• ANNOUNCEMENTS (INCLUDES QUOTE OF THE WEEK AND NEWS STORY OF THE WEEK)
  • THE EASY (COLOUR-CODED) GUIDE TO HOW TO REFERENCE A BOOK OR AN INTERNET SITE
  • COURSE INFORMATION
    • COURSE INFORMATION - ACADEMIC SUPPORT
    • COURSE INFORMATION - LEARNING OUTCOMES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY OF KNOWLEDGE
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA1 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA2 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA3 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
  • PROJECT BRIEFS, INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DATES
    • BA2 PROJECT BRIEFS AND SUBMISSION DATES
    • BA3 PROJECT BRIEFS AND SUBMISSION DATES
    • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH FILE
    • PROJECT BRIEF - CRITICAL RESEARCH REPORT
    • PROJECT INFORMATION - CRITICAL RESEARCH REPORT STRUCTURE GUIDELINES
    • PROJECT BRIEF - REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
    • PROJECT BRIEF - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY - NON-ASSESSED
    • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PROPOSAL needs doing...
    • PROJECT BRIEF - LITERATURE REVIEW - NON-ASSESSED
    • PROJECT BRIEF - GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION AND RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS 1, 2 AND 3 >
      • PROJECT BRIEF - GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION - NON-ASSESSED
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 1 - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL needs visuals
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 2 - INTRODUCTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, METHODOLOGY
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 3 - DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION
  • REFERENCING - HARVARD PLEASE!
    • REFERENCING - WHAT IS REFERENCING?
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - USING CITATIONS AND QUOTATIONS
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - REFERENCE LIST/BIBLIOGRAPHY
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - HOW TO REFERENCE ANYTHING
  • BA1 CLASS READINGS AND VISUALS
    • BA1 CLASS READINGS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION (THE REGULATION OF FASHION) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE HISTORICAL ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSUMER CULTURE (BEAU BRUMMELL) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE PERSONAL ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - TRICKLE-DOWN/BUBBLE-(TRICKLE)-UP (JEANS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE EASY ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - GENDER AND SEXUALITY (STILETTOS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE SEXY ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (TIES) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE DIFFICULT ONE)
    • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY >
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION (THE REGULATION OF FASHION)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSUMER CULTURE (BEAU BRUMMELL)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - TRICKLE-DOWN/BUBBLE-(TRICKLE)-UP (JEANS)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (STILETTOS)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (TIES)
    • BA1 CLASS READINGS - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - THE FABRIC OF EXISTENCE (TEXTILES IN HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - THE TIES THAT BIND (SOCIAL MEANINGS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - CLOTH AND TEMPORAL POWER (MONEY, TRADE, STATUS AND CONTROL) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - CLOTH AS COMMUNICATION (MEANING, MESSAGES AND BEAUTY) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - TEXTILES AND THE SPIRIT (SACRED, SPIRITUAL AND HEALING SIGNIFICANCE) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
  • BA2 CLASS READINGS AND VISUALS
    • BA2 CLASS READINGS - FASHION IN SOCIETY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - VEILING GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - THE SECOND HAND MARKET GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - FEMINISM AND FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - HOMOSEXUAL FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - FASHION IN INDIA GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
    • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY >
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - THE SECONDHAND MARKET
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - INDIAN FASHION
    • BA2 CLASS READINGS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - WEAVING AS POLITICAL SYMBOL (YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS ONE) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH GROUP SEMNAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - GANDHI AND KHADI CLOTH GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE FEMALE TRADITION OF TEXTILES GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - KNITTING AS ART GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
    • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY >
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - WEAVING AS POLITICAL SYMBOL
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE FEMALE TRADITION OF TEXTILES
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH
  • BA3 CLASS READINGS
    • BA3 CLASS READING - THE FIVE STAGES OF REFLECTIVE WRITING
  • THEORY READINGS AND VISUALS (GENERAL REFERENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR RESEARCH)
    • THEORY READING - WHY STUDY FASHION?
    • THEORY READING - WHAT IS A THEORY?
    • THEORY READING - INTRODUCTION TO BA1 FASHION THEORY
    • THEORY READING - FASHION CYCLES (CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, TRICKLE-DOWN/UP/ACROSS)
    • THEORY READING CLASS VISUALS - FASHION CYCYES (CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, TRICKLE-DOWN/UP/ACROSS)
    • THEORY READING - KEY TERMS IN FASHION THEORY
    • THEORY READING - TEXTILE METAPHORS
  • FICTION READINGS (FOR WHEN YOU ARE BORED)
    • FICTION READING - ELIZABETH JANE HOWARD'S 'THE BEAUTIFUL VISIT'
    • FICTION READING - ANITA BROOKNER'S 'PROVIDENCE'
    • FICTION READING - RUMER GODDEN'S 'BLACK NARCISSUS'
    • FICTION READING - THE BROTHERS GRIMMS' 'HOW SOME CHILDREN PLAYED AT SLAUGHTERING'
    • FICTION READING - THOMAS HARDY'S 'JUDE THE OBSCURE' - THE PIG SLAUGHTERING (NOT FOR VEGETARIANS OR THE FAINTHEARTED)
    • FICTION READING - THE BROTHERS GRIMMS' 'RUMPELSTILTSKIN'
    • FICTION READING - GREEK MYTHOLOGY'S 'THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR'
    • FICTION READING - GREEK MYTHOLOGY'S 'PROKNE AND PHILOMELA'
    • FICTION READING - DAWN FRENCH'S 'A TINY BIT MARVELLOUS'
  • MATHS READINGS (FOR WHEN YOU ARE REALLY BORED)
    • MATHS READING - PI (FOR GEEKS)
    • MATHS READING - ON LABOUR'S PROPOSAL TO MAKE MATHS COMPULSORY POST-16 (HE'S GOT A POINT)
    • MATHS READING - WHY WE NEED PYTHAGORAS (WHAT DOES LILY ALLEN KNOW?) ​
    • MATHS READING - FORMULA FOR WORKING OUT AGATHA CHRISTIE WHODUNNIT (I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOL)
    • MATHS READING - ORDER AND PATTERN AS THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING (ARTY) ​
    • MATHS READING - WRITER SHIRLEY CONRAN'S MATHS EBOOK FOR GIRLS (I FAILED MATHS TWICE)
    • MATHS READING - RELATIVITY VERSUS QUANTUM MECHANICS (I ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD SOME OF THIS)
    • MATHS READING - WHY WE SHOULD ALL LEARN COMPUTER CODING (VERY LONG... IF YOU MANAGE TO GET TO THE END OF IT I WILL BUY YOU A DRINK)
    • MATHS READING - DO WE REALLY NEED MATHS? (SAYS IT ALL)
    • MATHS READING - THE 'BEAUTY' OF EINSTEIN (I LOST THE WILL TO LIVE)
  • MY RESEARCH BLOGS AND RESEARCH PINTEREST
  • MY REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
  • DYSLEXIA (INCLUDES THE BRITISH DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION ADULT CHECKLIST)
  • ARE YOU STRESSED?
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - WRITERS' BLOCK
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - MANAGING STRESS
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - PINTEREST FOR STRESS
  • TO DO
  • REFERENCES
  • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES PROGRAMME - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES PROJECT BRIEF - GLOBAL FASHION AND TEXTILE MANUFACTURING REPORT 2014-15
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - INTRODUCTION TO CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - THE ALTERNATIVE PROJECT BRIEF
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - PEST AND CSR
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ETHICS AND DISSERTATION
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - GLOBALIZATION ​
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ETHICAL
  • THE REFERENCING TEST
  BCOT BA Textiles for Fashion
Historical and Theoretical Studies theory classes and readings.

STUDY SKILLS - CRITICAL THINKING FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND WRITING 

This information is taken from: 
McWillan and Weyers (2013): 1: Key concepts and processes and 2: Critical thinking. 
Godfrey, J. (2011): Essential element 1: Write critically. 

The use of the word 'criticism' in academic contexts is different from that in normal conversational English. ... it is commonplace for the verb 'to criticise' to carry negative connotations, as in finding fault. It is important to realise that in the academic sphere, this is not the case. Here, 'criticism' means seeing (and explaining) both the positive and negative aspects of an issue. The aim is to arrive at (and discuss) a balanced view of a topic rather than create a one-sided treatment of the topic. (McMillan and Weyers, 2013, p.4).

1. WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING? 

In a university context the term is generally used to describe the ability to analyse a problem and present a solution to it. The word 'critical' implies that your intelligence is applied to a specific issue or problem and that a weighing up of options is an integral part of the process. 

Critical thinking is ...
  • Incisive, seeing through complexity and obscurity
  • Logical, deploying evidence towards a clear position
  • Deep, involving higher level skills of analysis, synthesis and judgement (McWillan and Weyers, 2013, p.4). SEE COURSE INFORMATION - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY OF KNOWLEDGE.

2. HOW TO APPROACH A CRITICAL THINKING TASK 

What is the question or issue? 

make sure you have identified this properly ... be very precise with your wording. ...

(You will only reach this stage after preliminary reading around your research subject , however the sooner that you can identify a specific title for your research the easier it will become). 

3 stages of brainstorming to generate ideas:
  • Open thinking. Consider the issue or question from all possible angles or positions and write down everything you come up with. Don't worry at this stage about the relevance or importance of your ideas.
  • Organisation. Next, you should try to arrange your ideas into categories or subheadings, or group them as supporting or opposing a viewpoint. 
  • Analysis. Now you need to decide about the relevance of the grouped points to the original problem. Reject trivial or irrelevant ideas and rank or prioritise those that seem relevant. ...

Research information. 

You need to gather relevant information and ideas to support your viewpoint or position, provide examples, or suggest a range of interpretations or approaches. ...

Check relevance of research for initial question or issue.

You may need to re-analyse the question. You will then need to marshal the evidence you have collected, for example: for or against a proposition, supporting or opposing an argument ...

Decide what you think.

Having considered relevant information and positions, you should arrive at a personal viewpoint and then construct your discussion or conclusion around this. ...

3. AIM FOR A BALANCED UNBIASED ANALYSIS 

due consideration must be given to all sides of a topic, before arriving at a personal viewpoint based on your interpretation of the evidence. ...

Beware of personal bias due to:
  • past experiences
  • culture or ethnicity
  • gender
  • politics
  • limited research sources
  • having a vested interest in a particular outcome

4. ALSO AVOID
  • Rushing to conclusions ... basing a view on very little reading ...
  • Generalising ... drawing a conclusion from one (or few) cases ...
  • Oversimplifying ... arriving at a conclusion that does not take account of potential complexities or other possible answers.
  • Personalsing ... drawing conclusions based on your own experience ...
  • Thinking in terms of stereotypes ... thinking in terms of 'standardised' ideas, especially about groups of people ... may come about due to one's upbringing. gender, ethnicity ... involves basing an opinion on appearances, rather than the underlying facts.
  • Believing propaganda ... this is false or incomplete information that supports a particular moral or political stance.

  • Being descriptive rather than analytical ... Overly descriptive work, a common student error, relies too much on quotes, facts or statements. Being analytical, in contrast, involves explaining the importance and context of information and showing an understanding of what it means or implies.

5.  TIPS FOR HELPING CRITICAL THINKING 

Write down your thoughts. The act of writing your thoughts is important as this forces you to clarify them. Also, since ideas are often fleeting, it makes sense to ensure you have a permanent record. ... THIS IS WHAT THE REFLECTIVE JOURNAL IS GOOD FOR.

Keep asking yourself questions ... all critical writing is the result of asking questions. (McMillan and Weyers, 2013, pp.22-29).



6. REMEMBER!

In the academic world all knowledge is open to question and debate.

Thinking and writing with a good critical eye is not a natural process and is hard work - if your brain hurts a bit you're doing it right.

The difference between an average assignment and an excellent one is the quality of the critical evaluation it contains and the clarity of the links made between the evidence and the student's own ideas. (Godfrey, 2011, p.26)



REFERENCE

Godfrey, J. (2011) Writing for university. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2013) How to improve your critical thinking and reflective skills. Harlow: Pearson.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.