CRITIQUE PAPER

are specialized forms of writing in which a reviewer or a reader evaluates any of the following:
- a scholarly work (academic books and articles
- a work of art
- designs
- Graphic design

● They range from 250 to 750 words

● Are not simply summaries but are critical assessment analysis, evaluation of diff works
● Involve your skills in critical thinking and recognizing arguments
● make use of critical approaches
● you should NOT connect the word critique to cynicism and pessimism
● reviewers do not simply rely on mere opinions
● Uses both proofs and logical reasoning to substantiate their comments
● process ideas and theories
● Revisit and extend ideas in a specific field of study and present an analytical response to a book or
article
● It is not that's simple that can be created

CRITICAL APPROACHES IN WRITING A CRITIQUE:

you can critique a material based on its technical aspects

It's approach to gender, reaction as the audience, or through its portrayal of class and struggle and social
structure

1.) FORMALISM/FORMALISTIC
- claims that literary work contain intrinsic properties and treats each work as a distinct work of art
- It posits that the key to understanding a text is through the text itself
- historical context, author, or any other external contexts are not necessary in interpreting the
meaning
- requires human knowledge to examine in own terms

Common aspects in formalism:

(ACCCRUIPU)

● Author's techniques in resolving contradictions within the work

● Central passage that sums up the entirety of the work
● Contribution of parts and the work as a whole to its aesthetic quality
● Contribution of rhymes and rhythms to the meaning or effect of the work
● Relationship of the form and the content
● Use of imagery to develop the symbols used in the work
● Interconnectedness of various parts of the work
● Paradox, ambiguity, and irony in work
● Unity of the work

2.) FEMINIST CRITICISM

- another popular approach
- focuses on how literature presents women as subjects of socio-political, psychological, and
economic oppression
- reveals how aspects of our culture are patriarchal
- how our culture views men as superior and women as inferior.

COMMON ASPECTS WHEN USING FEMINIST APPROACH:

● how culture determines gender
● how gender equality ( or lack of it) is presented in the text
● how gender issues are presented in literary works and other aspects of human production and daily life
● how women are socially, politically, psychologically, economically oppressed by patriarchy
● how patriarchal ideology is an overpowering presence
 3.) READER - RESPONSE CRITIC
- concerned with the reviewer's reaction as an audience of a work
- claims that the reader's role cannot be separated from the understanding of the work
- a text does not have meaning until the reader reads it an interprets it
- readers are therefore not passive and distant but are active consumers of the material
presented to them

COMMON ASPECTS:
● interaction between the reader and the text in creating meaning
● the impact of readers' delivery of sound and visuals of enhancing and changing meaning
● Given the reader reads the text in two different occasions will probably produce different meanings
since many variables contribute to the meaning of the text: ex.
- Knowledge acquired between the first and second reading of the text
- Personal experiences that occurred in the time
- Interval
- Mood while reading
- Change of the purpose for which the text is read

4.) MARXIST CRITICISM

- concerned with differences between economic classes and implications of a capitalist system
- the continuing conflicts between the working class and the elite
- attempts to reveal that the ultimate source of people's experience is the socioeconomic system
- applies political science and study of nature
- grew out of Karl Marx— who is highly critical of the capitalist system of economics in the study
of literature
COMMON ASPECTS OF MARXIST:
● Social classes as represented in the work
● Social class of the writer/creator
● Social class of the characters
● Conflicts and interactions between economic classes

STRUCTURE OF A CRITIQUE PAPER

INTRODUCTION
- First paragraph
- 5% of the paper
- Title of book, article, or work
- Writers name
- Thesis statement – last portion of introduction
– central idea of multiple idea paragraph composition, it is a sentence that guides,
controls, and unifies the ideas when writing a paper

SUMMARY
- Second paragraph
- 10% of the paper
- Somewhat longer than the introduction
- Objective or purpose
- Methods used ( if applicable)
- Major findings, claims, ideas, or messages
- give the gist of the plot of the text or story

CRITIQUE PROPER
- Third paragraph
- 75% of paper
- The longest part of the paper
- Appropriateness of methodology to support the arguments ( for books or articles)
 - or appropriateness of mode of presentation (other works)

- appropriateness of the accurate type of approach to be used

- Theoretical soundness; coherence of ideas
- Sufficiency and soundness of explanation in relation to other available info and experts
- Other perspectives in explaining the concepts and ideas
- It is best to ask the following ques. during this part such as;
- "Does the writer explicitly state his/her thesis statement?"
CONCLUSION
- Last paragraph
- 10% of the paper
- Shorter than the critique portion
- Longer than introduction
- Overall impression
- Scholarly or literary value of the reviewed work
- Benefits for the intended audience or field

POSITION PAPER 
 it is a paper that presents the writer's stand or viewpoint on a particular issue
 it entails outlining arguments and proposing the course of action 
 taking part in a large debate 
 you have the power to change the opinions and attitudes of others when writing a position paper 
 can be an essential tool in bringing about societal change 
 example, you do not agree with a certain issue, you can write a position paper to reflect your pov 
 it's purpose to generate support with an issue 
 describes the author's right and position 
 incorporates supportive evidence
 a critical examination of of a position using facts 
 knowing where you have your stand is important 

PARTS OF A POSITION PAPER

INTRODUCTION 
 first part 
 presents the issue while grabbing the attention of readers' 
 define issue and discuss its background 
 provide general statement of your position via thesis statement
BODY
 state you arguments 
 provides sufficient evidence for each argument like;
 statistical data 
 interviews with experts 
 testimonies 
 also provide counterarguments against the possible weaknesses of your arguments 
 contains the central argument 
 Further broken to 3 sections:
 background information
 Evidence supporting the author's position
 discussion of both sides of the issue which addresses and reviews argument that contradict to
the author's decision 
CONCLUSION 
 restate your position and main arguments
 suggest a course of action
 state what makes your position superior and more acceptable
 end with a powerful closing statement such as a quotation, a challenge, or a question 
  restating key points 

GUIDELINES OF WRITING A POSITION PAPER 
1. choose an issue, keep the ff. in mind: 
 issue should be debatable
 issue should be current and relevant
 issues should be written in a question form and answerable by yes or not 
 issue should be narrow and manageable
 2. begin a writing process by conducting an in-depth research on the issue: 
 have clear research to have evidence
3. make sure to define unfamiliar terms when you first mention them 
4. be aware of the various positions about the issue and explain and analyze them

objectively 
5. reflect on your position and identity it's weaknesses 
6. cite valid and reliable sources to establish the credibility of your arguments 
 try to collect a variety of sources and citation are from reputable sources 
7. view the issue in a different perspective so you can present a unique approach 
8. limit your position paper to 2 pages 
9. analyze your target readers and align you arguments to their beliefs, needs, interests, and
motivations
10. summarize the other side's counterarguments and use various evidence and data to refute them
11. use an active voice as much as possible to achieve dynamic and firm tone 
12. arrange your evidence logically using an inductive or deductive approach 

INDUCTIVE APP. 
 discusses specific information first
 then looks for patterns to create a general conclusion 
 it entails a flow form specific to general ideas 

DEDUCTIVE APP.
 takes something general and branch out and think of specific things that could apply to it
 a type of reasoning where the flow of discussion starts with a general theory and moves to a specific
hypothesis 

13. check your argument for fallacies and eliminate them 

 fallacies or errors in reading weaken your argument 
14. use ethical, logical , & emotional appeal 
 an ethical appeal resulted to your credibility and competence as a writer 
a logical appeal refers to a rational approach in developing an argument
PATTERNS OF PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT
1. NARRATION
o Comes from the Latin word ‘NARRARE’ means TO ACCOUNT OR TELL.
o Narrative paragraph, essays tell a story. Narration use action verbs & transitional expressions.

TYPES OF NARRATIVES
History, Character sketch, anecdote, biography, travelog, adventure, short story, autobiography
CATEGORIES
SIMPLE NARRATIVE – may not present in detail the diff parts of the plot (anecdote).
COMPLEX NARRATIVE – complicated structure. Fiction or non-fiction.
4 BASIC ELEMENTS
o SETTING – time & place
o CHARACTER – protagonist & antagonist
o PLOT – events of story
o POINT OF VIEW – perspective of the writer

POINT OF VIEW
1st person pov – writer tells his/her own story.
2nd person-observer pov – character tells in the 1st person a story he/she seen. (2ND person pov)
3rd person pov – (Author-observer point of view) writer tells a objectively the events as they happened to
another individuals.
2. CHARACTER SKETCH
o Description of certain character (physical appearance, personality, traits, habits, strengths)

GUIDE IN WRITING A CHARACTER SKETCH

o Research about the character
o Create a descriptive snapshot of the character
o Use short, crisp sentences.

FORMAT
o Personality traits
o Add a back story or their background
o How they changed or evolved over the years
o How they talk and act around people
o Their impact on you or those around them

TIPS
o Focus on both the physical and non-physical features of the character.
o Use words that help visualize the character.
o Description should well-structured, clear, and concise.
3. PARAGRAPH BY PROCESS
o How topic; May involve the giving and receiving of instructions on certain. Explanation of a process.
o Signal words: First, Second, next, until, then, last.
4. PARAGRAPH BY DESCRIPTION
o Attempts to put into words the picture or image of an object, person, place or scene.
o 5 senses

OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION – informative; scientific or technical, aims to inform or to identify; hence it is

factual. Focus on Physical aspect and appeals to the intellect. (textbooks, guide books, log books)
SUBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION – artistic, aims to give pleasure or to elicit special feelings or reactions.
5. PARAGRAPH BY EXAMPLE
o A paragraph developed by example makes use of one or several illustrations to develop the
topic sentence.
6. PARAGRAPH BY CLASSIFICATION
o A paragraph by classification divides people, places, or things into groups. The classification is
normally made according to a criterion or several criteria (standards or principles on which
judgment is based).
7. PARAGRAPH BY COMPARISON or CONTRAST
 o Comparing it with another of its kind to reveal their similarities, or by contrasting them to show
their differences.

(2)  common patterns of comparison and contrast

(1) OPPOSING OR BLOCK PATTERN – pattern, all the characteristics of Subject A are explained fully or
completely before the characteristics of Subject B are discussed.

(2) ALTERNATING PATTERN – the characteristics of Subjects A and B are

elucidated alternately;
8. PARAGRAPH BY ANALOGY
o Analogy compares two things belonging to different classes while comparison and contrast
compares two things of the same kind. (ex. Analogy: learning and growing a garden;
Comparison: Thais and Filipinos)
9. PARAGRAPH BY CAUSE and EFFECT
o Writer points out the relationship between certain events or situations and their consequences.
10. PARAGRAPH BY DEFINITION
o Makes clear the meaning of a word or I'll an idea in simple and understandable language.

TERM to be defined

CLASS or SPECIES to which the term or idea belongs

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC/S that make the term or idea different

from the other members belonging to the same class or species.

(3) TYPES OF DEFINITION

1. SYNONYM word that is similar or almost similar in meaning to the word or idea being defined.
2. INTENSIVE DEFINITION includes the term to be defined, the class to to which the term belongs, and
the characteristic/s that make it different from the other members in the same class or species. Uses
‘that’ or ‘which’, participle (past tense), and infinitive (to …verb)
3. EXTENSIVE DEFINITION a paragraph through the use of one or more methods of paragraph
development;

Reminders: Familiarize with signal words or cohesive devices.