How To Be More Critical And Less Descriptive - A Student’s Perspective

Sep 22, 2026

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A student-focused toolkit from the University of Sheffield Management School explains how to move beyond descriptive writing into critical analysis for undergraduate and postgraduate study. It addresses common feedback that work is too descriptive, outlines four progressive stages for developing critical awareness, and provides practical tools for assignments and exam revision. The guide distinguishes description from evaluated claims, introduces university-level expectations, and teaches techniques for structuring arguments to achieve higher marks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time14 min

AccessFree to download

Overview of this toolkit

Stage 1: Introduction to Critical Analysis

Semantic Wave

How To Be More Critical And Less Descriptive: A Student’s Perspective Written by Dr Sarah Brooks and James Kenny 1st Edition Critical Analysis Toolkit University of Sheffield Management School © Welcome from The University of Sheffield Management School There are many skills that are required in life and one of these is the ability to think critically. During both undergraduate and postgraduate studies, you will be asked to critically analyse and critically evaluate but you might receive feedback from a tutor which suggests that your work is too descriptive and not critical enough. In order to guarantee marks of over 60% in assignmentsand examinations, it is important to demonstrate a high level of critical awareness and this toolkit is designed to support that goal. This Critical Analysis Toolkit (CAT) has been developed by the University of Sheffield Management School to provide you with a number of tools and techniques to help you think, read and write more critically. Although the toolkit is designed primarily to support your independent learning over time, it can be used as a quick reference guide for when you are developing assignments and revising for examinations. The toolkit comprises four stages which can be mastered in any year of your university studies. Each stage is designed to give you the ability to demonstrate a greater awareness of critical analysis than in the previous stage. Furthermore, the ability to think, read and write critically will help you to solve problems more creatively, which is not only an academic skill, but also one of the top employability skills prized by employers. We hope that you enjoy working through the Critical Analysis Toolkit and we welcome any feedback you have on how we can make it even better. With warm regards The University of Sheffield Management School Education Team This toolkit has been made possible through generous funding from The University of Sheffield awarded to Dr Sarah Brooks. It has also been made possible through the support of Andrea Ward, Dr Alex Wright, Charlie Patterson (graduate) and Celia Anderson. 1st Edition Critical Analysis Toolkit University of Sheffield Management School © Overview of this toolkit The idea behind this toolkit was borne from discussions with students struggling with critical analysis. Driven by a strong desire to provide a simple way of supporting students, James Kenny, a final year undergraduate student and Dr Sarah Brooks developed a series of stages of development within this toolkit, each one designed to build new skills appropriate for the different stages of a student’s development. The toolkit was written by James as if he were telling current students what he would have liked to have known if he were to have his time at university again. 1st Edition Critical Analysis Toolkit University of Sheffield Management School © Stage 1 Critical Analysis Toolkit 1st Edition Critical Analysis Toolkit University of Sheffield Management School © Introduction to Critical Analysis The first thing to note, your schooling up to university may have a totally different style of writing compared to that which is expected at university level. The main differences can be highlighted below; • Schools focus, generally speaking, on what is known and agreed on. Universities may use what is known and agreed on as their starting point, however, universities are principally concerned with what is not known and not agreed on. What is known and agreed on is Descriptive. E.g. 5 x 5 = 25 and the Battle of Hastings was in 1066 are both ‘descriptions’in the sense that they restate facts. • If you are asked to critically analyse something, it means that you must consider and evaluate the claims made by the theorists,“experts”, official bodies, journalists etc. that you have read, asking yourself if the basis of these claims are sound and whether they apply or are relevant to the situation you are examining. • PEEL is

FAQs

Why do students receive feedback that their work is too descriptive?

Students are often asked to critically analyse and evaluate, but descriptive writing only restates known facts or given claims. The toolkit explains that description alone cannot reach higher marks without critical analysis.

What does it mean to critically analyse something?

It requires considering and evaluating the claims made by theorists, experts, official bodies, or journalists, and testing whether the basis of those claims is sound and relevant to the situation being examined.

How does the semantic wave help with academic arguments?

The semantic wave structures arguments beyond PEEL by representing stages of understanding and applying academic sources, then integrating those sources into the writer’s own work with critical “repacking” to reach higher grades.

Sep 22, 2026

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