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A
standard article critique
should address the
following areas:
- The Critique
- Abstract
- Literature review
- Research questions (hypotheses)
- Body (article discussion and
evaluation)
- Conclusion, or follow-up research proposal
- Reference page
First
you address the key areas of concern discussed in the article. After critiquing the article,
provide a paragraph on a potential follow-up study. This follow-up study
paragraph does not have to be an extensive description of a completely new
study. Rather, it may adopt the basic design of the first study, only with some
modifications to make it better.
Please note that
writing a critique text means analyzing and evaluating, not just summarizing. A summary merely reports what the text
said; that is, it answers only the question, "What did the author
say?" A critique, on the other hand, analyzes, interprets, and evaluates
the text, answering the questions how? why? and how well? A critique does not
necessarily have to criticize the piece in a negative sense. Your reaction to
the text may be largely positive, negative, or a combination of the two. It is
important to explain why you respond to the text in a certain way.
Step 1. Analyze
the text
As you read the book or article you plan to critique, the following questions
will help you analyze the text:
- What
is the author's main point?
- What
is the author's purpose?
- Who
is the author's intended audience?
- What
arguments does the author use to support the main point?
- What
evidence does the author present to support the arguments?
- What
are the author's underlying assumptions or biases?
You may find it
useful to make notes about the text based on these questions as you read.
Step 2. Evaluate
the text
After you have read the text, you can begin to evaluate the author's ideas. The
following questions provide some ideas to help you evaluate the text:
- Is the
argument logical?
- Is
the text well-organized, clear, and easy to read?
- Are
the author's facts accurate?
- Have
important terms been clearly defined?
- Is
there sufficient evidence for the arguments?
- Do
the arguments support the main point?
- Is
the text appropriate for the intended audience?
- Does
the text present and refute opposing points of view?
- Does
the text help you understand the subject?
- Are
there any words or sentences that evoke a strong response from you? What
are those words or sentences? What is your reaction?
- What
is the origin of your reaction to this topic? When or where did you first
learn about it? Can you think of people, articles, or discussions that
have influenced your views? How might these be compared or contrasted to
this text?
- What
questions or observations does this article suggest? That is, what does
the article make you think about?
Step 3. Plan and
write your critique
Write your critique in standard essay form. It is generally best not to follow
the author's organization when organizing your analysis, since this approach
lends itself to summary rather than analysis. Begin with an introduction that
defines the subject of your critique and your point of view. Defend your point
of view by raising specific issues or aspects of the argument. Conclude your
critique by summarizing your argument and re-emphasizing your opinion.
- You
will first need to identify and explain the author's ideas. Include
specific passages that support your description of the author's point of
view.
- Offer
your own opinion. Explain what you think about the argument. Describe several points with
which you agree or disagree.
- For
each of the points you mention, include specific passages from the text
(you may summarize, quote, or paraphrase) that provide evidence for your
point of view.
- Explain
how the passages support your opinion.
(based on: Rosen,
Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens, eds. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook.
1994).
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Article Critique