Descriptive Writing vs Critical Analytical Writing In Research: How To Write Critically + Examples

Grad Coach

24 Sept 202207:10

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video from Grad Coach explains the difference between descriptive and critical writing, emphasizing the importance of critical writing in academic research. It illustrates how critical writing goes beyond mere description to analyze the impact and meaning of events, linking them to broader research objectives. The video also provides actionable advice for incorporating critical writing in dissertations and theses.

Takeaways

📚 Critical writing is essential for academic research and differs from descriptive writing by analyzing and interpreting information rather than just stating facts.
🔍 Descriptive writing focuses on 'what,' 'where,' 'when,' or 'who,' providing basic information without exploring the implications or significance.
🤔 Critical writing, also known as analytical writing, goes a step further by explaining the impact or consequences of a situation, revealing the 'so what' aspect.
📉 An example of critical writing provided in the transcript illustrates how the President's decision to fire the Finance Minister affected investor confidence and the local currency's value.
🔗 In academic writing, critical writing should always link back to the broader objectives of the paper, such as research aims, objectives, and questions.
📈 The importance of linking the discussion in a dissertation or thesis back to the research aims is emphasized, which is crucial for maintaining the 'golden thread' of the research.
📝 Descriptive writing has its place in academic work, laying the foundation before critical analysis, but it should be kept to a minimum to focus on analytical content.
📑 Within different sections of a research paper, such as the literature review or methodology chapter, descriptive writing provides the necessary context for critical writing to follow.
📊 The transcript suggests a writing strategy where every descriptive point is followed by a critical conclusion to ensure depth and analysis in the writing.
👍 The video encourages viewers to subscribe for more advice on academic writing and offers free dissertation templates for structured guidance.
👨‍🏫 For those seeking personalized support, the video mentions a private coaching service that provides step-by-step assistance throughout the research process.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?
-The video focuses on the difference between descriptive writing and critical writing, specifically in the context of academic research and writing.
Why is critical writing important in academic research?
-Critical writing is important because it goes beyond just describing events or situations; it analyzes the impact, consequences, and meaning in relation to the research aims and objectives.
What is the primary difference between descriptive and critical writing?
-Descriptive writing communicates the basic facts such as what, where, when, or who, while critical writing delves into the 'so what' aspect, explaining the impact or consequence of a situation.
Can you provide an example of descriptive writing from the script?
-An example of descriptive writing from the script is: 'Yesterday the President unexpectedly fired the Minister of Finance.' This sentence simply states the event without exploring its implications.
How does critical writing build upon descriptive writing?
-Critical writing builds upon descriptive writing by linking the described events to their broader implications and how they relate to the research aims, objectives, and questions.
What is the 'golden thread' in the context of a dissertation or thesis?
-The 'golden thread' refers to the consistent linking of the discussion back to the research aims, objectives, and research questions throughout a dissertation or thesis.
How should a literature review be approached in terms of descriptive and critical writing?
-In a literature review, descriptive writing should explain what a theory, author, or article said, while critical writing should explain how that is relevant to the key issues and research questions.
What is the role of descriptive writing in a methodology chapter?
-In a methodology chapter, descriptive writing states which methods were used, whereas critical writing explains why these methods were relevant and justified in light of the specific research aims.
How should a discussion chapter differentiate between descriptive and critical writing?
-In a discussion chapter, descriptive writing would state a relationship between variables, while critical writing would explain the meaning of this relationship in terms of the research questions and how it compares or contrasts with existing literature.
Is descriptive writing completely unnecessary in academic writing?
-No, descriptive writing is necessary to lay the foundation for critical writing. It is essential to state the 'what' before discussing the 'so what', but it should be kept to a minimum to focus on analysis.
What is the advice for balancing descriptive and critical writing in a research paper?
-The advice is to identify every descriptive point made and ensure it is accompanied by a critical conclusion regarding its meaning or impact, thus minimizing description and maximizing analysis.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Critical Writing

This paragraph introduces the concept of critical writing and its importance in academic research. It distinguishes critical writing from descriptive writing, explaining that the former involves analyzing and interpreting information, while the latter merely describes events or facts. The video aims to help viewers master critical writing to enhance their academic projects. The speaker encourages viewers to subscribe for more advice and offers free dissertation templates in the description. The main point is that critical writing goes beyond stating facts to explore their implications and relevance to broader objectives.

05:02

🔍 The Role of Descriptive Writing in Academic Research

This paragraph further elaborates on the difference between descriptive and critical writing, emphasizing that descriptive writing is essential for laying the foundation before delving into critical analysis. Descriptive writing is used to state facts, such as theories or methods used in research, while critical writing explains the relevance and impact of these facts in relation to the research questions. The speaker advises that while descriptive writing is necessary, it should be minimized in favor of critical analysis to earn marks in academic work. The video encourages viewers to check out more content on the Grad Coach channel and offers private coaching services for research support.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Critical Writing

Critical writing is a form of academic writing that goes beyond merely describing facts or events. It involves analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting information to reveal deeper meanings, implications, or consequences. In the context of the video, critical writing is contrasted with descriptive writing and is essential for academic research and writing. The video emphasizes the importance of critical writing in dissertations and theses, where it helps to link the discussion back to the research aims and questions, as illustrated by the example of the President firing the Finance Minister and its subsequent economic impacts.

💡Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing is a straightforward form of writing that communicates basic information about what, where, when, or who without delving into deeper analysis or interpretation. It serves as a foundation for critical writing by providing the necessary background or context. In the video, descriptive writing is used to set the stage for the more complex critical analysis, as shown in the example sentence about the President firing the Minister of Finance, which simply states the event without further analysis.

💡Analytical Writing

Analytical writing is synonymous with critical writing in the academic context. It involves breaking down complex ideas or data into their components and examining the relationships between them. The video script uses the term interchangeably with 'critical writing' to emphasize the need for students to go beyond mere description and explore the significance of the information they present. An example from the script is the analytical discussion of the economic repercussions following the unexpected firing of a Finance Minister.

💡Academic Research

Academic research refers to the systematic investigation and study of a specific subject or field to establish facts, theories, or principles. The video script discusses the importance of critical writing in the context of academic research, particularly in dissertations and theses, where researchers must not only describe their findings but also critically analyze them to contribute new insights to their field.

💡Dissertation

A dissertation is a lengthy, formal piece of writing based on original research in a specific field of study, typically required to complete a master's or doctoral degree. The video script highlights the common issues encountered in dissertations, such as the lack of critical writing, and offers advice on how to improve this aspect of academic writing.

💡Thesis

A thesis is a document submitted in support of an academic degree, presenting the student's research and findings. Similar to a dissertation, a thesis requires critical writing to effectively communicate the research's significance and contributions to the field. The video script provides guidance on how to incorporate critical writing into a thesis.

💡Research Papers

Research papers are written works that describe the process and results of a research project. They are an essential part of academic communication and often require critical writing to analyze and interpret the data presented. The video script mentions research papers as one of the types of documents where a lack of critical writing is commonly encountered.

💡Grad Coach

Grad Coach appears to be the name of the organization or platform providing the video content. It offers guidance and support for academic writing, including advice on critical writing. The script mentions Grad Coach as a source for dissertation templates and other resources to assist students in their academic writing endeavors.

💡Literature Review

A literature review is a section of a research paper or thesis where existing research and theoretical contributions relevant to the topic are summarized and evaluated. In the context of the video, descriptive writing in a literature review would state what previous authors have said, while critical writing would explain the relevance of these contributions to the research questions.

💡Methodology

Methodology refers to the systematic principles and procedures used in scientific research or other inquiries to collect and analyze data. In the video script, descriptive writing in the methodology chapter would state the methods used, while critical writing would explain why these methods were chosen and how they are justified in relation to the research aims.

💡Discussion Chapter

A discussion chapter in a research paper or thesis is where the researcher interprets the results of their study, relating them to existing literature and theories. The video script explains that descriptive writing in this chapter would state relationships between variables, while critical writing would explain the meaning of these relationships in terms of the research questions and how they compare or contrast with existing research.

Highlights

Critical writing is essential for academic research and writing, distinguishing itself from descriptive writing by analyzing the impact and meaning of events or situations.

Descriptive writing simply states facts like what happened, when, and who was involved, without exploring the broader implications.

Critical or analytical writing goes further by explaining the consequences and impacts of a situation, providing a deeper understanding.

In academic writing, critical writing should always link back to the broader objectives of the paper, such as research aims and questions.

The video provides a clear example of the difference between descriptive and critical writing using the unexpected firing of a Finance Minister.

Descriptive writing in a literature review would explain what a theory or author said, while critical writing would discuss its relevance to the research questions.

In a methodology chapter, descriptive writing states the methods used, but critical writing justifies their relevance and choice based on research aims.

Critical writing in a discussion chapter explains the meaning of variable relationships in terms of research questions and how they compare to existing literature.

Descriptive writing is necessary to lay the foundation for critical writing, but should be kept to a minimum to focus on analysis.

A good practice is to follow every descriptive point with a critical conclusion about its meaning or impact.

The video offers actionable advice for improving critical writing skills in academic research and dissertations.

Grad Coach provides free dissertation templates to guide students through each chapter of their dissertation step by step.

The video emphasizes the importance of the 'golden thread' in linking critical writing to the core research objectives.

Critical writing helps to maximize analysis and earn marks by going beyond mere description to explore the 'so what' of a situation.

The video provides a practical guide for students new to academic research and writing, making the process less intimidating.

Grad Coach offers a private coaching service for one-on-one support throughout the research process.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe for more plain language, actionable research tips and advice.

Transcripts

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Descriptive Writing vs Critical Analytical Writing In Research: How To Write Critically + Examples

Takeaways

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

Why is critical writing important in academic research?

What is the primary difference between descriptive and critical writing?

Can you provide an example of descriptive writing from the script?

How does critical writing build upon descriptive writing?

What is the 'golden thread' in the context of a dissertation or thesis?

How should a literature review be approached in terms of descriptive and critical writing?

What is the role of descriptive writing in a methodology chapter?

How should a discussion chapter differentiate between descriptive and critical writing?

Is descriptive writing completely unnecessary in academic writing?

What is the advice for balancing descriptive and critical writing in a research paper?