title: Thinking on writing a critical essay.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a strategy for writing a critical essay for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists examination using a sample question.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To prepare for writing a critical essay, candidates are advised to read widely and critically, to practise writing essays with a clear structure under examination conditions and seek constructive critique from colleagues. This will help them to write succinctly and develop a reasoned argument that is relevant to the quotation.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Lillian Lywan
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ng
keywords: essay; professional competence; psychiatry; thinking; writing