•Explore the meaning of the quotations you’ve

created

Finishing the essay

Analyse conflicting points and contradictions

Synthetize your points into a new idea

Conclude explaining the new argument

Modelling Good Writing

According to the author to:

Check essays that are considered an “A”

Follow other writher’s imagination

Personal opinion can be shown through

reflection instead of first person

statements.

Discussion

1. Think about your own experiences with critical thinking assigments. What seemed to be the most difficult? What approaches did you use to overcome that?

2. Consider the list of strategies on how to conduct textual analysis. How well do they work for you? Can you think of another one to add to the list?

Bibliographyhttp://writingspaces.org/sites/

default/files/dasbender--critical-thinking.pdf