English for Academic and Professional Purposes
LECTURES/PPT AND HANDOUTS-BASED
CRITIQUE WRITING
What is a critique?
 Critiquing is a constructive way to explore
and understand material
 It is not negative or mean in the academic
sense
 A critique is a genre of academic writing
that evaluates a work or concept
How to approach a critique
 Interrogate the text by questioning,
arguing, and examining it for deeper
meanings
 A critical evaluation should identify both
strengths and weaknesses, not just
highlight negative impressions
 Analyze the work based on what is
observed, not personal preferences
 Separate assumptions from the author's
assumptions
Structure of a critique
 Like an essay, a critique has an
introduction, body, and conclusion
 Uses an academic writing style
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO CRITIQUE
Formalism
 Considers the meaning and implications of
the words in the text
 Focuses on the meaning and themes of
the work rather than a linguistic approach
Feminism
 Examines how the text reinforces or
undermines the oppression of women
 Looks at patriarchal aspects of culture and
aims to expose misogyny
 Concerned with promoting gender equality
and addressing marginalization
Reader Response Criticism
 Focuses on the individual reaction and
interpretation of the reader
 Reader's interpretation gives the text
meaning
Marxist Criticism
 Focuses on class struggle and oppression
 Main concern is the differences in
economic classes
Conclusion
 Critique writing is a constructive way to
evaluate and understand a work or
concept
 It involves interrogating the text, identifying
strengths and weaknesses, and analyzing
based on observation
 Different approaches such as formalism,
feminism, reader response criticism, and
Marxist criticism offer different
perspectives
CRITICAL APPROACHES TO WRITING A
CRITIC PAPER
- A critic is a genre of academic writing that
summarizes and evaluates a work or concept.
- The purpose of a critical paper is to gauge the
importance, usefulness, or impact of a work in a
particular field.
Formalist Criticism
- The formalist approach treats each literary work
as a distinct work of art.
- It focuses on the intrinsic properties of the text,
such as characters, setting, plot, conflict, and
point of view.
- The critic analyzes these elements to
understand and evaluate the text.
Reader Response Criticism
- Reader response criticism focuses on the
reviewer's reaction as an audience of a literary
work.
- The reader's role is considered essential in
understanding the text.
- The critic can evaluate the text based on the
message or messages it conveys and the lessons
learned from it.
Feminist Criticism
- Feminist criticism focuses on how literature
represents women as subjects of oppression.
- It reveals the patriarchal aspects of culture and
examines the portrayal of men and women in the
text.
- Questions can be asked about power dynamics,
decision-making, and the roles of male and
female characters.
Marxist Criticism
- Marxist criticism examines the differences
among economic classes in literature.
- It reveals the influence of the social economic
system on people's experiences.
- The critic can analyze the presentation of social
classes, power relations, and social roles in the
text.
The four approaches discussed are formalism,
reader-response criticism, feminist criticism, and
Marxist criticism.
- Formalism focuses on the form and elements of
the text.
- Reader response criticism emphasizes the
reader's understanding and reaction to the text.
- Feminist criticism examines the portrayal of
women and reveals patriarchal aspects.
- Marxist criticism analyzes the influence of the
social economic system on the text.
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