LESSON 4:

CONCEPT PAPER, REACTION

PAPER AND CRITIQUE PAPER
What is a concept paper?
Simply put, a concept paper is a preliminary document that sets out to explain what a proposed study is about, why it is
being undertaken, and how it will be carried out. It scrutinizes a concept or idea and provides an overview of the project
a researcher wants to embark on.
A researcher might need to write a concept paper to obtain permission to undertake the research project or to seek
financial support for it. This means that a well-framed and compelling concept paper has high chances of convincing the
target reader that the proposed research project is worth carrying out. In other words, an impressive concept paper
might help a researcher secure the approvals or grants they are looking for.

Why write a concept paper?

Concept papers are typically prepared by entrepreneurs working on a business proposal or product, or by students and
researchers in academia. Such documents are aimed at securing feedback on a research idea and seeking potential
investors or funders. In fact, such a document might even help determine whether a project idea is feasible in the first
place.
In academia, a concept paper might be needed before an undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral candidate commences
work on a research project with a supervisor. Even advanced career researchers or principal investigators might need to
draft a concept paper when submitting a project proposal to a funding body to obtain the necessary grants.

What a concept paper is and its

purpose

A concept paper is a brief paper that outlines the important components of a research or project before it is carried out.
Its purpose is to offer an overview. Entrepreneurs working on a business idea or product, as well as students and
researchers, frequently write concept papers.

Researchers may be required to prepare a concept paper when submitting a project proposal to a funding authority to
acquire the required grants.

As a consequence, the importance is based on the fact that it should help the examiner determine whether the research
is relevant, practicable, and useful.

If not, they may suggest looking into a different research area. It also allows the examiner to assess your comprehension
of the research and, as a result, if you are likely to require assistance in completing the research.

Concept paper’s elements for an

academic research

To produce an effective concept paper, you must first comprehend the essential elements of academic research:

1. Title page: Mention the applicant’s name, institution, project title, and submission date.
2. Background for the research: The second section should be the purpose section, which should be able to clear out
what has already been stated about the subject, any gaps in information that need to be filled or problems to be solved,
as well as the reason why you wish to examine the issue.
3.Literature review: In this section, you should provide a theoretical basis and supporting material for your chosen
subject.
4.State the problem and your goals: Describe the overall problems, including the research questions and objectives.
State your research’s unique and original aspects, concentrate on providing and clearly discussing your goals towards
the problem.
5.Methodology: Provide the data analysis system to be utilized, data collecting method, tools to be used, and research
participants in this section.
6.Timeline: Include a realistic timeline estimate that is defined in months and years.
Tips on writing an effective
concept paper
A concept paper is extremely crucial for a project or research, especially if it requires funding. Check out these simple
tips to ensure your concept paper is successful and simple.
Choose a research topic that truly piques your curiosity
Create a list of research questions. The more, the merrier.
When describing the project’s reasoning, use data and numbers.
Use no more than 5 single-spaced pages.
Tailor your speech to the appropriate audience.
Make certain that the basic format elements, such as page numbers, are included.
Spend additional time on your timeline as this section is critical for funding.
Give specific examples of how you plan to measure your progress toward your goals.
Provide an initial budget when seeking funds. Sponsors will want to obtain an idea of how much funds are required.

What is a reaction paper?

A reaction paper is a written assignment that provides a personal opinion regarding a given piece of work. The paper
should include a summary of the work, but the main focus is your thoughts, feelings and rationalizations about what's
discussed in the original text. This requires analysis of the given work on your part, followed by a focused, well-thought-
out reaction backed by outside sources, where applicable.

A reaction paper is typically a 2-5 page document in which the writer responds to one or more texts. Reaction papers are
often used as tools in a class-setting to encourage students to think critically about texts, and how those texts are in
conversation with each other, or with a wider field of discourse. Reaction papers can also be used to generate ideas for
a research paper. Skills used in a reaction paper include: summary, analysis, and synthesis. A reaction paper may or
may not feature a conclusion. Unlike in some other forms of academic writing, it is OK to use the personal “I” in a
reaction paper.

Your reaction paper should contain four main parts:

1. Introduction 3. Conclusions
2. Body 4. List of citations and sources

How to write a reaction paper

The introduction of your paper serves to lay out your ideas and pique the interest of your readers. A great place to start
is to name the author and the work that you are reacting to, elucidating the main focus of what you are going to discuss.
This part should be about three or four sentences, closing with your thesis statement. Keep your thesis statement
concise, because you'll reference it several times throughout your paper. Here are the suggested steps for structuring
and writing this paper:
1. Read and analyze the work thoroughly
2. Craft your thesis statement
3. Create the paper's outline
4. Compose the first draft
5. Polish and repeat

Parts of your reaction paper

Part 1: The introduction and summary

-The first part of your paper will include a quick, objective summary of the work you're reacting to.
Part 2: Your thoughts, feelings and opinions
-The second part of the paper is where you express your opinions on the key points of the work, supported by reliable
sources.
Part 3: Your conclusion
-This is where you'll take a stance on whether you recommend this work to others and the reasons for your answer.
Tips for writing a reaction

Here are some tips to consider as you move through the writing process:
Follow the basic template for writing a paper, with each major paragraph addressing one main idea. For example,
your first paragraph introduces and summarizes the work, followed by three or four paragraphs that state and
support separate reactions to the work. The final paragraph should be a short conclusion. Each paragraph should
transition smoothly into the next.
Be sure to support your points and opinions with specific examples.
Proofread. Proofread again. Have others proofread for you. Proofread one last time.
It's fine to use quotations from the original work to support your points, but don't be overly reliant on them.
Express your opinions clearly. The point of a reaction paper is to react with your thoughts and feelings. Feel free to
express yourself in a thoughtful, well-constructed manner.
Remember that your critiques must be backed with evidence and examples to hold the attention of your readers.
Make sure you're applying the basic standards of effective writing (unity, coherence, supporting facts and clear,
concise sentences) when writing and editing.

Tips for writing a reaction

Here are some tips to consider as you move through the writing process:
Follow the basic template for writing a paper, with each major paragraph addressing one main idea. For example,
your first paragraph introduces and summarizes the work, followed by three or four paragraphs that state and
support separate reactions to the work. The final paragraph should be a short conclusion. Each paragraph should
transition smoothly into the next.
Be sure to support your points and opinions with specific examples.
Proofread. Proofread again. Have others proofread for you. Proofread one last time.
It's fine to use quotations from the original work to support your points, but don't be overly reliant on them.
Express your opinions clearly. The point of a reaction paper is to react with your thoughts and feelings. Feel free to
express yourself in a thoughtful, well-constructed manner.
Remember that your critiques must be backed with evidence and examples to hold the attention of your readers.
Make sure you're applying the basic standards of effective writing (unity, coherence, supporting facts and clear,
concise sentences) when writing and editing.

Parts of a report

PART 1: A SUMMARY OF THE WORK

Identify the author and title of the work and include in parentheses the publisher and publication date.
PART 2: YOUR REACTION TO THE WORK
Focus on any or all of the following questions. Check with your instructor to see if s/he wants you to emphasize
specific points.

Points of consideration
Here are some important elements to consider as you prepare a report:

■Apply the four basic standards of effective writing (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-free sentences) when writing the report.
■Make sure each major paragraph presents and then develops a single main point. For example, in the sample report that follows, the first
paragraph summarizes the book, and the three paragraphs that follow detail three separate reactions of the student writer to the book. The
student then closes the report with a short concluding paragraph.
■Support any general points you make or attitudes you express with specific reasons and details. Statements such as "I agree with many
ideas in this article" or "I found the book very interesting" are meaningless without specific evidence that shows why you feel as you do.
Look at the sample report closely to see how the main point or topic sentence of each paragraph is developed by specific supporting
evidence.
■Organize your material. Follow the basic plan of organization explained above: a summary of one or more paragraphs, a reaction of two
or more paragraphs, and a conclusion. Also, use transitions to make the relationships among ideas in the paper clear.
■Edit the paper carefully for errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, word use, and spelling.
■ Cite paraphrased or quoted material from the book or article you are writing about, or from any other works, by using the appropriate
documentation style. If you are unsure what documentation style is required or recommended, ask you instructor.
■You may use quotations in the summary and reaction parts of the paper, but do not rely on them too much. Use them only to emphasize
key ideas.
■ Publishing information can be incorporated parenthetically or at the bottom of the page in a footnote. Consult with your instructor to
determine what publishing information is necessary and where it should be placed.
Critique Paper

A critique is a particular academic writing genre that requires you to carefully study, summarize, and critically analyze a
study or a concept. In other words, it is nothing more than a critical analysis. That is all you are doing when writing a
critical essay: trying to understand the work and present an evaluation. Critical essays can be either positive or negative,
as the work deserves.

Critique Paper Template

Critical Essay Types

Descriptive critical essays examine texts or other works.
Evaluative critical essays provide an estimate of the value of the work.
Interpretive essays provide your readers with answers that relate to the meaning of the work in question.

Critique Paper: Format & Structure

The main parts of good critical response essays are:

Summary- should be brief and to the point. Only the author’s/creator’s main ideas and arguments should be included.
Analysis/interpretation- discuss what the author’s/creator’s primary goal was and determine whether this goal was reached
successfully.
Evaluation/response- readers are ready to learn your objective response to the work. Should be professional yet entertaining to read.

15 Types of Literary Criticism

There are many different schools of theory that give readers a special vocabulary to dissect any given literary text. Here are some of the
most significant theories:
1. Practical criticism
2. Cultural studies
3. Formalism
4. Reader-response
5. The new criticism
6. Psychoanalytic criticism
7. Marxist theory
8. Post-modernism
9. Post-structuralism
10. Deconstruction
11. Postcolonial theory
12. Feminist criticism
13. Queer theory
14. Critical race theory
15. Critical disability theory