Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Writing a Critical Response Essay

Good Essays
295 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Writing a Critical Response Essay
Writing a Critical Response Essay
A critique/critical response is an analysis of and a commentary on another piece of writing. A critical response essay (or review) has two missions: to summarize a source’s main idea and to respond to the source’s main ideas with reactions based on one’s own opinion/beliefs. 1. Summarizing The first step to writing is to read actively and thoughtfully, seeking answers to the following questions:
a. What are the main points, ideas, or arguments of the article?
b. What is the primary purpose of the article/text? (inform, entertain, persuade?)
c. Who is the target audience?
d. What evidence/support does the author give to support his stand/ viewpoint?

2. Analyzing (interpretation and evaluation)
To help generate content for the analysis, consider the following questions:
a. Does the work achieve its purpose? Fully or only partially?
b. Is any of the evidence provided by the author weak or insufficient? In what way?
c. OR is the evidence/support particularly effective or strong? Why?
d. Does the author provide complete and accurate information?
e. Was there any area where the author offered too much or too little information?
f. Does the author provide information that is relevant to the issue? g. Can I provide further explanation (based on my own experience, prior knowledge, and opinions) to clarify or support any of the main points, ideas, arguments put forward by the author? This is your our own response to the argument. You may agree or disagree with the author’s views, and this is the part of the critical response essay where you make your own views on the issue clear. Your own arguments must be well-supported. You must give compelling reasons for your agreement or disagreement with the author.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Critical Analysis essay

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Over the course of youth’s childhood, they will eventually make a remarkable change from an adolescent into an adult, resembling a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis and emerging into a beautiful butterfly. For years there has been a debate between teenagers and adults dealing with the topic of when teens rightfully become mature and grown up. Henry G. Felsen addresses this subject through telling his own sixteen year old son his opinions and thoughts on this debate in ‘When Does a Boy Become a Man?’. The difference between a boy and a man is not in which one looks like, it is the actions and choices that a man makes which differentiates him from the boy he once was. Henry Felsen has done a commendable job in supporting this theory. He explains what the future holds for these teens that rush into adulthood with the wrong idea of what it is all about.…

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pt1420 Assignment 1

    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Does the evidence meet the criteria listed on pages 512-513? Explain. Yes, the evidence met the criteria listed on pages 512-513. The author used the accuracy, the adequacy,…

    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Comm 204 Final Exam Essay

    • 4407 Words
    • 18 Pages

    Critical/criticism – Pay careful attention to a text, can be either positive or negative, not taking things at face value, What is being assumed? What are the consequences?; a critical approach to communication is an approach that asks questions in order to understand communication from different methods and perspectives…

    • 4407 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    e. But what about...? (That seems at odds with what we said before, what the author…

    • 603 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A. Using evidence from the article, outline a rationale in support of this position. Be sure to discuss the…

    • 503 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Much like a Personal/Reflective Response Essay, this assignment asks you to read an essay critically, briefly summarize its main points, and respond to those main points or ideas. In this case, however, your audience is a more academic one.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Part B: Identify specific information from your sources that can be used as supporting evidence in your essay.…

    • 684 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In light of the problem presented and the position taken, I will analyze the passage. I will demonstrate that the author's position is not justified by critically evaluating logical fallacies, narrow usage of concepts and lack of definition, unacceptability and insufficiency of claims. A macro level appraisal of the passage will also be provided.…

    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    10A2 UnitActivity 1

    • 664 Words
    • 4 Pages

    a. Identify and summarize the arguments made by the writer of each article, and quote the facts provided as supporting evidence. Note at least three arguments and the corresponding facts.…

    • 664 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Seat Belt Research Paper

    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages

    2. I believe this article is helpful because I can use the factual evidence and present it in my paper.…

    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    3. How credible is the author on his/her subject and what are some potential biases the author may have had?…

    • 241 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    sociology summary

    • 1267 Words
    • 6 Pages

    3. From the data collected, what are the author’s most important arguments contained in the article. Thoroughly explain the data used by the author to support the arguments.…

    • 1267 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mapping an Argument

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Overall Comments:Hi Kimberly,Thank you so much for turning in this assignment. You have offered a competent mapping of the articles. You have generally identified the issues, premises, and conclusions and offered a substantive explanation for each. Your post is addresses all points in the assignment. Better organization of the writing would have strengthened the paper. Several mechanical and formatting changes are present. See comments above and in the text for specifics.Good work on this assignment! I hope this assignment has helped you clarify concepts relating to analyzing arguments to identify the issues, premises, and conclusions.…

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Life History Theory

    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Provide a one to two paragraph critique of the article. Describe whether you agree or disagree with the author’s arguments and explain why.…

    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Critical Thinking

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Remember that your task here is to evaluate the author's argument as objectively as possible, not to give your own opinions on the issue. Be sure to use the analytical points as set out in the book, not your own thoughts on the issue.…

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays