LESSON 8

Critical Review
Chapter 10: Bring it all together!
Lesson 8 - overview
A. Warm-up: Film review (simplified)
B. Critical Review:
1. Definition

2. Structure

3. Model analysis

4. Approach to a critical review

C. Guideline: Pair Reading Project
 Say 1 thing you like & 1 thing you dislike about the film

= Give your opinion about the strong & weak points of the film
(Question 11 for film review)
 B. Critical Review
1. DEFINITION

2. STRUCTURE

3. MODEL ANALYSIS

4. APPROACH to a critical review

 1. DEFINITION
◦ A CRITICAL REVIEW = a brief summary + an analysis of the text

◦ A CRITICAL REVIEW vs. a research essay

A critical review A research essay

- Check a few facts the author gave - Search, collect & synthesize information
- Evaluate the argument presented by the - Present your own opinion about the
author topic
- Focus on how the author presents his/her - Essay supports its thesis statement
argument
- NOT try to persuade the reader of your own
view on the topic
2. STRUCTURE
• Introduce text: title, author’s name, publisher & date of publication
1. INTRODUCTION • State main point of the text (1 or 2 sentences)
• Give a thesis statement of the review: your overall impression/
comment/ evaluation of the text

• Summarize main points of the text (1/3 review length)

2. MAIN SECTION • Do analysis: answer a list of critical reading questions (2/3 length)
(in Task 1 of Reading Project; & Chapter 1 – page 6 of textbook)

• Restate your thesis statement

3. CONCLUSION • Provide insight into how the text is evaluated (its value, usefulness or
contribution)
2. STRUCTURE
MAIN SECTION:

(1) SUMMARY

▪ Length: max = 1/3 lenghth of the main section

▪ Quality: language → paraphrase (DON’T copy)

content → summarize (NOT too detailed)

 2. STRUCTURE
MAIN SECTION:
(2) ANALYSIS

▪ Length: at least 2/3 of the main section

▪ Content:
• Based on the critical reading question list (not all answered in detail & some more
important)

• Analyze /include:
- First way: EITHER positive OR negative features & comments
- Second way: BOTH positive AND negative
 2. STRUCTURE
MAIN SECTION:
(2) ANALYSIS

▪ Organization: 3 ways of organizing:

(1) positive then negative;
(2) point by point (based on critical question list);
(3) section by section of the text;

▪ Quality: language → formal & polite

content → No “right” or “wrong” text analyses,
but YOUR OWN OPINION & supporting evidence
3. MODEL ANALYSIS
◦ Article for critical review: (20 minutes till 10.52 am)
Nasa’s SpaceX, Boeing Deal a Giant Leap for Space Flight (p.226)

◦ Now, Read its critical review (p.228-230) - Do the exercise on p.230

- Only do question 1 to 6 & 10
- Answer key of questions 7, 8, 9:
7. b
8. f
9. j
 4. APPROACH
◦ SELECT a reading text as required

◦ READ intensively → TAKE NOTES → MAKE AN OUTLINE for TWO PURPOSES

• summary

• analysis (a guided critical reading question list)

◦ FORMULATE thesis statement & conclusion

◦ WRITE a critical review (part by part)

◦ PEER-REVIEW & CHECK for improvement & correction

 Guided critical reading question list
o In textbook, Chapter 1 on page 6
(You do not have to answer question 5, 9, 10 in the list)

o AND/ OR the list in Task 1 – Pair reading project

 PAIR READING PROJECT – Task 2 – 60%
◦ Submit TASK 2 (written work and presentation slides)

◦ DO NOT copy the critical review in the book, in the sample, or other students’ reviews
◦ Copying or plagiarism: results in zero or deducted score.

◦ Be confident, have your own thinking & state your own opinion.
◦ Be creative.
Note
Primary/ empirical research versus Secondary research
Primary data versus Secondary data

Critical review sample: research report (article)

Next lesson
◦ Lesson 9: Students submit TASK 2 (60%) (written work);
◦ Student written samples = examples, not perfect ones