Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking Essays distinguish themselves from narrative and review ones by the author statements and opinions that are expressed on the specified topic. This type of academic work requires students to research a subject profoundly and provide own assessment of the problem. Usually, teachers like critical thinking essays, since this type of academic works reveals student’s skills in making up their mind and expressing it. Such think pieces are of great importance, since knowledge is a half of success, and appropriate and smart wording of your thoughts is the core point.
Critical thinking traces back to the works of Plato and other outstanding ancient thinkers. This technique evolved and is analyzed by the researches, but it does not lose its importance since those days. Crafting a valid critical thinking one should be familiar with some tips and aspects that should be considered. Follow the elaborated procedure that will eliminate any chance for failure.
- Make a decision on your topic. Teachers often ask students to write critical thinking essays on different literary works. When choosing a topic you need to devote your essay to that work, which you have read or are going to read. It is hard to provide a valuable critical response, basing on similar responses that are available on the Internet. Your personal knowledge in the subject or literary work matters a lot. Besides, it is better to opt for the topics and literary works that are interesting for you. When you are involved in the subjects, there is always a great result.
- Outline focal points of your paper. Any activity, especially when it is the writing of an essay, needs a strategy. You need to consider the main points, which you will describe in your essay and main critical statements that will be outlined by you. It is better to write down these points in the form of the plan.
- Start with drafts. Even when you have a ready plan, it is often hard to start with paper writing. To cope with the situation, you need to begin with drafts. Even if the first ones will have nothing in common with the critical thinking essays, you need to go on; your efforts will not be in vain. Having made several drafts, the body of your essay will be outlined at last.
- Make your critical thinking convincing and valid. Critical thinking consists of reasoning and analyzing. These skills determine your understanding of the problem or topic and its further consideration. After this, your task is to evaluate the results of your analysis and proceed with certain decisions and suggestions. When formulating these stages of your research in the essay, make your statements convincing and interesting for the reader. Avoid too much hesitation and words that express it.
- Sum up with strong statements. Your conclusion should summarize of above-mentioned thoughts and opinions and offer certain options for future research of the topic.
Often made mistakes:
- Providing unreasonable statements (most often they are made when a person does not perform a necessary research on the topic.
- Writing without making up a plan (absence of plan may result in the inconsistent structure of the essay and failure with paper volume requirements)
- Expressing to many doubts and hesitations (too many lexical means that show your uncertainty in your own thoughts and opinion have a negative influence on the reader)
- Ending essay without a conclusion (having written a lot of thoughts and ideas students often consider that conclusion is not needed, which is definitely wrong)
- Neglecting remarks and criticism (when receiving some remarks from friends or teacher, students often do not pay attention to them. Any third party opinion is a reason for consideration and self-improvement.)
Critical thinking skills should be acquired and developed by every student as this knowledge is relevant and useful during the whole life.