Taking a Critical Approach/Critical Appraisal

“Students in the Humanities develop enhanced critical skills; this mindset enables them to think differently, sharply and with curiosity about ideas, circumstances, and materials that might otherwise be overlooked or taken for granted. By thinking critically we can ask probing questions, apply new perspectives and unveil hidden - and sometimes difficult - meanings. Critical thinking helps us to unravel layers of tradition and power, to address gaps in our knowledge, to develop new insights and to reach a fuller understanding of the world and our place in it.” Professor Jo Gill Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean College of Humanities

“Here at Exeter, we want our graduates to be influential and to make a difference, however small, during the course of their careers. In order to be influential, you have to be persuasive and credible. People have to trust that what you say arises from a process of evaluating all the possible ways the evidence could be interpreted, and arriving at an informed, educated conclusion. This is why it is so important to be critical of your evidence, to evaluate its strengths and its limitations. Otherwise, you are simply stating your opinion and, in our ‘post-truth’ world, it is easy to see how ill-informed opinions can lead to poor decisions and undesirable outcomes." Dr Cris Burgess Senior Lecturer, Psychology College of Life and Environmental and Sciences

“Critical appraisal of scientific information helps students to engage in evaluation of scientific literature that is being generated in Clinical and Biomedical Science research fields and to consider their usefulness to clinical application. The number of scientific papers being published in these fields is increasing fast and health research and practice are being evolved continuously. The critical approach helps students to learn beyond text books and embrace a lifelong learning approach.” Dr Vrinda Nayak Senior Lecturer College of Medicine and Health.

“Students in Biosciences have benefited greatly by taking a critical approach to their studies. This is particularly true during their final year research project, where critical appraisal of data and literature are an essential part of the learning process.” Dr Clive Butler Associate Professor, Biosciences College of Life and Environmental and Sciences

"Being a professional scientist is about asking the right questions and not accepting things at face value. Only by taking a critical approach to their work can scientists unearth the true meaning of things." Dr David MacDonald Senior Lecturer College of Medicine and Health