Missy
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The purpose for writing a critique is to evaluate somebody's work (a book, an essay, a movie, a painting...) in order to increase the reader's understanding of it. A critical analysis is subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or evaluation of a text. Analysis means to break down and study the parts. Writing a critical paper requires two steps: critical reading and critical writing.
Critical reading:
Identify the author's thesis and purpose
Analyze the structure of the passage by identifying all main ideas
Consult a dictionary or encyclopedia to understand material that is unfamiliar to you
Make an outline of the work or write a description of it
Write a summary of the work
Determine the purpose which could be
To inform with factual material
To persuade with appeal to reason or emotions
To entertain (to affect people's emotions)
Evaluate the means by which the author has accomplished his purpose
If the purpose is to inform, has the material been presented clearly, accurately, with order and coherence?
If the purpose is to persuade, look for evidence, logical reasoning, contrary evidence
If the purpose was to entertain, determine how emotions are affected: does it make you laugh, cry, angry? Why did it affect you?
Consider the following questions: How is the material organized? Who is the intended audience? What are the writer's assumptions about the audience? What kind of language and imagery does the author use?
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SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR CRITICAL ESSAY
After the passage under analysis has been carefully studied, the critique can be drafted using this sample outline.
I. Background information to help your readers understand...
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