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Augustine School of Nursing – Mandaluyong Campus

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LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET WEEK 9

Subject: English for Academic and Professional Purposes (Grade 11)

Name:_____________________________ Date__________
Section:___________________________ Score_________

Learning Content : Writing a Critique/Review/Reaction paper

Learning Outcomes: 1. produces an objective assessment of an event, a person, a place or a

thing.
2. forms opinions based on facts

References : http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/critique.jsp
 Critique Vs. Review Vs. Reaction paper

What is a critique?

A critique can simply be understood as a critical assessment. Unlike most reviews, critiques are
written by experts in a particular field. Hence, critiques tend to be technical and objective. They
do not provide an overall assessment but focuses on specific parts of a piece of work. It
emphasizes both the positives as well as the negatives.

For instance, if it is a critique of a book, the individual critic would focus on the various literary
techniques used by the writer, the development of characters, the setting, the plot, etc. So the
critique tends to be much more in depth and professional than a mere book review. Critiques can
be very helpful to the writer as it not only appreciates the efforts of the writer but also highlights
what he needs to improve.

What is review?

A review refers to a formal evaluation of a particular work. In magazines and newspapers, you
may have seen various reviews such as book reviews, film reviews, restaurant reviews, music,
etc. These are written by lay persons in the form of an assessment of something. For an example,
let us take a book review. In a book review, the individual first reads the book, understands and
assesses it, then he compiles a review. In this review, the writer presents a holistic view of the
book. He does not analyze each and every segment separately but presents an overall assessment.
This can be either positive or negative.

Nowadays, we can find reviews even for various home appliances, technical gadgets, phones,
etc. These are known as user reviews. Other than this, there is another category known as peer
reviews in academia. This is another type of reviews used by scholars to assess the works of their
colleagues.

What is a reaction?

A reaction or response paper requires the writer to analyze a text, then develop commentary
related to it. It is a popular academic assignment because it requires thoughtful reading, research,
and writing. You can learn how to write a reaction paper by following these writing tips.

______________________________________________________________________________

CRITIQUE PAPER

A critique is a genre of academic writing that briefly summarizes and critically evaluates a work
or concept. Critiques can be used to carefully analyze a variety of works such as:
 Creative works – novels, exhibits, film, images, poetry
 Research – monographs, journal articles, systematic reviews, theories
 Media – news reports, feature articles
Like an essay, a critique uses a formal, academic writing style and has a clear structure, that is,
an introduction, body and conclusion. However, the body of a critique includes a summary of
the work and a detailed evaluation. The purpose of an evaluation is to gauge the usefulness or
impact of a work in a particular field.

Why do we write critiques?

Writing a critique on a work helps us to develop:

 A knowledge of the work’s subject area or related works.

 An understanding of the work’s purpose, intended audience, development of argument,
structure of evidence or creative style.
 A recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of the work.

How to write a critique

Before you start writing, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the work that will be
critiqued.
 Study the work under discussion.
 Make notes on key parts of the work.
 Develop an understanding of the main argument or purpose being expressed in the
work.
 Consider how the work relates to a broader issue or context.

There are a variety of ways to structure a critique. You should always check your unit materials
or blackboard site for guidance from your lecturer. The following template, which showcases the
main features of a critique, is provided as one example.

I. Introduction
Typically, the introduction is short (less than 10% of the word length) and you should:
 Name the work being reviewed as well as the date it was created and the name of the
author/creator.
 Describe the main argument or purpose of the work.
 Explain the context in which the work was created. This could include the social or
political context, the place of the work in a creative or academic tradition, or the
relationship between the work and the creator’s life experience.
 Have a concluding sentence that signposts what your evaluation of the work will be.
For instance, it may indicate whether it is a positive, negative, or mixed evaluation.
II. Body

A. Summary

Briefly summarizes the main points and objectively describes how the creator portrays these by
using techniques, styles, media, characters or symbols. This summary should not be the focus of
the critique and is usually shorter than the critical evaluation.
 B. Critical evaluation

This section should give a systematic and detailed assessment of the different elements of the
work, evaluating how well the creator was able to achieve the purpose through these. For
example: you would assess the plot structure, characterization and setting of a novel; an
assessment of a painting would look at composition, brush strokes, color and light; a critique of a
research project would look at subject selection, design of the experiment, analysis of data and
conclusions.

A critical evaluation does not simply highlight negative impressions. It should deconstruct the
work and identify both strengths and weaknesses. It should examine the work and evaluate its
success, in light of its purpose.

Examples of key critical questions that could help your assessment include:
 Who is the creator? Is the work presented objectively or subjectively?
 What are the aims of the work? Were the aims achieved?
 What techniques, styles, media were used in the work? Are they effective in
portraying the purpose?
 What assumptions underlie the work? Do they affect its validity?
 What types of evidence or persuasion are used? Has evidence been interpreted fairly?
 How is the work structured? Does it favour a particular interpretation or point of
view? Is it effective?
 Does the work enhance understanding of key ideas or theories? Does the work engage
(or fail to engage) with key concepts or other works in its discipline?

This evaluation is written in formal academic style and logically presented. Group and order
your ideas into paragraphs. Start with the broad impressions first and then move into the details
of the technical elements. For shorter critiques, you may discuss the strengths of the works, and
then the weaknesses. In longer critiques, you may wish to discuss the positive and negative of
each key critical question in individual paragraphs.
To support the evaluation, provide evidence from the work itself, such as a quote or example, and
you should also cite evidence from related sources. Explain how this evidence supports your
evaluation of the work.

III. Conclusion

This is usually a very brief paragraph, which includes:

 A statement indicating the overall evaluation of the work
 A summary of the key reasons, identified during the critical evaluation, why this
evaluation was formed.
 In some circumstances, recommendations for improvement on the work may be
appropriate.
Reference list

Include all resources cited in your critique. Check with your lecturer/tutor for which referencing
style to use.

Checklist for a critique

Have I:
 Mentioned the name of the work, the date of its creation and the name of the creator?
 Accurately summarised the work being critiqued?
 Mainly focused on the critical evaluation of the work?
 Systematically outlined an evaluation of each element of the work to achieve the
overall purpose?
 used evidence, from the work itself as well as other sources, to back and illustrate my
assessment of elements of of the work?
 formed an overall evaluation of the work, based on critical reading?
 used a well structured introduction, body and conclusion?
 used correct grammar, spelling and punctuation; clear presentation; and appropriate
referencing style?
______________________________________________________________________________
Sample Critique paper for a Film (Printed)

Forrest Gump

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." However, when you

watch Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks as Forrest and Robin Wright as Jenny, you know you

are going to get a lot of laughs and even a few tears. The screenplay for the 1994 movie was

written by Eric Roth, based on the novel by Winston Groom. The story follows Forrest through

30 years of trials and tribulations, placing Forrest within historical moments of history, and in

pursuit of his one dream--his “most special friend,” Jenny. According to the Washington Post,

Forrest Gump won Oscar awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (Hanks), Best Director (Robert

Zemeckis), Film Editing, Visual Effects and Adapted Screenplay. The movie was well deserving

of these awards since the acting and the visual effects were extraordinary.
The films' actors success in portraying their characters is a major factor in the film's awards. Tom

Hanks and Robin Wright worked well together, just like “peas and carrots." The on-screen

chemistry between the two was phenomenal. I felt a real connection between the two, finding

myself mad at Jenny when she blew Forrest off and in tears when he told her that he was heading

to Vietnam. Mokui’s Movie Review states “Tom Hanks IS Forrest Gump…He breathes life into

the guy and you will feel what Forrest feels" (1994, par 1). James Berardinelli states, “Robin

Wright gives the best performance of her career, surpassing what she accomplished in The

Playboys” (1994, par2). Another performance that stands out is that of Gary Sinise. Sinise plays

the part of Lieutenant Dan Taylor, whose life is saved by Forrest during the Vietnam War. James

Berardinelli writes, “In this movie, his Lieutenant Dan Taylor is riveting" (1994, par 3). I

thought that Sinise was quite convincing with his emotions throughout the movie, as if he was

really a disabled vet who had lost both legs in the war.

Just as good as the actors were those working behind the scenes with the special effects.

Throughout Forrest Gump the special effects were incredible. During Lieutenant Taylor’s scenes,

I was convinced that he really didn't have legs. I was studying the scenes, looking for any signs

of legs, trying to figure out how it was done. It turns out that each and every frame was painted

over to give it the true to life values that it holds. Also bringing the movie more credibility was

the ability to place Forrest in history making events. These events ranged from Forrest teaching

Elvis how to swing his hips to meeting Presidents for various accomplishments. These television

clips of Forrest were done with such finesse that they look real. Critic Brian Webster (2003)

states, “This is handled virtually flawlessly; if you didn't know better, you'd believe that a fellow

named Gump really did tell President Lyndon Johnson that he had been shot in the rump while
acting heroically in Vietnam" (par 2). Rolling Stone (2003) states, “The effects dazzle, though

never at the expense of the story” (Travers, par 2).

This story, complete with the Oscar winning performances in both acting and special effects is

perfect for those in need of a dose of goodness. My family enjoys watching Forrest Gump

together for rejuvenation, to view someone with true values of honesty, friendship and family.

Forrest, with his heart of gold and his low IQ, never gives up. He always looks for the best in

every scenario. The movie opens with a feather floating down over the city, landing at Forrest’s

feet. Near the end of the story, Forrest questions, “Do we each have a destiny – or do we just

float around accidental, like on a breeze?” As you are contemplating this question, the feather

reappears and floats through the countryside right up into the ending credits.

Exercises: (Put your answer at the back)

1. What is a critique paper?

2. What are the parts of a critique paper?
3. Read the sample critique paper, identify each part and recognize what is missing
according the given structure discusses above.

Prepared by: Checked By:

Alex C. Zaragoza Jr John Daniel R. Carbonera

SHS Instructor SHS Coordinator / Head Teacher

Noted by:

Ms. Eileen Agotilla

School Director