03_Handout_1(24).pdf

ASSH2005 The Reaction Paper, Review, and Critique I. Reaction Paper Also known as a response paper, it is an essay that conveys the writer’s reaction to one or several t...

ASSH2005 The Reaction Paper, Review, and Critique I. Reaction Paper Also known as a response paper, it is an essay that conveys the writer’s reaction to one or several texts or films that he or she has read or seen (Lund University, 2017). A response paper is often structured in the following way:  In the introduction, the material (e.g., book, article, film) that has been read or seen is introduced, and the focus of the response paper is stated. In this section, include the title and author or creator of the material and your thesis or argument.  In the body, one or several specific issues are brought up for examination. Give reasons behind your reaction or perception. In any case, it is preferable that you strictly focus on the text you are analyzing. This is because you have to validate your reasons for your opinion by adding theoretical content that supports your observation. In the succeeding paragraphs, state other reactions or opinions. It is, however, imperative that you use personal indicators such as “in my opinion”, “I suppose”, “I think”, or “I believe”.  In the conclusion, the thesis/argument (i.e., the response to the material that has been read or watched) is summed up, and some conclusion is offered. You can also wrap up your paper by challenging the target audience or the author of that work that you are reacting to. Listed below are some guide questions that you can use in writing your reaction paper:  How is the material (e.g., movie, literary piece, article, book) related to ideas and concerns discussed in the course for which you are preparing the paper?  How is the work related to problems in our present-day world?  How is the material related to your life, experiences, feelings, and ideas? For instance, what emotions did the work arouse in you?  Did the work increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way? II. Review A review describes, analyzes, and evaluates a work. A review may give you the main information about a piece of work. For example, if the review is about a play, it’ll describe who created the play, who were the actors, where the play was performed, what genre it is, the theme of the play, etc. The reviewer will also comment on the quality of the work, overall impression, and his/her personal opinions (pediaa.com. 2016). This is the structure of a review paper:  Introduction This part contains the purpose and importance of the review, its scope, and the organizational pattern.  Body Each paragraph in the body should deal with a different theme that is relevant to the topic. In this part, you will need to synthesize several of your reviewed readings so that there is a clear connection between the various sources. Also, you will need to critically analyze each source for how they contribute to the themes you are researching.  Conclusion The conclusion should summarize the main agreements and/or disagreements in the work and the reviewer’s overall perspective on the topic. 03 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 2  ASSH2005 III. Critique According to the Queensland University of Technology (2020), “a critique is a genre of academic writing that briefly summarizes and critically evaluates a work or concept. Critiques can be used to carefully analyze a variety of works such as creative works (e.g., novels, exhibits, film, images, poetry), research (e.g., journal articles, theories, monographs), and media (e.g., news reports, feature articles)”. Unlike the review, which can be written by anyone, critiques are written by a critic or an expert on a particular field. Because of this, a critique is expected to contain an in-depth or technical analysis of a material as its writer has the authority to comment on the work being evaluated. A critique has three (3) parts:  Introduction The introduction should contain the following: a. title of the work, the date it was created, and the name of the author or creator b. the main argument or purpose of the work c. a short description of the context in which the work was created (e.g., social/political context, place, the relationship of the work, and the creator’s life) d. a concluding sentence that indicates either your evaluation is positive, negative, or mixed  Summary This contains a brief description of the main points and objectives of your critique by evaluating the techniques, styles, media, characters, or symbols used in the work.  Critical evaluation This section contains a systematic and detailed assessment of the different elements of work that evaluates how well the creator was able to achieve his/her purpose. In creative work, you may want to assess the plot structure, characterization, and dialogue. On the other hand, an assessment of a painting would look at composition, brush strokes, color, and light. Meanwhile, a critique of a research project would include the timeliness of the subject or topic, design of the experiment, analysis of data, and conclusion. Examples of key critical questions that could help your assessment include: a. Who is the creator? Is the work presented objectively or subjectively? b. What are the aims of the work? Were the aims achieved? c. What techniques, styles, media were used in the work? Are they effective in portraying the purpose? d. What assumptions underlie the work? Do they affect its validity? e. What types of evidence or persuasion are used? Has evidence been interpreted fairly? f. How is the work structured? Does it favor a particular interpretation or point of view? Is it effective? g. Does the work enhance understanding of key ideas or theories? Does the work engage (or fail to engage) with key concepts or other works in its discipline? References: Difference between critique and review. (2016, May 30). https://pediaa.com/difference-between-critique-and-review/ Lund University. (2017, July 16). Response papers. https://awelu.srv.lu.se/genres-and-text-types/writing-in-academic-genres/the-essay-format/response- papers/#:~:text=A%20response%20paper%20is%20a,or%20a%20work%20of%20fiction. Queensland University of Technology. (2020, April 28). Writing a critique. https://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/critique.jsp 03 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 2