Writing a Critical Essay

In a critical analysis essay, you systematically evaluate a work’s effectiveness including what it does well and
what it does poorly. It can be used to discuss a book, article or even a film. You must read the piece carefully
and may need to look up terms or concepts you are unfamiliar with or research related reading prior to writing
your essay.

Title of the Book/ Movie/ Documentary:

Author/s/ Director/ Casts:

Introduction
 state the title of the work, the author’s name and the date of publication
 outline main ideas of the book and identify the author’s thesis
 state your own thesis statement and your main idea about the work

The novel, The Metamorphosis, by Frank Kafka is an excellent story because the author... The article
“Narratives of intercultural transformation” by Ingrid Adams is informative and insightful because the
author...
Summary
 briefly outline the main ideas of the book, article or film
 should involve who, what, where, when, why and how
 you may also choose to discuss the structure, style or point of view

This book is about... The setting is...

The main character... The theme is...

The author argues that... The research was...

The main points are... The authors conclude...
Analysis
 critically state what you like and do not like about the book, article or film
 explain your ideas with specific examples from the book, article or film
 assess whether the author has achieved their intended goal
 the analysis may look at whether the work is
focused, understandable, persuasive, clear, informative
original, exciting, interesting, well-written
directed at the appropriate audience, meeting the purpose well researched, with appropriate conclusions, and more...

The analysis is made up of several different paragraphs.

Conclusion
 restate your thesis in new words
 summarize your main ideas if possible with new and stronger words

Historical Importance
 the historical significance of the book/ movie, etc.
 its total effect to the history of the Philippines
Rubric for Grading
STANDARD CRITICAL ESSAY RUBRIC
Excellent 5 Proficient 4 Satisfactory 3 Limited 2 Poor 1
Thought & Ideas are insightful, Ideas are thoughtful, Ideas are relevant & Ideas are superficial & Ideas are largely
Understanding demonstrating a demonstrating a well- straightforward, oversimplified absent or irrelevant
Effectiveness of comprehension of considered demonstrating a demonstrating a weak and/or do not develop
student ideas in subtle distinctions in comprehension of the generalized comprehension of the the topic. Little
relation to the literary texts and literary texts and the comprehension of the literary texts and the comprehension of the
assignment. the topic. Literary topic. Literary literary texts and the topic. Literary literary texts and/or
Quality of interpretations are interpretations are topic. Literary interpretations are topic is demonstrated.
literary perceptive and revealing and interpretations are incomplete and/or
interpretations & illuminating convincing. general but plausible. literal.
understanding
Supporting Support is explicit, Support is relevant, Support is adequate & Support is often Support is irrelevant,
Evidence precise and accurate and general, but inappropriate or is a over-generalized,
Selection & deliberately chosen to occasionally occasionally lacking in restatement of what was and/or lacking. The
quality of reinforce the student's deliberately chosen to persuasiveness & read and/or may be support, if present, is
evidence ideas in an effective reinforce the student's consistency. A repetitive, contradictory largely unrelated to
Integrated, and judicious way. A ideas in a logical & straightforward and/or lacking. The any idea that may be
synthesized and strong connection to clear way. A clear connection to the connection to the present.
developed to the student's ideas is connection to the student's ideas is student's ideas is vague
support student maintained. student's ideas is maintained. and/or unclear.
ideas maintained.
Form & An effective A considered A straightforward A discernible but A haphazard
Structure arrangement of ideas arrangement of ideas arrangement of ideas ineffectual arrangement arrangement of ideas
Coherent, and details contributes and details and details provides of ideas and details and details provides
focused, shaped to a fluent, controlled contributes to a direction for the provides some direction little or no direction
& concluded and shaped discussion competent controlled discussion that for the discussion that for the discussion, and
discussion that concludes discussion that concludes does not conclude a conclusion is absent
Unifying effect is skilfully. The unifying concludes functionally. The deliberately. A unifying or obscure. A unifying
developed and effect or controlling appropriately. The unifying effect or effect or controlling effect or controlling
maintained idea is successfully unifying effect or controlling idea is idea is not maintained. idea is absent.
sustained and controlling idea is presented and
integrated & sustained & maintained generally,
coherently presented. coherently presented. however, coherence
may falter.
Matters of Diction is precise & Diction is specific. Diction is adequate but Diction is imprecise Diction is over-
Choice effective. Syntactic Syntactic structures may be lacking in and/or inappropriate. generalized and/or
Diction, syntactic structures are are generally specificity. Syntactic Syntax is frequently inaccurate. Syntax is
structures effective & sometimes effective. Stylistic structures are awkward and/or confused and
(parallelism, polished. Stylistic choices contribute to generally clear, but immature. The writing uncontrolled. The
balance, choices contribute to a a competent attempts at complex may be vague, writing is unclear.
inversion) & confident composition composition with a structures may be redundant and/or Lack of language
voice with a convincing capable voice. awkward. Stylistic unclear. Inadequate choices contributes to
voice. choices contribute to a language choices a confusing
clear composition with contribute to a composition with an
a matter of fact voice. composition with an ineffective voice.
undiscerning or
uncritical voice.
Matters of This writing This writing This writing This writing This writing
Correctness demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates control demonstrates faltering demonstrates lack of
Sentence confidence in control competence in of the basics of correct control of correct control of correct
construction, of correct sentence control of correct sentence construction, sentence construction, sentence construction,
usage, grammar, construction, usage, sentence usage, grammar and usage, grammar and usage, grammar and
mechanics grammar and construction, usage, mechanics. There may mechanics. The range mechanics. Jarring
mechanics. The grammar, & be occasional lapses in of errors blurs the errors impair
relative absence of mechanics. Minor control and minor clarity of communication.
error is impressive errors in complex errors. However, the communication.
considering the language structures communication
complexity of the are understandable remains clear.
response & the considering the
circumstances. circumstances.