Critical Writing
A critical paragraph usually combines necessary description with analysis and evaluation: what a source claims, how it relates to other evidence, why the point matters, and what conclusion the writer can justify. “Critical” does not mean simply negative or hostile.
Critical writing does more than describe sources. It interprets their significance, compares claims and evidence, evaluates strengths or limitations, and makes the writer’s reasoned position visible.
Key details
Important caveats
Boundary
Do not remove all description: readers still need enough factual context to understand what is being evaluated. The balance depends on the assignment and discipline.
Further guidance
Decision Path
After stating relevant evidence, ask what it means, how convincing it is, how it compares with other evidence, and what follows from that comparison.
Paragraph Move
Move from description to analysis by explicitly connecting evidence to significance, limitations, implications, or competing interpretations.
Worked Example
Descriptive: “Study A used interviews.” Critical: “Study A’s interviews provide detailed participant perspectives, but the small purposive sample limits how confidently the findings can be generalized.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Critical writing (opens in a new tab)University of Leeds Library · Defines critical writing as interpretation, analysis and evaluation of evidence, comparison of sources and development of a reasoned position rather than description alone.
- What is critical thinking? (opens in a new tab)University of Leeds Library · Connects critical academic writing with weighing arguments and perspectives, synthesising evidence and forming supported conclusions.