The Nature of Critical Writing
The Nature of Critical Writing
Reading and writing are two macro-skills which Descriptive writing is fact-based.
are related to each other.
Examples include:
Critical and active reading is not just passive
consumption of a text, rather the goal is to ➔ Facts and figures about a particular
interpret and reflect upon what is read through issue
writing and discuss it with others. - Critical ➔ Description of a background to a case
Writing study
➔ Details of an organization
Reacting VS Responding to as text ➔ An account of how research was
undertaken
Reacting to a Text ➔ A summary of a sequence of events
➔ Descriptions of what happened in an
➢ Often done on an emotional and largely experiment.
subjective rather than on an intellectual
and objective level “The most characteristic features of descriptive
➢ It is quick but shallow. writing are that it will describe something, but will
not go beyond an account of what appears to be
Binary Reading there” - University of Leicester, Learning
Development Centre, 2013).
➔ Requires only “agree or disagree”
answers Critical writing is more complex, and involves
➔ Does not allow understanding of more discussion, analysis and evaluation than
complex arguments does descriptive writing.
REMEMBER: