How to Critically Discuss

Our academics share their profound

experience with you

Written by Emma Taylor

Many students dread writing ‘critical

discussion’ essays. This is partly because they
don’t understand what is required of them.

So, how do you ‘critically discuss’ in an essay?

Well, first and foremost, make sure you’ve truly
considered all sides of the argument. You also
need to think carefully about whether the
source(s) you are discussing are reliable and
valid. Finally, you need to develop a ‘thesis
statement’ so that you can structure your
critical discussion essay effectively.

Critical discussion essays can cause

headaches, but they can also be incredibly
rewarding if you approach them with the right
attitude. Here are some tips to set you off in
the right direction!

What does ‘critically discuss’ actually

mean?

Before attempting a critical discussion, check

you understand what is required of you. Let’s
turn to the Oxford English Dictionary for a
useful definition.

in a way that expresses or involves an

Critically analysis of the merits and faults of a
work of literature, music, or art.

talk or write about (a topic) in detail,

Discuss taking into account different issues or
ideas.

So, in short, a critical discussion requires you

to weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of a
theory, concept (or work of some sort), and
write about this in detail – taking into account
various relevant issues and viewpoints.

I would go one step further and say that to

‘critically discuss’, you should also emphasise
the significance of your critiques. In other
words, why does your critical opinion matter?
(more on this later).

What critical discussion is NOT…

Before moving on to show you how to write a

critical discussion, let’s take a look at what a
‘critical discussion’ is NOT:

Pure negativity – Some students fall into the

trap of thinking that critical discussion requires
you to be excessively negative. Whilst you
should consider the weaknesses of a theory or
argument, you should also consider its
strengths and/or new applications.

A repetition of others’ critiques – Whilst you

can (and typically should) use other theorists’
critiques to support your essay, you should
also try to say something original in your
critical discussion. Don’t only repeat other
people’s ideas.

Describing – Remember, you are not only

being asked to describe a particular work of
art/literature/science. Part of your essay will
probably include description, as you set the
scene, but you must include a critical opinion
of the theory, concept or work you are
discussing.

Quick and Easy – Unfortunately, writing a

critical discussion is not a straightforward task.
You should give yourself plenty of time to read
the material, digest it, reflect upon it, critique
it, and then formulate an argument for your
essay.

An example of critical discussion

Learning from examples is often the best way.

So, here is an excerpt from an essay which
critically discusses whether pay-for-
performance schemes motivate employees
– written by one of our PhD Experts:

Theory X states that, because employees are

primarily motivated by pay, a pay-for-
performance system will be motivational
(McGregor, 1960). However, this theory was
not supported by empirical data, thus its
validity is questionable. Moreover, up-to-date
research suggests that employees are not
primarily motivated by pay, but are instead
motivated by intrinsic factors (e.g., flexible
working hours, autonomy, and creating
impactful work) (Kaleb, 2015). This undermines
the suggestion that pay-for-performance
would be motivating. Indeed, further research
has found that pay-for-performance can
actually “crowd out” intrinsic motivators, since
it overly monetises the employer-employee
relationship, thereby resulting in poorer
motivation (David, 2018). There is more
empirical research to support the more recent
findings than theory X, thus, it seems pay-for-
performance schemes are unlikely to motivate
employees.

Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of

this critical discussion so that you can try to
replicate it for yourself.

Compare two (or more) theories

Notice how this single paragraph contains
three references to three different theories. In
order to critically discuss competently, you will
need to be able to compare and contrast
different theories and perspectives. This is one
of the reasons why critical discussion essays
are time-consuming, i.e., because you need to
spend time researching material to cover both
sides of the argument.

Critique the methodologies

Notice how the above paragraph has critiqued
the validity/reliability of the research
mentioned. Namely, theory X was criticised for
having a lack of empirical (experimental)
evidence to support it, whereas the later
theories were deemed more valid because
there is quite a lot of empirical research to
support them.

Depending on what subject you are studying

at university, you might need to critique the
methods in more depth (e.g., consider sample
size, procedure, method of data analysis, etc.).

Keep your thesis statement (or

argument) in mind at all times
Remember we said that you need to
emphasise why your critiques matter? This is
key because it will help you to achieve first-
class grades. Let’s dive a little deeper into
what I mean by this…

Before writing your essay, think of a thesis

statement. In the above case, it would be
‘pay-for-performance does not boost
employee motivation’. Now, when you are
critically discussing your evidence (and
comparing and contrasting theories), be sure
to finish each paragraph by returning to the
thesis statement.

In other words, be sure to emphasise why each

point of critique is significant for your
argument. You will notice, for example, that
the above paragraph finishes by stating that
‘thus, it seems pay-for-performance schemes
are unlikely to motivate employees’.

So, sticking to your thesis statement will allow

you to consistently emphasise why your critical
points are relevant and significant. If you can
do this then, say hello to first-class grades!

Tips for writing a critical discussion

Critical discussions aren’t easy, but if you

approach them in the right way, you can make
things simpler for yourself.

In fact, our writers say that critical discussion

essays are the most enjoyable to write
because they are stimulating and challenging.

That said, try out these tips when preparing for

your next critical discussion essay (and
hopefully you won’t find it such a painful
process!).

Start reading ASAP

When preparing for a critical discussion essay,
it’s easy to fall into the trap of procrastination.
There’s so much to read, yet so little time (or
energy) to do the reading, right?

Well, try not to fall into this trap. Choose the

texts/theories that interest you the most and
try your best to really engross yourself in them.
If you can become truly engaged in the
research you’re reading, your energy and
enthusiasm will ‘flow’ naturally.

Play devil’s advocate

One hurdle often faced by students is that
they agree with everything a particular theorist
is saying, and thus they don’t feel confident in
critiquing the theory. In this case, it’s time to
play devil’s advocate.

What does this mean? Well, to play devil’s

advocate means to adopt the opposing side
of the argument, even if you don’t agree with
it, in order to make the discussion more
interesting.

So, let’s say you are completely against animal

testing, and you agree with Peter Singer’s
theories (which are also against animal
testing). However, for the purposes of writing a
good critical discussion, you should be willing
to engage with the opposing side of the
argument.

Imagine, for a moment, that you are ‘for’

animal testing. What reasoning would you
use? And how could this reasoning be used to
discredit Peter Singer’s theory?

Plan, Plan, Plan

It’s best to make at least a rough plan of your
critical discussion essay before you begin. As
mentioned, your critique should be tied to a
broader ‘thesis statement’ so consider this
thesis statement when planning your essay.

Each paragraph should make a broad point

that relates back to your thesis statement.
Remember to use signposting to link back to
the thesis statement and help keep your
reader on track.

Be Bold
The final tip is the most important tip of all –
be bold. To earn first-class grades, you need
to demonstrate an ability to think
independently and critically about a specific
topic.

This means you must be willing to say what

you really think and not just parrot another
person’s argument. Indeed, the opportunity to
‘be bold’ demonstrates why critical discussion
essays are so enjoyable to write.

So, next time you are tasked with writing a

critical discussion essay, see it as an
opportunity to be bold, confident, and
creative! Though it might be quite a time-
consuming task, you’ll certainly feel satisfied
once you’ve got your argument down on
paper.

You may also like

How to Critically Analyse

How to Critically Analyse an Article

How to Answer a Discuss Essay

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