Writing a Critique

This article provides additional guidance for writing critiques:

Parts of a Critique Essay

There are 4 distinct components to a critique, and those are the:

Each of these components is described in further detail in the boxes on this page of the guide.

Introduction

An effective introduction:

• Provides a quick snapshot of background information readers may need in order to follow along with the argument
• Defines key terminology as needed
• Ends with a strong argument (thesis)

For additional guidance on writing introduction paragraphs, librarians recommend:

Essays are the major form of assessment in higher education today, a fact which causes poor writers a great deal of anxiety. However, essay writing is simply a skill to be learned. Anyone can learn to express themselves coherently and effectively, and this book explains precisely how. If you are dissatisfied with your essay grades but don't know where to start, read on. Writing Essays reveals the tricks of the trade, making your student life easier. You will; * become proficient in every aspect of composition from introductions and conclusions, down to presentation and printing out * learn how to impress tutors with minimum effort * discover exactly what markers look for when they read your work. In addition, this book explains stress-free methods of revision; effective library management; word processing and the internet. Constructed around typical essay-writing mistakes as encountered by the author, this presents a refreshing alternative to the usual stuffy guides, written in the right language and focusing on what is relevant for students today. It includes advice on how to reference research done on the Internet.

Need some extra help on thesis statements? Check out our Writing Effective Thesis Statements guide.

Summary

A summary is a broad overview of what is discussed in a source. In a critique essay, writers should always assume that those reading the essay may be unfamiliar with the work being examined. For that reason, the following should be included early in the paper:

• The name of the author(s) of the work
• The title of the work
• A quick overview of the
  • Main ideas presented in the work
  • Arguments presented in the work
  • Any conclusions presented in the work

  Depending on the requirements of your particular assignment, the summary may appear as part of the introduction, or it may be a separate paragraph. The summary should always be included before the analysis, as readers need a base-level familiarity of the resource before you can effectively present an argument about what the source does well and where improvements are needed.

  More information about summaries can be found on our Writing an Effective Summary guide.

  Critique

  The critique is your evaluation of the resource. A strong critique:

  • Discusses the strengths of the resource
  • Discusses the weaknesses of the resource
  • Provides specific examples (direct quotes, with proper citation) as needed to support your evaluation
  • Discusses anything else pertinent to your evaluation, including
    • The accuracy of the resource
    • Any bias found within the resource
    • The relevance of the resource
    • The clarity of the resource

    A critique is your opinion of the text, supported by evidence from the text.

    If you need further guidance on how to evaluate your source, you can also consult our Evaluating Your Sources guide.

    Need help with citation?

    Academic Writer This link opens in a new window
    • 

    Compose papers in pre-formatted APA templates. Manage references in forms that help craft APA citations. Learn the rules of APA style through tutorials and practice quizzes.

    Academic Writer will continue to use the 6th edition guidelines until August 2020. A preview of the 7th edition is available in the footer of the resource's site.

    Previously known as APA Style Central.

    Learn more about APA style through our research guide.

    Conclusion

    A conclusion has three main functions in an essay. A conclusion will:

    • Summarize the main ideas presented in the essay
    • Remind readers of the thesis (argument)
    • Draw the paper to a close

    For additional guidance, the library recommends:

    Call Number: Online ISBN: 9780415230131 Publication Date: 2000-11-07

    Essays are the major form of assessment in higher education today, a fact which causes poor writers a great deal of anxiety. However essay writing is simply a skill to be learned. anyone can learn to express themselves coherently and effectively, and this book explains precisely how. If you are dissatisfied with your essay grades but don't know where to start, read on. Writing Essaysreveals the tricks of the trade, making your student life easier. You will; * become proficient in every aspect of composition from introductions and conclusions, down to presentation and printing out * learn how to impress tutors with minimum effort * discover exactly what markers look for when they read your work. In addition, this book explains stress free methods of revision; effective library management; word processing and the internet. undergraduates on English, humanities and modular courses. Constructed around typical essay-writing mistakes as encountered by the author, this presents a refreshing alternative to the usual stuffy guides, written in the right language and focusing on what is relevant for students today. It includes advice on how to reference research done in the Internet.