The Structure and

Language of Critique
• Remember that the
critique should be
accessible to the
audience.
Tips in Developing your
Critique
• Relating your critique to
greater realities will also
helps as you ground your
critique on the wider scheme
of things.
Tips in Developing your
Critique
In general, the critique should be
organized in the following
manner;
• The first part should
provides readers a sense of
the ideas you want to discuss.
• What are some problems
people face in their daily lives?
In general, the critique should be
organized in the following
manner;

• The next part should

provide a summary of the
concept.
In general, the critique should be
organized in the following
manner;
• Strengths and weaknesses
should be part of the
critique. Remember that
this is challenging and
requires fact.
 ILLUSTRATING STRENGTHS

Given its features, X may be the

best among the competition…
X does not only provide
(enumerate common features
found in other counterparts) but
also (enumerate unique features)…
 ILLUSTRATING WEAKNESSES

However, X may not be a

wise choice if you intend
to…(Cite specific activities
or features needed by a
specific user or audience.)
 ILLUSTRATING WEAKNESSES

In certain cases, X
lacks some interesting
points such as… (Cite
specific features or
qualities.)
 ILLUSTRATING WEAKNESSES

X may not appeal to

certain users audiences
as it… (Cite specific
features or qualities.)
 ILLUSTRATING WEAKNESSES

In certain cases, X may

not be a good investment
of your time ass it…
(Cite specific features or
qualities.)
 ILLUSTRATING WEAKNESSES

Though there are

positive points for X,
certain improvements
can be made.
In general, the critique should be
organized in the following
manner;
•The final section of the
critique should include the
final recommendations of
the author.
In general, the critique should be
organized in the following
manner;
•For instance, is the movie,
book, gadget, event or
concept a good investment
of time, effort and money?
In general, the critique should be
organized in the following
manner;
• What background
knowledge does one need
to see or use them? Will
other activities help to
appreciate these?
•A major part of a critique
is a brief summary of the
event, book, concept or
object being critiqued.

Take note:
•In this part, specific
descriptions are needed
for the reader to have an
overview of the central
features of thee topic.

Take note:
•Aside from providing an
overview, it is important
to provide informed
insights on these
features.

Take note:
•Weakness or strength
should be based on what
is observable and
comparable to other
items of the same class

Take note:
• The smartphone has an eight
megapixel camera supported by
both Bluetooth technology and
wireless applications. These
features are standard among
modern phones, so that the
higher price is not justified.
SAMPLE 1:
• The movie is worth seeing
because it features not
only talented actors but
also tells an excellent
story filled with
unexpected twists.
SAMPLE 2:
• What are the essential features?
• What are the strengths of these
features?
• What are the weaknesses of
these features?
GUIDE QUESTIONS IN PREPARING
THE BODY OF THE REVIEW
• Two important points
1. Recommendations must
be backed up from
sources to strengthen
your claims.

Final Section
• Two important points
2. A negative appraisal
must be expressed
with tact.

Final Section
 • Taken as a whole, the book can be
helpful resource for teachers planning to
integrate technology in their
classrooms… Since Estacio (2009)
views that technology use in
education may depend on the
conditions of educational institution,
…

SAMPLE 1:
• The underlined citation helps
strengthen the positive appraisal
of the book. This also serves as
means for the reviewer to relate
the book to other sources that
dealt with the same topic.
• Considering the pros and cons of
the computer system, users may
want to check other options that
bear the same features, as other
companies provide top of the line
features for their premium offerings
but with lower price points.

SAMPLE 2:
• The underlined statement
opens opportunities for users
to check options and allow
them to make decisions to
buy the computer system or
not.
• Given the following ideas,
write a sentence that uses a
citation to strengthen specific
claims.

Task
 Claim: The movie is good for
younger audience.
Cited information: Torres
(1990) emphasized positive
values as an indicator of
favorable viewership for
younger audience.
1
Claim: The car can sustain higher
speeds for several hours.
Cited information: As seen in
several lab tests, the car is not
only efficient in fuel consumption
but is quite fast compared to its
competitors (Santos, 2009)

2
LET US CRITIQUE!