How to begin with Critique writing?
Most of us think that critique writing is all about pointing out mistakes in other’s works. Well, this is not true. Critique writing is something that involves a systematic analysis of a scholarly article or book. Many institutes ask their students about writing a critique based on some novel or movie. It becomes interesting only if you know how to write a critique.
Critique writing is a form of academic project that summarizes and critically evaluates a famous work or concept. Students are majorly asked to criticize the following concepts-
- Media- Feature articles and news reports
- Creative work- Novels, films, images, and poetry
- Research- Theories, journal articles, monographs, and systematic reviews
It is not that hard for students to write a critique because the format is almost similar to that of an essay. All you need to do is adopt an academic writing style along with a clear structure.
Importance of Critique writing
Many of you flinch even at the mere idea of critique writing. If you are the one who feels the same, then check out these three most important features of critique writing. Your teachers want you to be successful in your niche, and hence they give you the task of critique writing. Here is why critique writing is important for all students.
Understand the work’s purpose and intended audience- Critique writing will help you to understand the purpose and different types of target readers.
In-depth knowledge of the subject area and other related works- You will get to know about the comprehensive details and information related to your work.
Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of your work- Practice critique writing, and sooner you will be able to recognize the relevant strengths and weaknesses of your work in no time.
Checklist for writing a critique
Your teachers might ask you to conduct a critical analysis for a piece of writing. It can be an essay, a book, an article or even a journal. No matter what type of work or task you have been assigned to criticize, make sure it includes the following aspects-
Introduction
The introductory paragraph needs to be included in your paper to grab the attention of the target readers. The opening paragraph should include-
- A compelling thesis statement which previews your analysis
- The title of the article and author’s name
- The author needs to convey the main point or the central message
Summary
Your summary should discuss the following points after writing an effective introduction.
- Findings of the article
- Main points of the article
- All the arguments present in the paper
Critique
After summarizing the body paragraphs, focus on writing the critique with precision.
- State your opinions regarding the accuracy, relevance and clarity of your work
- Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your work
You need to make sure that this part talks about certain examples that majorly support your arguments. These examples should be relevant enough to be included in the critique.
Conclusion
Make sure that you end your critique with a strong conclusion.
- Include the main points according to your perspective
- Write down the main points as mentioned in the article
- Explain the significance of your work that you have been criticizing
Once all of these four elements are included in your critique, you’ll perfect the art of writing with no discrepancies or mistakes.
Some of the tips for Critique writing
Generally, there are two main stages of critique writing that includes the pre-writing stage and the final writing stage.
Pre-writing stage
Under this stage, you need to analyze the work that requires criticism. Ask yourself the following questions before you begin writing. For example, you’ve been given the work to criticize a book.
- Did the author raise relevant questions?
- Is there any kind of bias made in the book?
- What kind of book are you reviewing?
- Are the author’s sources updated?
- What about the limitations and primary findings, as stated in the book?
- What do other reviewers have to say about the book?
Writing stages
This is the main part of critique writing, where you are supposed to write the paper. Take enough time to perfect your critique and make it a complete error-free document. The following steps are included in this stage-
Read your work again- Make sure that you understand the purpose, structure and context of your work that needs criticism. Note down the writer’s mistakes and misconceptions.
Create an outline- Create an outline based on your notes for critique, which was made during the analysis. You need to make sure that your outline meets all the criteria of an ideal critique as instructed by your teacher or supervisor.
Summarize your opinions- As you are already aware of the format of your paper, all you need to do is pen down your thoughts in a proper sequence. The readers should be easily able to understand your opinions as per its structure.
Crosscheck your findings- At times, students make faulty claims in their assignment and end up losing valuable marks. Thus, it is always advised to crosscheck your claims to ensure that they are valid for your statement. Do check your sources again and again before submitting the final draft to your teachers.
Conclude critically- The concluding part of your critique needs to convey the real message of your work. Make sure that you mention all the points in the critique that are necessary. Don’t panic if you still find it hard to write the paper. You can take help from your teachers or online assignment helpers that provide expert guidance in the field.
