Writing a Critique on an Article
Writing a critique on an article requires careful reading and thought about the topic. A critique isn’t meant to be simply a summary of the article but a thoughtful evaluation of the topic and the writer’s ability to present it.
If you want to know about writing a critique on an article then begin reading everything with a critical mind set. Ask yourself questions as you read and write down your opinions or answers. Your article critique will be based on the answers you’ve come up with in response to your questions. The more critiques you do, the more you will refine the types of questions that should be answered.
Writing a critique on an article becomes more interesting when you know what you should be looking for. Know the author. The writer’s background may hold clues as to why the author came up with the particular ideas and opinions on the article. Find out if there were certain events that led up to the writing of this article. Research the types of material that the author used in the writing of this article. Determine if the writer was able to effectively use the materials and research available to him for the creation of this article. Does the article raise more questions and are there opposing points of view? Does the writer indicate that he is aware of those questions and other points of views?
After reading the text and answering some of the questions that you have established. You are ready to evaluate the work. This may require you to do your own research in order to determine whether the author has accurate facts in the article. Determine whether the article is easy to read and understand. The author and perhaps yourself may have a clear understanding of a particular topic but would this be easy to read for someone who is completely new to this subject? Writing a critique on an article sometimes requires you to step back and read it as the majority of the readers out there. Ask if the author has included enough facts and arguments to support those facts?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you are ready for the next step, which is writing a critique on an article. Understand that your job is to critique the author’s style of research and writing on a particular topic and not the subject matter itself. Your job is to show other readers or potential readers what the article is about and give them a brief overall summary of the work. From this critique, readers may decide that they would like to read the article and find out what it’s all about.
For someone who has been assigned the task of writing a critique on an article, it helps to have an interest in the overall topic of the work. Having a good knowledge of the subject matter and better yet, having a passion for the subject will lend itself towards your ability to write a good critique. Most importantly, always remember that you are not discussing the topic. The writer already did that. Your job is to discuss the way the author wrote the article. Critique doesn’t mean to criticize. It’s basically giving your opinion in a thoughtful manner about a piece of work.






