Critical thinking is very important to obtaining strong overall analytical skills.

Effective critical thinkers are able to think clearly and rationally and understand the logical relations between data points and ideas.

Data and content form the core of the essence of what you need to learn for your exams.

You need to identify patterns in the data and content that are given in your text books, and also to correctly convey your analysis of the data to exam markers, in order to earn crucial exam marks.

In every exam/assessment that we take from P1 to post-doctoral level – and especially once we start working after graduation – we need to objectively analyze complex problems to form a judgment and the best response to make.

When you want to arrive at rational answers, critical thinking is a very important skill to master.

There are a few different types of logical thinking, including:

1. Inference: Assuming an answer based on facts we already know
2. Inductive reasoning: Observing a specific pattern, then making a general conclusion
3. Deductive reasoning: Observing a general premise, then applying it to a specific situation

Are you an analytical thinker?

An analytical thinker is a person driven by curiosity to get to the bottom of things and is then able to solve a problem or find an answer.

They do not assume anything about the problem at hand.

Instead, they begin by questioning everything about the issue.

You can start to develop these good analytical thinking habits listed below (some, but not all of these qualities may be found in a person with an analytical nature):

1. Search for information and evidence.
2. Analytical thinkers will find and evaluate every bit of information they can accumulate on a particular subject or challenge before arriving at a decision
3. Develop logical and systematic processes.
4. Rarely will an analytical thinker be swayed by emotion.
5. Usually, this individual will use linear thinking to arrive at a sound, sensible, well-thought-out conclusion.
6. Logical thinkers tend to embrace structure and rules.
7. Most analytical thinkers like to work in a well-organized way.
8. When you are organized, you will be thorough in your work and never miss out on important information that needs to be reviewed and considered.
9. For example, if you develop a keen interest in an area, you’ll make sure you learn as much as possible about that field and become an expert.
10. This is the kind of professionalism and attention to detail that businesses (and your exam markers) are looking out for.
11. Start having routines in your daily life.
12. Analytical thinkers enjoy routines and have steady, established habits.
13. They prefer to know what and when something is going to happen. Daily life is often based around routines.
14. They have an innate ability to concentrate, which means they usually like to work independently or in small teams.
15. Develop sharp memory skills.
16. It is common for an analytical thinker to thrive on learning new information – and once learned, that information is never forgotten.
17. Analytical thinkers have exceptional memories, although they can opt to forget information that they do not consider critical to solving their current problem.
18. Analytical thinkers can also be curious and observant.
19. Get in the habit of asking “how?” and “why?”.
20. They tend to be modest: it’s difficult to be curious and observant when one is arrogant and thinks that he/she already knows everything.
21. You can consciously observe and analyze your surroundings.
22. When you are highly perceptive, your mind is geared towards taking a bird’s eye view of things which enables you to consider the whole picture.
23. This also means that you’ll be able to visualize how parts of a project fit together.
24. You’ll be in a better position to foresee and predict how minor changes and adjustments can affect the outcome and make astute decisions.
25. Get in the habit of forcing yourself to analyze seemingly obvious truths about the world.
26. When you are always prepared and can handle risk well, it becomes highly unlikely that you will be shocked when faced with problematic situations.
27. Your preparedness and risk management skills will help you ensure that you have predicted any potential threats to being able to answer difficult exam questions, and are already prepared with a plan of action.
28. Analytical thinkers are known for spotting problems from far away, and being ready to meet challenges head-on.

If you can identify with the qualities above and prefer strategy and creativity over socializing and networking, chances are you’re an analytical thinker.

Whether you struggle with analytical thinking or seem to have natural analytical abilities, you can always improve your skills.

Visualization, creativity, and having a growth mindset – the ability to embrace new technologies and upgrade skills – are key to the analytical thinker’s success jobs that pay high salaries.

Analytical skills are used when detecting patterns and trends, brainstorming new ideas, observing data, collecting data, interpreting data, integrating new information, synthesizing information, and making decisions on what solutions to implement in a productive manner.

Analytical skills refer to a person’s ability to assess relevant information and facts, identify and define complex problems, investigate and extract crucial information from data, and find the best workable solutions to these problems.

According to LinkedIn, they are one of the top 10 most in-demand soft skills that employers always look for.

Analytical skills are highly transferable, making the analytical thinker an ideal fit for a variety of career fields.

The analytical thinker’s breadth and versatility of skills are the primary reason why employers look for this coveted trait.

Analytical and critical thinking skills allow employees to adapt and respond to new obstacles.

Company success often depends on employees who can efficiently and effectively analyze the vast amounts of data and information in the digital age.

Logical decision makers use fact-based, hard evidence to support their decisions and plans.

They arrive at their decisions after factoring every aspect of a situation and utilizing the best means of achieving the most optimal solution.

This results in successful outcomes because of the quality of decisions that they are able to make.

Companies that employ skilled analytical thinkers are better able to adapt and respond to new market conditions as well.

Accordingly, analytical skills show up frequently as a required quality in job descriptions.

For example, a sales job description may list qualitative analysis or predictive analysis as requirements.

Developing strong analytical skills is therefore vital to anyone who wants to succeed in their school/national exams and then when they start their careers.

You have to write analytically when you answer exam questions.

Analytical essays (even if they are only a few sentences long) provide a way to share your insights that provide substantive analysis of a topic.

A good analytical essay can explain and contextualize basic information for the exam marker.

Analytical responses serve two purposes: one for the reader and one for the writer.

Your exam marker wants to know how you have grown as a writer and thinker.

Your ability to write analytically will convince the exam marker that you have a strong grasp over the content that the question is testing you on.

What sets an analytical essay apart from a descriptive answer is the author’s point of view.

Analytical essays present an argument supported by evidence, whereas descriptive essays tend to be book summaries, film synopses, descriptive articles, and informative pamphlets that do not include analysis or opinion.

Similar to a good analytical essay, a strong descriptive essay will highlight its main points, organize given topics into body paragraphs, and use logical transitions.

Ultimately, however, descriptive essays summarize facts, while analytical essays delve into interpretation.

The best analytical essays offer a clear point of view, are well organized around a main idea, address opposing arguments, and are comprehensively supported by primary and secondary sources.

1. You should start by choosing a point of view.
2. No matter what you choose as your central point of view, you must be able to anchor your entire analytical essay around a singular thesis statement/point of view.
3. Your introductory paragraph has to state your point of view.
4. An excellent introduction will grasp your reader’s interest. It is therefore important that you take extra care in your opening paragraph.
5. Good ways to start your essay would with a hook such as a bold statement.
6. You should then provide a broad outline that addresses questions that the exam questions requires you to tackle.
7. A good introduction concludes with a thesis statement that serves as the compass (ie “GPS”) for the entire essay.
8. You then need to carefully organize the body of your essay.
9. After your introductory paragraph, divide your essay into body paragraphs that dig deep into specific topics.
10. All body paragraphs should serve the main goal of supporting your thesis statement, either by providing background information, delving into details, or providing contrasting viewpoints that each substantiate themselves.
11. The number of body paragraphs will vary depending on the scope and length of your essay that the exam questions require from you.
12. The structure of your essay is just as important as the subject of your essay, so do take the time to strategically plan each body paragraph.
13. Your topic sentences must be clearly crafted.
14. Each main body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that both introduces the topic of the that specific paragraph, and then ties it to your main thesis.
15. Populate your essay with evidence that is directly related to the exam question. Do not ramble or go off-point.
16. The main body of the essay should be filled with a mixture of substance and analysis.
17. You can convince your exam marker to give you higher marks only when you are able to provide solid evidence to back up your statements and point of view.
18. Therefore, you must support the main points of your analysis with evidence taken from your textbooks or the research that you had previously conducted on this subject.
19. You can make an argument stronger by acknowledging another point of view.
20. Even if you do not agree with a critical perspective, you can still use a body paragraph to describe that point of view.
21. You can then refute that argument with additional evidence and reasoning, strengthening your thesis/position on that issue.
22. The summary is also very important.
23. Wrap up your analytical essay with a concluding paragraph that recaps your argument.
24. The concluding paragraph is not the place to introduce new evidence.
25. Rather, it is the ribbon that you wrap around your entire essay, reminding your reader of your most important points and leaving them with some final convincing words for consideration of your point of view.

Perseverance means continuously working on a task despite having obstacles.

It means being hardworking and finishing what is started, even when barriers and problems arise.

Perseverance is an essential leadership skill.

It is more than just not giving up.

When you’re in a leadership role, perseverance is more of a problem-solving process that includes encountering a challenge, understanding why the challenge exists, finding a way to overcome the challenge and, above all, learning from the entire experience.

It is often what separates those that achieve success, and prevents disappointment for themselves and their team.

The satisfaction received from completing tasks and projects is very important to those who are able and want to persevere.

It means the willpower to work hard regardless of any obstacles, to be firm on achieving, and remaining consistent.

Sometimes we are unable to complete a task or get what we want when things don’t go our way.

However, by persevering, we can have better prospects of being successful.

Everyone who takes an idea and makes it into something valuable does it through hard work.

Tied very closely to hard work is perseverance, continuing forward without regard to discouragement, opposition, hurdles, or memories of previous failure.

Ultimately, perseverance is about being confident in your abilities and trusting that you’ll find a way through, if you persist.

Don’t be afraid to fail.

Perseverance comes from failing and getting back up.

Without failure, we cannot become resilient.

Therefore, we have to think of failure as a lesson, rather than a setback.

We can learn so much from failure that changing our attitude toward it can have amazing implications for our lives.

When we aim to be 1% better every day, we develop a growth mindset that is a great way to increase perseverance and motivation.

These are skills like any other types of talents that you want to develop, and try to improve upon them just 1% every day.

Keeping this concept in mind throughout the day is an excellent way to motivate ourselves.

Have you heard of the 40% Rule?

This Rule means that if you manage to complete 40% of the task, your likelihood of quitting drops dramatically.

So, work toward completing 40% of the task. Then the rest of the 60% is not that difficult/intimidating to complete.

Keep your goals in mind.

When we make mistakes or fail, many people will be tempted to give up altogether.

If we want to persevere, we need to keep our goals in mind at all times.

Start by writing down your short and long-term goals and place them somewhere that’s easy to access.

Ask yourself why you have chosen and then embarked on a certain goal.

Reflecting on that reminds us that the journey is worth our time.

Then, whenever there’s any discouraging event or comment, take a look at that list to inspire you and keep you moving forward.

Success can be a long and tough journey.

We should give ourselves rewards or encouragement along the way to the major goals.

The rewards can be anything from having a nice lunch, extra hours spent at the park, or a weekend break.

The rewards will keep reminding you of the progress you have made, and will provide continued motivation to persevere through difficult times.

The people who become successful are not the ones who are the most talented. 

It’s the ones with the most endurance.

Whether the skill of perseverance comes easily to you or not, the best part is that there are so many ways for us to develop our mental resilience, which then helps our grades get better.

Self-motivation is the force that keeps pushing us to go on – it’s our internal drive to achieve, produce, develop, and keep moving forward.

When you think you’re ready to quit something, or you just don’t know how to start, your self-motivation is what pushes you to go on.

By setting a goal – anything from scoring 10 more marks for Maths, avoiding careless mistakes, or paying more attention in class – you are taking a big step toward improving your life.

However, following through to achieve what we’ve set out to accomplish can be challenging, especially on those days when our energy levels are low and we just don’t feel like putting in the work.

We all lose motivation from time to time.

When you’re feeling unmotivated, try one of these science-backed strategies to get yourself back on track toward your goal.

1. Put your goal on the calendar and give yourself target dates. Whatever it is you’re aiming to accomplish, put the timelines on the calendar.
2. If your goal lacks this structure, you can include it in your calendar by deciding on a date by which you could realistically achieve your goal.
3. Having a target date not only helps you stay motivated, it also helps you track your progress – you always know how much further you have to go and how much you have already achieved.
4. You can also draw a progress bar on a piece of paper that you can stick in front of your study area.
5. Look at it regularly and fill it in as you get closer to your goal.
6. This can have a big impact on your performance and determination to succeed.
7. Set small goals that lead toward the main goal, in order to build momentum.
8. Getting started is often the hardest part on low-motivation days, and starting is much easier when the task is small. Begin with five minutes of study first, then work your way up to an hour a day etc.
9. Track your progress. Not every day will go exactly as planned, and that’s okay.
10. We can’t predict everything that could happen, but we can predict some obstacles that are likely to happen from time to time based on our unique circumstances.
11. Then when that obstacle pops up, instead of losing motivation and feeling deflated, you have a plan in place to keep the momentum going.
12. Practice gratitude for every tiny step that you are making toward your small goals and eventual big goals.
13. Research shows that frequent small successes can build a momentum that can in turn drive long-term success, especially early in the process.
14. Whatever your big goal may be, start by breaking it down into smaller chunks, and it will be easier to achieve most or all of them.
15. Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones. Rewards can improve motivation and performance.
16. Rewarding yourself for reaching small milestones and completing big goals could boost your interest and enjoyment in the work you’re doing.
17. Spend a few minutes making your own reward list so that you’re ready to celebrate your wins, big and small.
18. Improve your mood and mental health.
19. A good mood has been linked to increased productivity, and improvement in both quality and quantity of our work.
20. This doesn’t mean that you have to be positive all the time – being chirpy every minute of every day is not realistic.
21. But if you’re feeling sluggish about working toward your goal, a quick mood lift could be enough to get you started.
22. Having a change of your environment can help you approach your task with a fresh perspective (and a new sense of motivation).
23. This is called the novelty effect – a short-term boost that comes from altering your environment or routine.
24. Spend some time in nature (or at least get some sunlight while taking a nice walk around the neighbourhood).
25. Try a different exercise routine.
26. Watch funny videos on TikTok or YouTube.

Good ways to further motivate yourself would be to ask yourself:

1. Why is this goal important to you?
2. Why is that reason important to you?

Keep thinking about these until you get to your ultimate “why” – which is the core value that’s driving your goal.

What would it feel like to achieve your goal?

You know that it will feel great, and that promise of your happiness and sense of achievement will keep you focused on wanting to continue to do well.