What Is a Critical Perspective?
Taking a critical perspective involves adopting a viewpoint that asks questions about the rationale and legitimacy of something. The idea behind critical thinking is to remove normal biases from a point of view to determine whether a conclusion is the most valid one. To do this, a subject must be thoroughly analyzed.
According to the Foundation for Critical Thinking, a critical approach is both “self-guided” and “self-disciplined.” Critical perspectives can be developed about virtually any subject, including art, economics, history, science and literature. Most essays that involve student research and analysis about a subject require students to present a critical perspective. The word “critical” is derived from the Greek “to judge.” The word “perspective” is from the Latin word for “optical.”