Critical Writing and Review PDF

Assignment To review: 1. Movie - Scarlett (2020) 2. Music - Burna Boy, "Common person" 3. Drama/play - Bayo Afolabi, "To the Stars" 4. Book - Chimamanda Adichie "Americanah" 5. The Motion statue in front of the VC's office INTRODUCTION Critical Writing and Reviewing is a two credit-unit course desig...

Assignment To review: 1. Movie - Scarlett (2020) 2. Music - Burna Boy, "Common person" 3. Drama/play - Bayo Afolabi, "To the Stars" 4. Book - Chimamanda Adichie "Americanah" 5. The Motion statue in front of the VC's office INTRODUCTION Critical Writing and Reviewing is a two credit-unit course designed to drill students of journalism or mass communication in the principles of critical writing and reviewing and in the theories and methods of criticism. This course guides you in the preparation for journalistic use of various kinds of critical articles and reviews dealing with the fine and popular arts. The course is designed for professional and academic needs of students running first degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS COURSE The overall aim of this course is to expose you to the basic concepts in journalistic criticism as a means of giving guidance in reporting and criticising the arts. The meaning, structure, components and functions of criticism will be treated along with creative essentials of critical writing. This course will also assist you to appreciate the major differences between a review and critical article and their similarities with other forms of writing. Your understanding of Critical Writing and Reviewing will prepare you to be schooled in the fine and popular arts and mastery in knowledge of the arts will help you surmount challenges that go with analysis and appreciation of value of arts in our lives.The course will stimulate students to think and write about the arts critically and professionally. It will enhance students’ understanding of power of arts not only as a source of treasure but a means of knowledge and a guide to action. The course will nurture the students into professional art critics who will appreciate the power of the fine and popular arts in our individual and collective lives. COURSE AIMS The major aim of this course is to expose you to the general principles and practices of critical writing and reviewing, this will help you to learn how to apply the basic techniques of criticism and be an increasingly effective critic of value. The course also aims at helping you realise the full extent of your responsibility as a critical journalist; so as to remain aware of your readers’ needs, but go beyond these to assist readers in forming and tastes. COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of this course, you should be able to: explain how to appreciate the fine and popular arts and apply the basic principles of criticism in reporting and evaluating them discuss the approaches, components and techniques of critical writing and how to write critical articles and reviews on the fine and popular arts. MODULE 1 Unit 1 ​Meaning of Critical Writing Unit 2 ​Critical Writing and Critical Thinking Unit 3 ​Critical Writing and other Forms of Writing UNIT 1 ​ MEANING OF CRITICAL WRITING 1 ​ Definition of Critical Writing 2 ​ What it Means to be Critical INTRODUCTION The fine arts such as painting, sculpture, architecture and the popular arts (motion pictures, radio, television, photography) though neglected, underrated and underreported have remained a critical part of human life. They prove how far man has gone in his civilisation. When properly explored and exploited, the arts offer tremendous economic and sociopolitical opportunities. The arts are treasures in themselves, and the use of the arts to criticise society has continued to draw the ire of leaders, all over the world. Power of the arts has, thus, placed enormous responsibility on professional communicators to, not only help readers have value for money, but also preserve the values of truthfulness and openness in our society. This unit defines critical writing with particular emphasis on what it means to be critical. Definition of Critical Writing Criticism is an appraisal, evaluation or judgment offered on a piece of art, performance or production- which may be positive, negative or both. Criticism implies a deeper knowledge of the art, performance or production under consideration; it also implies an understanding of the standards of measurement. C. T. Winchester (Wolseley, 1973), one of the classic writers on the subject defines criticism as: “the intelligent appreciation of any work of art, and by consequence, the just estimate of its value and rank” and “the general nature of the functions of criticism is much the same whether the object criticised be literature, or painting, or sculpture, or painting”. Wilson (2000) says critical writing is the literary art of assessing or examining the merit of any work or art and giving judgment on it; an art which is employed in the textual criticism of books, artistic and aesthetic appreciation of plays, movies, music, creative and fine arts and other public events. It, usually, involves a detailed critical examination, marked by careful attention to the history, origin (an inward look at its type) set against standards that seem universal. Pope (2002: 43) identifies four basic meanings of criticism, namely: finding fault and pulling to pieces [the text] in a negative sense analysing and pulling to pieces [the text] in the neutral sense of taking apart interpreting [the text] with a view to establishing [its] meaning and understanding evaluating [the text] with a view to establishing [its] relative or absolute worth. Critical writing, then, is the writing of essays and articles either for broadcast or publication which appreciates and judges the arts. It is an expression of opinion which may be positive or negative. From the foregoing, it can be concluded that critical writing: appreciates or shows a clear perception of the aesthetic qualities of an object, performance or production and passes judgment because it, basically, evaluates the value of a work of art, necessarily, on qualities which make it a unique work of art expresses an opinion about a performance, a book, a recital, a dance, an art, exhibition, a movie, or some other evidence of an art demands that you have deep knowledge of the subject matter or that you know your field and be familiar with the standards of measurements and of looking at all aspects or parts of a text, object, performance or production. As Wolseley (1973) concludes, critical writing is informed by a sense of discussion. If critical reading is the attention we pay to the relationship we have with language, critical writing is the attention we pay to sharing that relationship with others. 2 ​ What it Means to be Critical At this level, to be critical does not mean to criticise in a negative manner. Rather, it requires you to question the information and opinions in a text, object, performance or production and present your evaluation or judgment. To do this well, you should attempt to understand the subject matter from different perspectives and in relation to the theories, approaches and frameworks in your course. Basically, to criticise means to appreciate and to pass judgment with some measure of analysis. To appreciate is to have a clear perception of the aesthetic qualities of an object. To judge is to evaluate. Evaluation is the process of examining a subject and rating it based on its important features. To evaluate is to pass judgment upon or to indicate the value of a work of art. We determine how much or how little we value something, arriving at our judgment on the basis of criteria that we can define. Here, you decide the strengths and weaknesses, usually, based on specific criteria. Evaluation requires an understanding of not just the content of the object, but also an understanding of its purpose, the intended audience and why it is structured the way it is. Analysis requires separating the content and concepts of an object into their main components, and then understanding how these interrelate, connect and, possibly, influence each other. Critical writing is common for research, postgraduate and advanced undergraduate writing. It has all the features of persuasive writing, with the added feature of at least one other point of view. While persuasive writing requires you to have your own point of view on an issue or topic, critical writing requires you to consider at least two points of view, including your own. For example, you may explain a researcher's interpretation or argument and then evaluate the merits of the argument, or give your own alternative interpretation. Examples of critical writing assignments include a critique of a journal article, or a literature review that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of existing research. The kinds of instructions for critical writing include: 'critique', 'debate', 'disagree' and 'evaluate'. You need to: accurately summarise all or part of the work. This could include identifying the main interpretations, assumptions or methodology. have an opinion about the work. Appropriate types of opinion could include pointing out some problems with it, proposing an alternative approach that would be better, and/or defending the work against the critiques of others. provide evidence for your point of view. Depending on the specific assignment and the discipline, different types of evidence may be appropriate, such as logical reasoning, reference to authoritative sources and/or research data. Critical writing requires strong writing skills. You need to thoroughly understand the topic and the issues. You need to develop an essay structure and paragraph structure that allows you to analyse different interpretations and develop your own argument, supported by evidence. KEY TAKEAWAYS In this unit, you have been exposed to the concept of criticism and how you can be critical in your writing. Also, this unit has made it clear to you that criticism is, at once, an appreciation, an evaluation or judgment and an opinion based on deep knowledge of the subject matter and standards of measurements. You have also been made to know that criticism concentrates on the results of an artist’s efforts and is directed at the fine or popular arts to indicate their value. It, therefore, offers the journalistic critic a powerful skill for intelligent evaluation of any work of art. This unit has exposed you to the meaning of criticism and what it takes to be critical. UNIT 2 ​ CRITICAL ​ WRITING ​ AND ​ CRITICAL THINKING 1 ​ Definition of Critical 2 ​ Requirements for Effective Critical Thinking 3 ​ Critical Writing and Thinking ​ INTRODUCTION Critical writing and thinking encompass much of what we do when using our brains. Critical writing and thinking skills, particularly, are not restricted to a particular subject area, but are at the heart of what it means to be a scientist, researcher, scholar or professional in any field. Whatever you are studying, critical thinking is the key to learning and to making progress. Definition of Critical Thinking Critical thinking has been variously defined over the past 80 years. Let us consider some of the definitions of critical thinking which have been put forth. According to Dewey, critical thinking involves “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends” (Dewey, 1933, p. 118). Furthermore, take a look at the following definitions: i. critical thinking “is analytical and strategic, linking knowledge bases to practice strategies” (Price, 2004, p. 47) ii. “critical thinking…includes interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, presenting arguments, reflection, and dispositions” (Jones, et al., 1995) From these definitions, there appears to be a consensus to the effect that critical thinking is the mental process of actively and skillfully analysing, synthesising, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion. It is a process by which we use our knowledge and intelligence to effectively arrive at the most reasonable and justifiable positions on issues. ​ Critical Writing and Critical Thinking Critical thinking involves both reading and writing, critically. Reading critically means examining different points of view with an open and enquiring mind, evaluating your own position, and drawing conclusions as to whether a particular point of view is persuasive. Writing critically means presenting your conclusions in a clear and well-reasoned way to persuade others. Clear thinking helps to produce clear journalistic writing. In critical writing, just as in other forms of journalistic writing, the journalist must be able to think, critically, as well as clearly. Critical thinking, Wolseley (1973:7) says, demands certain mental equipment: a measure of objectivity o ​ realisation of the climate of opinion awareness of the methods of making estimates or arriving at judgment perspective gained through knowledge of the art being evaluated and understanding of the audience. These qualities separate the journalistic critic from virtually all his peers in journalism. Not every journalist possesses these qualities, of course; but these can all, necessarily, be achieved by the student through study and practice 2 ​ Requirements for Effective Critical Thinking According to Cottrell (2005) and Allen (2004), critical thinking shares the following skills with critical writing. Analysis- (identifying, classifying, categorising, comparing); examine the material by breaking it into its component parts to better understand the parts and the whole, that is, examine how the key components fit together and relate to each other or otherwise identify the intended and actual inferential relationships among statements, questions, concepts, descriptions, or other forms of representation intended to express belief, judgment, experiences, reasons, information, or opinion. Synthesis (organising, connecting, designing, predicting)- to synthesise is to weave together material from several sources, including your personal, prior knowledge, to create a new whole; making connections between the parts and the whole to see the pattern of relationships; that is, bring together different sources of information to serve an argument or idea you are constructing. Make logical connections between the different sources that help you shape and support your ideas. Interpretation (associating, inferring, decoding)-this entails examining the connection (s) between the parts and the whole to make inferences about the implications and meanings of the pattern(s). That is, comprehending and expressing meaning or significance of wide variety of experiences, situations, data, events, judgments, conventions, beliefs, rules, procedures, or criteria. Evaluation (justifying, critiquing, verifying, and deciding)- this means forming judgments about meanings, qualities and values; that is, you are assessing the credibility of statements or other representations which are accounts or descriptions of a person's perception, experience, situation, judgment, belief, or opinion. As well, evaluation relates to assessing the logical strength of the actual or intended inferential relationships among statements, descriptions, questions, or other forms of representation Inference- when you look for inference, you are seeking to understand what is suggested or implied, but not stated; also you are seeking to identify and secure elements needed to draw reasonable conclusions; to form conjectures and hypotheses. To consider relevant information & to educe the consequences flowing from data, statements, principles, evidence, ​ judgments, ​ beliefs, ​ opinions, ​ concepts, ​ descriptions, questions, or other forms of representation. Explanation- Here, you state the results of your reasoning and justify your reasoning in terms of evidential, conceptual, methodological, and contextual considerations upon which your results were based ; and you present your reasoning in the form of cogent arguments. Self-regulation- this means, consciously, applying skills in analysis and evaluation to your own inferential judgments with a view toward questioning, confirming, validating, or correcting someone's reasoning or results. KEY TAKEAWAYS In this unit, you learnt that critical thinking is the process of applying reasoned and disciplined thinking to a subject. To do well even in your studies, you need to think 'critically' about the things you have read, seen or heard. Acquiring critical thinking skills helps you to develop more reasoned arguments and draw out the inferences that you need to use in your assignments, projects, examination, and later, in your work as a critic. These skills are essential if you want to obtain high grades in your university study and, like other skills, they improve with practice. This unit provides a general orientation to critical writing and critical thinking. It examines what is meant by ‘critical thinking’; the skills associated with it, the relationship between critical writing and critical thinking, and the affinity critical writing shares with other forms of writing. UNIT 3 ​ CRITICAL WRITING AND OTHER FORMS OF WRITING 1. Critical Writing and Broadcast Commentary 2. Critical Writing and Editorial 3. Critical Writing and News Writing 4. ​ Critical Writing and Feature Writing 5. Critical Writing and Column Writing INTRODUCTION Critical writing shares affinity with other forms of journalism. This unit shall examine the relationship between critical writing and other forms of writing in order to help you distinguish them. 1. Critical Writing and Broadcast Commentary Critical writing and broadcast commentary express opinions, and both are subjective writing. Both provide the reader with a critical view and hope to convince and influence; but critical writing, basically, evaluates and appreciates what makes an object or idea a work of art, and necessarily, a unique work of art. Critical writing makes use of tastes and standards to determine how the object may be perceived by the reader. Broadcast commentary does not, necessarily, appreciate. It is, mainly, to point out an anomaly, correct a wrong, prove a point or explain a process or concept or simply tell a story to amuse or amaze. Both critical writing and broadcast commentary, however, demand that you have deep knowledge of the subject matter. Critical writing, particularly, insists that you be familiar with the standards of measurements 2 ​ Critical Writing and Editorial The editorial and the critical article all express opinion; they evaluate, interpret, and are subjective and hope to influence. An editorial could be defined as a corporate voice of a medium on issues of public interest; it is an opinion a newspaper writes to inform or explain, persuade or convince, and stimulate insight, sometimes, in an entertaining or humorous manner. Critical writing does all that and also offers some measure of entertainment. A humorous piece of criticism, certainly, is a must read. Aside from influencing readers, criticism also serves as a guide to the reader. A book review for instance, says Wolseley (1973), must tell the reader what the book is all about (information), what the critic thinks of the book (opinion, influence), whether the book is worth spending time on (guidance); and also, entertain the reader (humour). 3. Critical Writing and News Writing Critical writing shares characteristics with news stories. There are, however, obvious departing lines. A traditional news story is an objective journalistic piece. It is a straightforward presentation of facts, a recounting of factual and timely events devoid of personal opinion. Critical writing for journalism is not news report of art shows. Critical writing emphasises opinion, but news writing emphasises information. A news report of art shows is not critical writing