11/12

English for Academic

and Professional
Purposes (EAPP)

Q1/Q3-Module 6
Writing a Balanced Review/
Reaction Paper/Critique
What I Need to Know
Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC):
Writes an objective/balanced review or critique of a work of art, an event
or a program. (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Id-f-18)
Objectives:
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. distinguish the characteristics of a good review/reaction
paper/critique;
2. identify the various approaches in writing a critique;
3. evaluate texts using the appropriate critical approaches; and,
4. write a balanced Critique paper.

What I Know
To check what you already know about our new topic/ lesson, answer the pre
test below.
PRE-TEST
Directions: Read and analyze the statements below. Write TRUE if the statement
is correct and FALSE if it is incorrect. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.
__________1. Biographical criticism posits that every literary work is the product
of its time and its world.
__________2. Formalism examines texts out of the context of their time period,
social setting, and author’s background.
__________3. Marxist criticism focuses on the act of reading and how it affects
readers’ perceptions of a text.
__________4. Historical criticism examines how literary texts reflect the ideas,
beliefs, and attitudes of the time in which they were created.
__________5. Biographical criticism states that understanding an author’s
background can help readers interpret a text.
__________6. Marxist criticism focuses understanding how power, politics, and
money play a role in arts, texts, movies, etc..
__________7. Formalism reveals how aspects of our culture are patriarchal, i.e.,
how our culture views men as superior and women as inferior.
__________8. Feminism emphasizes on the form or structure of an object, and
elements of a written work to determine its underlying meaning.
__________9. Reader-response criticism argues that the meaning of a text is
dependent upon the reader’s response to it.
__________10. Historical criticism emphasizes the importance of the
author/artist’s life and background into account when analyzing a
text or an object.

LESSON 6 WRITING A BALANCED CRITIQUE PAPER

What’s In
Let us recall your knowledge about the previous lesson and try to link it
to our new topic by answering the short drill below.

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 1 of 9

 Directions: Read the paragraph then fill in the blanks the needed ideas to
complete the outline that follow.
What makes an effective leader? To be sure, no one characteristic or
trait defines an effective leader. It is true, however, that effective leaders get the
most out of employees or group members by holding them to very high standards
or expectations. Setting high standards increases productivity because people
tend to live up to the expectations set for them by superiors. This is an example of
the Pygmalion effect, which works in a subtle, often unconscious way. When a
managerial leader believes that a group member will succeed, the manager
communicates this belief without realizing that he or she is doing so. Conversely,
when a leader expects a group member to fail, that person will not usually
disappoint the manager. The manager’s expectation of success or failure becomes
a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thus it pays for a manager to expect the best from
employees.
I. Main Idea:____________________________________________
A. Subsidiary idea #1: ______________________________
B. Subsidiary idea #2:_______________________________
C. Subsidiary idea #3:_______________________________
D. Subsidiary idea #4:_______________________________
E. Subsidiary idea #5:_______________________________
What’s New
A very important expository discourse that you must learn how to write is the
reaction paper, review, or critique. It is mainly written to communicate a fair
assessment of situations, people, events, literary and artistic works and
performances. Whether a social commentary, or a critical judgment, it conveys
incisive insights into its analysis of events, its interpretation of the meaning or
importance of a work or artifacts, or its appreciation of the moral or aesthetic values
reflected in the work or performance. It may include the main purpose of the event;
the devices and strategies employed; an evaluation of its success or failure; and an
assessment of its significance and relevance, timeliness or timelessness.
As a reviewer and critic you must not simply rely on mere opinions; rather, you
must use both proofs and logical reasoning to substantiate your comments. You
must process ideas and theories, revisit and extend ideas in a specific field of study,
and present an analytical response to the subject of your review.

What Is It

Critique Paper

A critique is a formal analysis and evaluation of a text, production, or

performance either one's own (a self-critique) or someone else's. It is an intellectual
discourse integrating just a few personal opinions, many facts supported by sources,
and other aspects such as theories or similar phenomena and the relationship of the
issue to other things in the world.
Critique paper displays the writer’s ability to evaluate and pass sound and
critical judgment on the issue or matter at hand. Critiques differ from reviews, in that
critiques offer more depth to their analysis. It 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

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 2 of 9

 •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.

Steps involved in writing an article critique:

Before you start writing, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the
work that will be critiqued.
1. Study the work under discussion.
2. Make notes on key parts of the work.
3. Develop an understanding of the main argument or purpose being
expressed in the work.
4. Consider how the work relates to a broader issue or context.
5. Although called a ‘critique’, an article critique does not only give critical
and negative feedback on an article. A good critique should include
both positive praise and negative criticism for a particular work.
6. Use direct quotations of the author’s work where appropriate to avoid
accusations of plagiarism.
7. Write the critique in the third person.
8. Read about the critical approaches. You can highlight some important
ideas. You can use these in expressing your views.

CRITICAL APPROACHES
The following critical approaches will guide you on writing your review,
reaction paper or critique. These approaches will help you focus on the more
important aspects to examine, analyze and evaluate.

1. Formalism - emphasizes the form of a literary work to determine its meaning,

focusing on literary elements and how they work to create meaning. Focus on the
elements, structure and principles that govern a certain text, artworks, movie, book,
poems, etc.
Poem (meter, figurative deices, imagery, theme)
Books/stories (setting, characters, plot)
Movies (sound effects, transition, shots)
Artistic expression (lines, colors, shapes, rhythm, texture, sound)

2. Biographical Criticism- emphasizes the importance of the author’s life and

background into account when analyzing a text. Focus on the life and background
of the writer/artist and connect it to the subject of your review or critic.
How did the life of Dr. Jose Rizal affect his written works?
How did Pablo Picasso’s life experiences shape his painting style?

3. Historical Criticism- posits that every literary work is the product of its time and
its world. Focus on the era and significant events that happened during the time the
text/movie/book/art/poem was produced.
How did Juan Luna’s ‘Spoliarium’ depict the happenings during the time
it was painted?
How did Victor Hugo show the hardships and triumph during the
French revolution, in his work, ‘Les Miserables’?

4. Marxist Criticism - emphasizes on how power, politics, and money play a role in
literary texts and amongst literary societies and characters.
Focus on how class, power, race and economic status affect the content and theme
of a certain work.

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 3 of 9

 In what way did the story/movie reflect the socio-economic status of the
characters?
5. Feminism- emphasizes on the roles, positions, and influences of women within
literary texts. Focus on how women are portrayed in a certain literary work, in arts,
in commercials, in movie, etc.
Are women viewed as inferior beings in the movie? How were they portrayed?
What aspect of the painting mirrors the patriarchal ideology in our society?

6. Reader-response criticism - emphasizes that the meaning of a text is

dependent upon the reader’s response to it. Focus on the meaning you created while
reading a text, watching a movie or looking at a certain object. It focuses on your
personal connection with and understanding of the subject of your review.
What emotion did you experience after reading the poem?
What is your interpretation of the painting?

To have balanced/objective review of any piece of work, the following are

considered:
1. Description. Pure description of the object, piece of work, art, event, etc. It
answers the questions:
a. artwork - "What do you see?" (description constitutes form of art,
medium, size and scale, elements or general shapes, color, texture of surface, and
context of object).

b. piece of writing - "What do you see?" (form, structure, choice of words,

length, genre, etc)

2. Analysis. Determining what the features suggest and deciding why the artist
or writers used such features to convey specific ideas. It answers the questions:
a. artwork - "How did the artist do it?"
b. piece of writing-"How did the writer write it?"
The analysis constitutes the following: determination of subject matter, analysis
of the principles of design or composition, use of symbol and other elements,
portrayal of movement and how it is achieved, effect of particular medium,
relationships of each part of the composition to the whole and to each other part,
and reaction to object.
3. Interpretation. Establishing the broader context for this type of art. It answers
the questions:
a. artwork - "Why did the artist create it and what does it mean?
b. piece of writing - "Why did the writer create it and what does it
mean?

Remember: You should not make your interpretation too arbitrary! Provide evidence
and point out what exactly influenced your understanding of the artwork.
Here are the elements that you can include in your interpretation:
• How does this art object make you feel?
• What do you think of when you’re looking at the artwork?
• What did the artist want to tell you as a viewer?
• What do you think about the title of the work? Does it influence your
interpretation?
• If you cannot understand a painting or a sculpture, do not hurry to give
a negative response to it. Think of other critics who have provided a
positive evaluation of the examined artwork.
It does not mean you should not have your opinion! All you need is to
find a good way to express it.

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 4 of 9

 E.g., in this painting, the artist wanted to show us the king’s personality and
achievements.
The interpretation constitutes: (a) Main idea (overall meaning of the work), (b)
Interpretive Statement (Can I express what I think the artwork is about in one
sentence), and (c) Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork supports
my interpretation?).

4. Judgment. Judging a piece of work means giving it rank in relation to other

works and of course considering a very important aspect of the visual arts; its
originality. It answers the questions “Is it a good artwork?” Is it a good composition?
Here are some points that can help you write your judgment:
• How do you think: is the work successful or not?
• Does this art object seem original or not?
• What do you feel when looking at this piece of artwork?
• Go back to your first impression. Has anything changed? What did you
learn?
• If nothing changed, explain your first reaction to the work.
• What have you learned from this work that you might apply to your own
artwork or your thinking?

In judging the piece of work, there must be:

(a) Criteria (What criteria do I think are most appropriate for
judging the artwork or writing?),
(b) Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork or
piece of writing relate to each criterion?)’ and
(c) Judgment (Based on the criteria and evidence, what is my
judgment about the quality of the artwork or piece of
writing?).
E.g., the artwork successfully conveys the atmosphere of a battle
through its composition and color scheme. Learning about its
backstory helped me to appreciate the painting even more.

What’s More
Directions: Identify the critical approach that you think can be best used in
the following scenarios and write a short explanation for choosing the given
approach. Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.

1. Carlos was assigned to write a critique on The Weeping Woman(painting) by

Pablo Picasso. What critical approach can be best used by Carlos? Explain your
answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. Mary evaluated the Women Empowerment Movement that has been trending in
social media sites lately. What critical approach can be best used by Mary? Explain
your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3. June was told to write a critique on the movie “The Lion King”. What critical
approach can be best used by June? Explain your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 5 of 9

What I Have Learned
Directions: Summarize what you have learned by completing the table
below with what you understood from the lesson. Write your answers in a separate
sheet of paper.
APPROACHES IN WHAT IT IS HOW IT IS DONE
LITERARY (DEFINITION) (TECHNIQUE IN
CRITICISM WRITING)

What I Can Do
Directions: Choose one from the given topics below. Gather information
about your chosen topic, then write a 300-500 word critique using the most
appropriate critical approach. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper.
1. On the government’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic
2. Movie: Goyo Ang Batang Heneral
3. Ang Huling El Bimbo: The Hit Musical
4. The Digital Divide: The Challenge of Technology and Equity
5. President Duterte’s SONA (July 27, 2020)

You will be assessed using the rubric below.

Content (20%)
Organization (10%)
Language (10%)
Mechanics (10%)

Assessment
Post Test
Directions: Put a (✓) on the space before the number if the statement
can help make a good review/reaction paper/ critique; an (x) if it does not. Write
your answers in a separate sheet of paper.

_____ 1. A good review/reaction paper/critique must contain proper citation of

other people’s work or idea.
_____ 2. A good review/reaction paper/critique should also include other
literature to establish reliability and intertextuality.
_____ 3. A good review/reaction paper/critique must only be written using
technical words to ensure one’s credibility as a writer.
_____ 4. A good review/reaction paper/critique should be able to connect with
the readers and the world.
_____ 5. A good review/reaction paper/critique should be grounded with
theories, approaches, principles, etc. to avoid biases and inconsistencies in
one’s work.
_____ 6. A good review/reaction paper/critique should include a thesis
statement.
_____ 7. A good review/reaction paper/critique revolves only around one’s
strong emotion about the subject.
_____ 8. A good review/reaction paper/critique must include concrete examples
of one’s key points.

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 6 of 9

_____ 9. A good review/reaction paper/critique does not need a summary or
background of the subject.
_____ 10. A good review/reaction paper/critique should be fair and objective.

Additional Activities
Directions: Below are examples of a piece of artworks, take a look at
these works, study, analyze, and write a balanced/objective review considering the
elements discussed. Write your review in paragraph form in a separate sheet of
paper.

A. One of the Filipino cultures that we continuously preserved and

practiced is “Bayanihan”. It is an expression of spirit of communal unity or effort to
achieve a particular objective.

B. ‘The Last Supper’ of Leonardo da Vinci is considered to be undoubtedly a

masterpiece. Debates have ensued, though, concerning the interpretation of this
piece of art. Some even claim that Leonardo da Vinci tried to transfer a secret
message to us through it. What is portrayed in this painting that has attracted and
enchanted such a great amount of viewers?

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 7 of 9

 References
Laurel, M., Lucero, A., Bumatay-Cruz, R.English for Academic and Professional
Purposes Teacher’s Guide. 2016. Pasig City: DepEd-BLR.
Laurel, M., Lucero, A., Bumatay-Cruz, R.English for Academic and Professional
Purposes Reader.2016. Pasig City: DepEd-BLR.
Department of Education. Curriculum and Instruction Strand. K to 12 Most
Essential Learning Competencies with Corresponding CG Codes.
Department of Education. English for Academic and Professional Purposes.
(2016). Teacher’s Guide. First Edition.
Department of Education. English for Academic and Professional Purposes.
(2016). Reader. First Edition.
Online Sources:
Critical Approaches to Literature.pdf. Retrieved from www.miamiartscharter.net.
Retrieved date August 13, 2020.
Critical Approaches to Literature.pdf. Retrieved from www.unm.edu. Retrieved
date August 13, 2020.
Critical Lenses-Theories.doc. Retrieved from www.everettsd.org. Retrieved date
August 13, 2020.
Sample Article Critique_Neutral.pdf. Retrieved from writingcenter.ashford.edu.
Retrieved date August 7, 2020.
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/esl/resources/writing-critiques/

https://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/el.htm

https://www.aresearchguide.com/appropriate-language-overview.html

https://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/create/download/1773

http://www.offtheropes.com/opinion-based-on-fact-or-fact-based-on-opinion/

https://answershark.com/writing/creating-review/art-review-examples.html

https://answershark.com/writing/creating-review/art-review/the-last-supper-by-
leonardo-da-vinci.html

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 8 of 9

Answer Key

WHAT I KNOW: WHAT’S WHAT I HAVE

MORE: LEARNED:
1. F 1. Formalism
2. T 2. Feminism Answers may vary.
3. Marxist
3. F (Explanations WHAT I CAN DO:
4. T may vary.)
Answers may vary.
5. T
6. T
ASSESSMENT
7. F
1. ✓
8. F
2. ✓
9.T
3. X
10. F
4. ✓
5. ✓
6. ✓
WHATS’ IN:
7. X
Answers may vary.
8. ✓
9. X
10. ✓

ADDITIONAL
ACTIVITIES
Answers may vary.

EAPP Module 6 – Quarter I/III, Page 9 of 9