We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is the Connection between Critical Thinking and Writing?

By Wanda Marie Thibodeaux
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 56,451
References
Share

Several connections exist between critical thinking and writing, including content selection, information presentation, editing, reader assessment and stimulating additional thought and works. Often, writers and readers are not consciously aware of these links. People can be taught what these connections are, and may practice thinking critically as they work with writing. Experts agree that thinking critically while writing or reading typically does not come naturally and thus is somewhat of an acquired skill.

The first way critical thinking and writing connect is through content selection. When a person has to write something, he has to gather data, either from memory or through additional research. He must decide during this process what information is relevant to the writing topic, using specific criteria to rationalize about what to include.

Even when a person knows content is relevant, he must decide how to present the information. This involves thinking about what would be most logical and clear. It also goes well beyond basic rules of syntax, grammar and organization, however, taking into consideration a plethora of cultural constructs that might make a person's ideas or words come across differently than intended. Writers have to be aware of how they spin their works and what words they select. The fact that the "best" way to present information is subjective is what lets one writer be distinct from another, with different literary "voices" essentially being evidence of different paths of critical thinking and writing.

The editing process is another way critical thinking is related to writing. During this period of writing, a person has to think about what data is most important, isolating the most important elements in order to make cuts. Sometimes editing creates a need for new transitions or connections, so the writer has to brainstorm about ways to make one section flow easily into another once cuts are made. This process is imperative to precise, clean writing.

Critical thinking and writing connect through the reader's assessment, as well. As a person reads, he draws on his own knowledge and expertise to ascertain whether what the writer is saying makes sense, even if the ideas presented are somewhat fantastic. If it doesn't make sense, then the writer may lose credibility with the reader. Readers also may think about what caused the writing to be particularly persuasive or emotionally or cognitively stimulating. Readers use critical thinking to make some predictions about where the writer will go with the work, as well.

The last way writing and critical thinking link is through stimulation of additional creative thought. Each piece of writing has many smaller ideas, scenes or characters upon which a writer can expand. Once a person has completed a piece of writing or has finished reading, he can think about additional paths to take based on the original material. In this way, artistic writing yields more artistic writing.

Share
Practical Adult Insights is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.practicaladultinsights.com/what-is-the-connection-between-critical-thinking-and-writing.htm
Copy this link
Practical Adult Insights, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Practical Adult Insights, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.