Critical

Comment
1 Structure
1.1 Introduction [10%]
• Identify the article – title, date, publication.
• Briefly summarise what the article is about (a few words).

1.2 Body – a balanced analysis on content and form [80%]

• Start from the text – Identify the idea(s) that you are going to discuss.
• Present your opinion/reflection.
• You can draw from personal experience and/or things you read/heard elsewhere.
• Give examples from the article) to support/illustrate your main ideas. You can quote or
paraphrase.

1.3 Conclusion [10%]

• Leave the reader with something to consider or a strong statement that ties in with your
text as a whole. (to tie in (with) = to bring into connection)

2 Your checklist when analysing and writing

2.1 Content
 Identify the ideas that caught your attention.
 What is your opinion/reaction to the topic/issue discussed in the article?
 What questions does it make you ask?
 How does it make you feel?
 What concerns does it arouse?
 Do you support what has been done? Why or why not?

2.2 Form
 Publication: Broadsheet? Tabloid? If relevant for the topic: UK? US?
 Genre: Is it a news article? An opinion piece? A human interest story? An interview? A review? …?
Who is the intended audience of this type of article?
 Headline: is it straightforward or teasing? Why? Are there any grammatical/lexical/graphic
peculiarities?
 Language: How complex is it? What words in particular are unusual or interesting? Is there any
technical jargon? What kinds of words does the writer use to describe the events, people, or ideas?
Do they have a positive or negative connotation?
 Tone: Formal? Informal? Informative? Critical? Sarcastic? Serious? Humorous? Pessimistic?
Optimistic? Approving? Disapproving? …? Consider why the tone was used.
 Layout: What illustrations are included with the article? How does the choice of accompanying
images reflect the article’s tone? Does the choice of photo/illustration influence the way the story is
being presented?
 Bias: is the publication neutral? Left-leaning? Right-leaning? How can you tell? Has the author
provided witnesses, sources, statistics to support the ideas presented in the text?

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3 Checklist when giving feedback
 Well-structured: introduction, body, conclusion
 Limit (around 100 words – some flexibility is allowed)
 Justify text (uitvullen)

 Spelling mistakes
 Grammar mistakes
 Punctuation, capitalization
 Vocabulary from Words in Context

 Lengthy sentences that should be divided into shorter sentences

 Short sentences that should be merged into one
 Repetitions (words and ideas)
 Cohesion (linking words, signal words)

 Analysis of the content

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