How can a student be in a position to criticise?

For many students criticising the ideas of people regarded as authoritative may seem to be in conflict with their usual beliefs and behaviours. It may help to think of these critical processes as not directed at individuals but at things, ideas or arguments. Such criticisms are not seen then as personal criticisms but as constructive criticisms or critical comments which require a deeper understanding of a topic and wider appreciation of expansion and improvement in theoretical work.

Some students might also feel that a first year student would not be able to say or write anything critically constructive in regard to the work or ideas of an expert; however, your lecturers expect that even first students can do more than just describe a theory or concept in assignments. In addition to describing, lecturers also expect students to analyse and evaluate or judge a concept, or apply a concept or theory to a practical situation. This evaluation or judgement involves deciding which ideas or theories best describe the facts, where ideas or theories are lacking in some way or where ideas or theories help explain a particular situation; for example, a case study or a particular event.