WRITING A CRITIQUE

CRITIQUE
a careful analysis of an argument to
determine what is said, how well the points
are made, what assumptions underlie the
argument, what issues are overlooked, and
what implications are drawn from such
observations.
 CRITIQUE

• Uses a formal, academic writing style

• Provides clear structure: introduction, body and
conclusion
• Body of the critique includes a summary of the work and
a detailed evaluation.
• Purpose for evaluation is to gauge the usefulness or
impact of a work in a particular field
 IMPORTANCE

• Knowledge of the work’s subject area or related works

• Understanding of the work’s purpose; intended
audience, development of argument, structure of
evidence or creative style
• Recognition of the strengths and weakness of the work
 POINTERS OF WRITING A CRITIQUE

• Study the work under discussion

• Make notes on key parts of the work
• Develop an understanding of the main argument
or purpose being expressed in the work
• Consider how the work relates to a broader issue
or context
 INTRODUCTION

• Identify the work being reviewed as well as the date it was created and
the name of the author/creator
• Construct a thesis statement that describes the main argument or purpose
of the work
• Explain the context in which the work was created. (cultural, social,
political context; the place of the work in a creative or academic tradition;
the relationship between the work and the creator’s life experience.
• Have a concluding sentence that will indicate your overall evaluation of
the work. (positive, negative or mixed)
 BODY

• Contain a summary and the critical

evaluation of elements of the works
being criticized
 SUMMARY

• Briefly summarize the main points and

objectively describe how the writer portrays
these by using techniques, style, media,
characters or symbols. This summary should
not be the focus of the critique and is
usually shorter than the critical evaluation.
 CRITICAL EVALUATION

• This section should give a systematic and detailed assessment of the different
elements of the work, evaluating how well the creator was able to achieve the
purpose.

EXAMPLE
1. Assess the plot structure
2. Characterization
3. Setting of the piece
 CRITICAL EVALUATION

• This does not simply highlight negative impressions.

• It should deconstruct the work and identify both strengths
and weaknesses.
• It should examine the work and evaluate its success, in
light of its purpose.
• Written in formal academic style and is logically
presented.
 TAKE NOTE

To support the evaluation, provide evidence

from the work itself, such as quote or
example. You should cite evidence form
related sources. Explain how the evidence
supports your evaluation of the work.
 CONCLUSION

This is usually a very brief paragraph, which includes:

• A statement indicating the overall evaluation of the work
• A summary of the key reasons, identified during the critical evaluation,
why this evaluation was formed
• In some circumstances, recommendations for improvement on the work
may be appropriate
 PERFORMANCE TASK

In a group with four members, evaluate the movie entitled “EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL”. A movie of Taare
Zameen Par (2007) through a power point video presentation. Present a critical assessment of its strengths and
weaknesses.