Unit 7: The Critique Paper

Lesson 1: Features and Structure of a

Critique Paper

Contents

Engage 1
Introduction 1
Objectives 2

Explore 2

Explain and Elaborate 3

What Is a Critique? 3
How to Critique 4
Features of a Critique 5

Extend 11
Activity 1 11
Activity 2 12

Evaluate 13

Wrap Up 15

Bibliography 16
Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Engage

Introduction

By now, you should be getting used to looking for

articles, journals, and the like, either in the library or
online, and then seeing if they can be used in your
research or not. There might also have been times
when you read a short story or poem and wanted to
analyze how well it made use of literary or poetic
devices. When we want to write about and evaluate a
work’s usefulness and effectiveness, we use a critique
paper to do so. What is a critique? How do we write
one? What are included in its parts?

Fig. 1. There are many sources

available to us, but not all
of them are useful to our
research.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Understand the use and purpose of a critique.
● Identify the features and structure of a critique paper.
● Use specific sources to support claims in a critique.

DepEd Competencies
● Identify the features and structure of a review. (additional lesson for enrichment)
● Cite specific sources to support claims. (CS_EN11/12A-EAP-Id-f-12)

Explore

15 minutes

Go back to a short story or poem you had previously taken up in this class or in another
class. Read the text once more and identify its strengths and weaknesses.

Guide Questions

1. What are the text’s strengths?

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

2. What are the text’s weaknesses?

3. Would you recommend this short story or poem to another person? Why or why not?

Explain and Elaborate

What Is a Critique?
A critique is a form of academic writing that critically evaluates a work or text. A critique,
similar to most other forms of academic writing, uses formal academic language and has a
clear structure, that is, an introduction, body, and conclusion. The body of the critique
includes a brief summary of the work being critiqued and the critical evaluation of the
work.

The purpose of a critique is to gauge the usefulness or contribution of the work to its field.
Writing a critique will also help us develop a deeper understanding of the work’s subject
area and any related fields. It will also help us understand the purpose, intended audience,
development of argument, structure of evidence, and creative style of a work. We will also
be able to gauge the work’s strengths and weaknesses: which parts were effective or useful
and which parts were lacking.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Tips
A critique can be used to analyze any number of works and texts.
These include, but are not limited to, novels, movies, poems, journal
articles, news reports, and feature articles.

How to Critique
Before starting on your critique, it is ideal to already have a clear understanding of the work
that you are critiquing. Be sure to first study the work being discussed. Identify its thesis
statement or main idea, and find the key evidence or elements used to support it. Also, take
note of how the work connects to a broader issue or context. What field is it in? What does it
hope to contribute? How is it connected to a bigger issue, either in its discipline or in the
world in general?

When we critique, what should we watch out for? Analyze the categories of content,
organization, style, and correctness.

In content, consider the topic. Is it an appropriate, important, or interesting study,

especially considering the field it is in? Is it broad or specific? How is the topic developed?
Are its arguments clear enough? Does it have sufficient examples and evidence?

For organization, look at how the work is begun and concluded. Are the introduction and
conclusion talking about the same idea, thus properly framing the thesis statement or main
idea? Is the thesis, if applicable, in an easily identifiable section? Is the thesis mentioned or
implied? How is the work structured or ordered to develop the idea? Is it successful or
confusing?

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Remember
Depending on the form of the work, some of these questions might
not be applicable. In the course of analyzing a work for a critique, you
might have to omit some questions or add some of your own.

Style can refer to a number of things. You can analyze the tone of the work. What tone does
the work have? Is it satirical, humorous, reflective, or something else? Is the chosen tone
appropriate to the topic? You can also look at how the paragraphs are written. Are the kinds
of information or narrative styles varied? If so, is it good that it is varied or would it be better
off a little static? Style can also refer to individual sentences. Are they varied in style and
length? Is the word choice appropriate and interesting?

Correctness refers to grammar, punctuation, and spelling for written works, and the
addition of the elements and the form for other works. While seemingly the most
unimportant to analyze when it comes to critiquing a work, it is still vital that we pay close
attention to them. After all, even if the text has good ideas and well-developed arguments, it
would still be in pretty bad form if there are mistakes in correctness. It would show
carelessness and a lack of proofreading, and may also be more difficult for the reader to
understand.

What are the important features of a critique?

Features of a Critique
As stated previously, a critique also follows the structure of having an introduction, body,
and conclusion. Within the body, the summary and the critical evaluation can be found.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Introduction
Typically, the introduction is short, being less than 10 percent of the word length, and it
should do the following:
● Name the work being critiqued and indicate the date it was made as well as the
author or creator's name.
● Describe the main idea, thesis statement, or purpose of the work.
● Explain the context of the work being critiqued. This can be the social or political
context in which the work was made, the importance of the work in an academic field
or discipline, or the relationship between the work and the creator’s life experience.
● Have a concluding sentence that hints at what your evaluation of the work will be.
You may indicate that it is a positive, negative, or mixed evaluation.

Example 1
Here is an example of a short introduction for a critique paper, which discusses a research
paper.

Juan dela Cruz, a senior high school student, conducted an experiment comparing the
effects of rubbing alcohol, plain soap, and antibacterial soap when used to wash hands. He
wrote a paper titled “Washing Our Hands: Which Method Is the Best?” wherein he talked
about the findings of his experiment, and it was published on March 16, 2020. He wanted to
find out which of the three would be most effective in removing germs and bacteria from
our hands, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the research paper
effectively discusses the pros and cons of these handwashing techniques, and it was written
in a time when it is very relevant.

Explanation
The example starts with an introduction of the author, the title of the work, and the date it
was published. It is then followed by the purpose of the paper, which is finding out which
method of handwashing is best, as well as the context of the paper, which is that it was
written during the time of COVID-19. It then ends with a preview of the evaluation, which, in
this case, is a positive one.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Body
The body of the critique is where the summary and critical evaluation are located. This
should also contain the bulk of your critique.

The summary should briefly enumerate and explain the main points and objectively
describe how the creator portrays these by using varied techniques, styles, media,
characters, or symbols. The summary should not be the focus of the critique and is usually
much shorter than the critical evaluation.

The critical evaluation is the longest part of your critique. It should give a systematic and
detailed assessment of the different elements of the work. Evaluate how well the creator
was able to achieve his or her purpose through these elements. For example, assessing a
novel would include looking at the plot structure, the characterization, and setting of the
novel. Meanwhile, critiquing a research project would look at subject selection, design of the
experiment, the analysis of the data, and the conclusion.

Be sure to support your claims and arguments with other sources. Quote or paraphrase
information from other articles, journals, or works that could prove why you believe the
work you are critiquing has certain strengths or weaknesses. For example, use another
paper talking about a similar experiment that has been successful to show why the research
paper being critiqued also followed the correct steps. Use a paper on a literary theory to
support why the short story made good use of its elements.

Remember
A critical evaluation should not only highlight the weaknesses of a
work. It should pay attention to all the details of the work and assess
both its strengths and its weaknesses. It should examine a work and
evaluate its success in light of its purpose.

The critical evaluation, along with the rest of the paper, should be written in a formal
academic style and should be logically presented. Group similar ideas into paragraphs and
order them logically. A good order to follow would be to start with broad and general

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impressions before moving on to the details of the more technical elements. For shorter
critiques, you may choose to discuss the strengths of the work, and then move on to
weaknesses. For longer critiques, you may discuss the positive and negative aspects of each
element in individual paragraphs.

To support your evaluation, be sure to provide evidence from the work itself, using quotes
and examples from it as necessary. You should also cite ideas and supporting evidence from
related works, and then explain how the evidence supports your evaluation of the work.

Here are some key critical questions that you can ask when writing your critical evaluation:
● 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, or 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 favor a particular interpretation or point of
view? Is it effective?
● Does the work enhance understanding of key ideas or theories? Does the work
engage with key concepts or other works in its discipline?

Remember
These critical questions are simply meant to guide you on what you
can discuss in your body. It is not strictly necessary that you answer
all of them. Adjust, remove, or add questions as needed for your
critique.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Example 2
Here is a short example of a critical evaluation that could be included in a body of a critique.
It answers some of the critical questions given above.

Dela Cruz presents the results of his experiment succinctly and clearly, ensuring that many
readers can easily access and understand his research. This is important, as his work aims
to inform as many people as possible on what type of soap should be used when washing
hands, especially in the time of a pandemic. Dela Cruz also presents his methodology and
findings fairly, avoiding any sort of bias toward a particular method of handwashing.
However, he is not able to explain how he chose these three particular methods of
handwashing for testing. It is not clear if it is because they are the three most effective
methods, the only methods available to the public, or the only ones that can be properly
tested.

The results of his experiment prove that ordinary or plain soap is best used for washing
hands. Despite antibacterial soap appearing to be more powerful and effective on the
surface, it has many disadvantages that ultimately place it as less useful than plain soap.
The results of dela Cruz’s experiment can be backed up by research. A study by Jane Doe
states that antibacterial soap has no proven additional benefits to plain soap (2019). Dela
Cruz’s results show that using antibacterial soap does not eliminate more germs or bacteria
than regular soap. In addition, Doe also states that antibacterial soap contains chemicals
such as triclosan that can be harmful to both the human skin and the environment (2019).
The experiment also reveals that antibacterial soap becomes weaker as it is constantly used.
In a similar experiment, Dr. Mark Santos has proven that germs can develop immunities to
repeated use of antibacterial soap (2017). Meanwhile, plain soap or even antibacterial soap
is more effective than rubbing alcohol, since it is not capable of killing all kinds of germs, as
proven by dela Cruz’s experiment. Furthermore, in an infographic released by the World
Health Organization (WHO), rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizers are only quick alternatives
to handwashing. If people can wash their hands instead of using rubbing alcohol, it would
be much more ideal (2018).

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Explanation
Notice how the body first discusses the details of the experiment, followed by a discussion
of its strengths and weaknesses. The next paragraph delves more deeply into the results of
the experiment and begins explaining why it agrees with the results. The explanation is
backed up by data and additional research, which you should remember to do as well when
writing your critique papers.

Conclusion
This is usually a very brief paragraph and should include the following:
● a statement indicating the overall evaluation of the work
● a summary of the key reasons, identified and discussed in the critical evaluation, why
this evaluation was formed
● recommendations either for the improvement of the work or for other people to
read this work, if appropriate

Example 3
The example below is a sample concluding paragraph, related to the sample introduction
earlier.

Overall, dela Cruz’s paper was well-crafted, as he was able to intensively explain why using
plain soap is the most effective handwashing method. His experiment was detailed and
focused, his analysis of the results was backed up by reliable data, and his paper was very
relevant to its context. If it could still be improved, one recommendation would be to
explore more methods of handwashing, or at least explain why the three methods
discussed were specifically chosen.

Explanation
The concluding paragraph begins with a quick recap of the overall evaluation of the paper,
which is then followed by a summary of why the author reached this evaluation. Then, it
ends with a recommendation, although this part is optional.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Extend

Activity 1
Go back to the short story or poem that you chose for the Explore section and write a short
(at least 100 words) introduction paragraph of a critique for it.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Guide
Return to the requirements a conclusion should have and use that to guide your
writing.

Activity 2
Go back to the short story or poem that you chose for the Explore section and write a short
(at least 100 words) conclusion paragraph of a critique for it.

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Guide
● Return to the requirements a conclusion should have and use that to guide your
writing.
● Use the strengths and weaknesses you listed in the Explore section as a preliminary
critique so that you can discuss it in your conclusion.

Evaluate

A. Answer the following questions in complete sentences

using your own words.

1. What is a critique?

2. What should we do before starting our critique?

3. What should the introduction of a critique do?

4. What should the conclusion of a critique do?

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5. What works can a critique be about?

B. Read the instructions for the following items carefully.

Write your answers and explain them comprehensively on
the space provided.

1. Why do we write critiques?

2. Why is it important to discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of a work?

3. Why is a brief summary still important in a critique?

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4. What makes a critique paper different from a review paper?

5. Why do we still need to use sources to support our claims in a critique?

Wrap Up
___________________________________________________________________________________________

● A critique paper is a form of academic writing that critically evaluates a work or text.
● When writing a critique, analyze the categories of content, organization, style, and
correctness.
● The features of a critique paper are the introduction, the body, which includes the
summary and the critical evaluation, and the conclusion.
● Support your claims and arguments by quoting or paraphrasing information from
other articles, journals, or works.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 7.1: Features and Structure of a Critique Paper

Bibliography
Essay Critique Guidelines. Goshen College. Accessed April 15, 2020.
https://www.goshen.edu/academics/english/essay-critique-guidelines/.

Hunt, Patricia. How to Write a Good Critique Essay. The Classroom. Accessed April 27, 2020.
https://www.theclassroom.com/write-good-critique-essay-4488.html.

Writing an article critique. Ashford University. Accessed April 27, 2020.

https://writingcenter.ashford.edu/writing-article-critique.

Writing a critique. Queensland University of Technology. Accessed April 15, 2020.

https://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/critique.jsp.

Writing critiques. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Accessed April 27, 2020.
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/esl/resources/writing-critiques/.

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