Arts >> Books >> Authors

What Does it Mean to Critique a Paper?

A critique is an analysis and evaluation of a literary work in the form of an article or essay. The purpose of a critique is not to identify negative aspects of a work, but to give an individual interpretation of a work, highlighting the effectiveness of arguments provided and making comparisons with other works in the same field.
  1. Analyzing the Work

    • The first stage in critiquing a paper is to study and analyze the writing. The author's purpose of writing and his general points of view are discussed. The paper is categorized as suitable for a particular audience, and the writer's arguments are studied, while comments are made on his evidence. Comparisons with various similar papers are made. Arguments and points made in other works that might support the paper should be identified.

    Writer's Ideas

    • The writer's ideas are identified and assessed. The argument is checked for its reasoning and factual accuracy. The validity of each fact and source mentioned are studied. The content is looked into - this question is fragile and requires care. When critiquing a paper, it is possible to feel dissatisfied with the content's quality, conclusions or writing style. However, critical reading does not mean expressing an opinion on the paper. Critiquing is about objectivity.

    Essay Form

    • After preparation comes the actual critique, which is commonly written in standard essay style. In the first paragraph, it is advised that the topic of the paper is stated, the thesis is mentioned and the plot summary is developed briefly. When critiquing a paper, the name of the writer is provided and some information about him is given, which relates to the argument.

    Final Paper

    • The main body of the critique consists of a detailed account of the topic, points being made and arguments being given. In your critique's final draft the writer's most important points are explained and the evidence provided is assessed. The paper is broken down into individual points and each point is examined on its own.

Authors

Related Categories