Tutoring and Testing Center

Analysis/

CRITICAL ESSAY
Evaluation

Characteristics of a Critical Essay

 The purpose is to analyze and evaluate a work (a book, a theory, a plan of action)
(Note: Analysis means to break down and study the parts. Evaluate means to assess strengths and weaknesses).
 Writer’s position is supported with detailed evidence documented by quotes and paraphrases
 Begins with an examination of the work
 Written in 3rd person (using “it”, “he”, “she”, “they”), uses formal language to discuss someone or something

 Sample focus of the paper:

o An analysis of “The Bean Eaters,” by Gwendolyn Brooks
o An analysis of President Bush’s position on educational policy

WARNING: If the purpose of your writing is not to critique, but rather to inform or to persuade a reader
about something, it is possible you have wandered into the wrong essay. Please check our other handouts on
the Expository and Persuasive Essays to find the most appropriate one for your writing purpose.

When writing a paper, you should follow these six steps. This handout guides you through the six steps for writing
a Critical Essay.

Step 1. Organizing your Thoughts (Brainstorming)

Step 2. Researching your Topic
Step 3. Developing a Thesis Statement
Step 4. Writing the Introduction
Step 5. Writing the Body of the Essay
Step 6. Writing the Conclusion

Step 1: Organizing your Thoughts (Brainstorming)

Believe it or not, there is almost no topic on which your mind will draw a complete blank. Even if you know very
little about the subject matter, you are likely to respond based on something you heard or read on the topic, or even
your basic values. It is imperative to take an inventory of what you know first. This kind of brainstorming can be
done in a number of ways:

 Free writing – writing quickly, without stopping, editing, or self-correcting to become

aware of what you already know, think, or feel on a topic
 Subject tree – related ideas, connecting outwards from the main topic, in a tree form
(See illustration 1)
 List – free flow of ideas on a topic (See illustration 2)
 Clustering – main topic is in the middle circle, all related associations are linked to
the main topic (See illustration 3)
 Outline – framework of an essay, which includes main points, followed by the breakdown
into sub-points (See illustration 4)

1
Below are visual illustrations of these brainstorming methods. When using them, simply rely on what you already
know on the topic – facts, opinions, emotions, or concerns.

Subject Tree List

Smoking Summer Winter

Hot Cold
Beach Uncomfortable
Disease Addiction Little clothes Short days
Long days Hypothermia
Costs Hurts family Costs Bad example Lazy Skiing
Sun radiation Layers of clothes

Illustration 1 Illustration 2

Cluster Outline
I. Introduction
Dangerous
1. What is depression
2. Thesis – Depression is a complex condition
as evident in its causes/symptoms/treatments
Drunk
II. Body
driving 1. Causes of depression
2. Symptoms of depression
Changes Costly 3. Treatments of depression
lives III. Conclusion
1. Why is studying depression important
2. Reiterate causes/symptoms/treatments
3. Consequences of depression

Illustration 3 Illustration 4

This is not the time for evaluating your ideas; instead, it is the time for an outpour of ideas on all background
knowledge you have on the topic. Once your thoughts are on paper, you can start organizing them by grouping
ideas and identifying areas where more information is required.

Step 2: Researching your Topic

Research may require going to a library or searching online. All research should be current (check with your
instructor for acceptable time frames). Acceptable sources are reference works, books, and scholarly articles by
experts. Encyclopedias and popular magazines should not be used in academic writing.

When using information from a Web site, evaluate the site for timeliness and reputability. Also, consider the site’s
purpose, the reliability of its sponsors, and credibility of the author. Make sure to collect all necessary reference
information in order to give credit to the authors. Refer to our Plagiarism handout for tips on how to avoid
plagiarism.

NOTE: The two steps – organization of thoughts and research of the topic – interrelate. In other words,
organizing your thoughts may identify gaps in your knowledge, which may lead you to conduct necessary
research. However, once you conduct research, you should re-organize your thoughts to evaluate the clarity of
the topic.

Step 3: Developing a Thesis Statement

2
Developing a thesis statement is like building a bridge. In a bridge, the cross-beam
(driveway) has to be held up by strong columns in order for the bridge to function.
Similarly, a thesis has two main components – a claim and the supporting details
that sustain it. In the bridge analogy, a cross-beam represents a claim, and the
columns represent supporting details.

Claim
A claim is a one-sentence statement that
 Makes an assertion or takes a stance CLAIM
 Is based on a generalization
S S S
 Is not a fact U U U
P P P
 Is debatable P P P
 Must be presented in the introduction of the essay O
R
O
R
O
R
T T T
When making a claim, ask yourself any of the following: 1 2 3

 What point am I trying to make?

 What am I trying to say?
Example

 What am I getting at?

Civil Rights Movement occurred in the 1960s. (Weak because it states a fact, which is not debatable)
Civil Rights Movement had a tremendous impact on the American society. (Stronger because it presents a position)

Supporting Details
Supporting details provide the means for reinforcing the claim, and can be organized in different patterns –
1) categories or topics; 2) time frames or chronological periods; and 3) causes or effects.

Thesis Statement
To create a thesis statement, combine the claim and the supporting details in one sentence. The direction of your
essay can change depending on the pattern in which you organize the supporting details.

Supporting details organized The Civil Rights Movement had a tremendous impact on
into categories: the American society, as evident in the changes that occurred
within the legal, moral, and cultural systems.

Supporting details organized The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the American
into time frames: society can be traced through the three stages of the Movement –
the early years (1950s), the central fight (1960-1970s), and the
Example

post-movement years (1980 and after).

Supporting details organized The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act 1965,
into causes: and President Johnson’s Affirmative Action Executive Order of
1965 were the most impactful accomplishments of the Civil
Rights Movement within the American society.

NOTE: Writing is a fluid process. As you complete your essay, you may realize that your thesis needs to be
modified to reflect your position better.

3
Step 4: Writing the Introduction
The introduction is the most general part of the paper. It helps provide a roadmap for further discussion or analysis.
This simplified formula offers components for a basic introduction:

Definition: Identify, define, and/or describe the topic, concept, or literary theme. What will you be talking
about?
Relevance: Show the importance of your topic, concept or theme. How does it relate to or impact society?
Thesis: Copy the thesis statement you generated in the previous step.

Topic: Civil Rights Movement

Definition: The Civil Rights Movement of 1960s sought to gain equality for African Americans. It
Example

was a period of unrest and rebellion within the American society.

Relevance: As a result of the movement, African Americans, for the first time, acquired access to the
opportunities and services previously denied.
Thesis: The Civil Rights Movement had a tremendous impact on the American society, as evident
in the changes within the legal, moral, and cultural systems.

Step 5: Writing the Body of the Essay

The body of the essay is the most detailed part. It involves addressing each supporting detail in a separate fully-
developed paragraph. Make sure to include the necessary evidence from your research.

It is imperative that each supporting detail be announced or introduced within the text. This introduction is called a
topic sentence and it is found at the beginning of a paragraph. The topic sentence is a statement you make about
the supporting detail.

Topic sentence 1: As a result of the Civil Rights Movement, the United States’ legal system went
through drastic modifications.
Example

Topic sentence 2: The moral structure of the American society has also experienced a fundamental
shift.
Topic sentence 3: Finally, the face of the American culture changed as a result of the Civil Rights
Movement.

Step 6: Writing the Conclusion

Conclusion brings the paper to a close. It should be similar to the introduction, but worded differently. It allows
you to reiterate and summarize the main points of the essay. The following components comprise a conclusion:

Relevance: Repeat the importance of your topic.

Review: Reiterate the points you discussed.
Summary: Summarize your conclusions.

Relevance: In conclusion, the fight for civil rights proved to be a turning point in American society.
Example

Review: This paper reviewed the influence of the movement on the legal, moral, and cultural
systems of the United States.
Summary: Clearly, the changes initiated by the Civil Rights Movement altered the structure of the
American Society.