Q1 MODULE 4 WRITING A REVIEW/CRITIQUE

What I Need to Know

Introduction

Everyone has his own opinion on everything. Different beliefs and preferences may
greatly influence a person’s view. In the academe, you may be asked to give your views on
certain concepts or works, but this involves more than just stating opinions. You have to create
evaluations based on facts and evidences to create reliable reviews.
This module is exclusively prepared for you to help you master how to write reviews or
critiques. The exercises and assessments are carefully made to suit your level of
understanding. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning
situations. The language used recognizes your diverse vocabulary level.
Independently, you will go through this module following its proper sequence. There
will be a pre-test, activities, and a post-test that you will have to accomplish to complete this
module. Although you are going to do it alone, this is a self-guided module designed for your
convenience.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this module, you are expected to achieve the following objectives:
A. define critique and review;
B. define the critical approaches used to write a critique;
C. use the appropriate critical approaches in academic texts; and
D. write an objective/balanced review or critique of a work of art, an event or a
program.

What is it?

A Reaction/Review or a Critique Paper is a response, or reaction, to some sort of

prompt. The prompt may be a question, a current, event, or a form of media, including movies
or video clips. It is an important rhetorical pattern in academic writing as it presents a balanced
view of things. It is also based not only on personal perspective but should be grounded on
actual observations.

Critiques can be used to carefully analyze a variety of works such as:

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• Creative works – novels, exhibits, film, images, poetry

• Research – monographs, journal articles, systematic reviews, theories
• Media – news reports, feature articles
Writing a critique on a work helps us to develop:
• A knowledge of the work’s subject area or related works.
• An understanding of the work’s purpose, intended audience, development of
argument, structure of evidence or creative style.
• A recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of the work.
The Critique should be organized in the following manner:
• The first part should provide a sense of the ideas you want to tackle.
• The next part should provide a summary of the topic.
• Strengths and weaknesses should be part of the critique.

The following critical approaches will guide you on writing your review, reaction paper or
critique. These approaches will help you focus on the more important aspects to examine,
analyze and evaluate.

1. FEMINISM – It focuses on how culture determines gender. This approach centers on

how gender equality is presented in the text. It revolves on how gender issues and
other aspects of human production are presented, zooms in on how women are
oppressed by patriarchy, and highlights how patriarchal ideology is an overpowering
presence.

Questions to be asked for Feministic Approach:

• How are women’s lives portrayed in the work?
• Is the form and content of the work influenced by the writer’s gender?
• How do male and female characters relate to one another? Are these
relationships sources of conflict? Are these conflicts resolved?
• Does the work challenge or affirm traditional views of women?
• How do the images of women in the story reflect patriarchal social forces that
have impeded women’s efforts to achieve full equality with men?
• What marital expectations are imposed on the characters? What effects do
these expectations have?
• What behavioral expectations are imposed on the characters? What effects do
these expectations have?

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• If a female character were male, how would the story be different (and vice
versa)?
• How does the marital status of a character affect her decisions or happiness?

2. MARXIST CRITICISM – It highlights the social class as represented in the work. It

gives relevance on the social class of the writer/creator, importance on the conflicts
and interactions between classes, and focus on the social class of the characters.

3. FORMALISM – It focuses on style, form and content without relating to external

context. Based on this approach, the way to understand a text is through analyzing the
text itself. Each work is treated as a distinct work of art. Intrinsic properties must be the
focus.

Questions to Ask in Formalistic Approach:

• How is the work’s structure unified?
• How do various elements of the work reinforce its meaning?
• What recurring patterns (repeated or related words, images, etc.) can you find?
• What is the effect of these patterns or motifs?
• How does repetition reinforce the theme(s)?
• How does the writer’s diction reveal or reflect the work’s meaning?
• What is the effect of the plot, and what parts specifically produce that effect?
• What figures of speech are used? (metaphors, similes, etc.)
• Note the writer’s use of paradox, irony, symbol, plot, characterization, and style
of narration.
• What effects are produced? Do any of these relate to one another or to the
theme?
• Is there a relationship between the beginning and the end of the story?
• What tone and mood are created at various parts of the work?
• How does the author create tone and mood? What relationship is there
between tone and mood and the effect of the story?
• How do the various elements interact to create a unified whole?

4. READER RESPONSE CRITICISM – It is concerned with viewers’ reaction as the

audience of the work. It deals with the interaction between the reader and the text in
creating meaning, and works on the impact of the reader’s delivery of sounds and
visuals on enhancing and changing meaning.

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What is balanced/objective review or criticism?

It is a system of interpreting, judging, and assessing a person, thing, or any work of art
not influenced by feelings or opinions in considering and presenting facts. It is a systematic
way of considering the truthfulness of a piece of work.

To have balanced/objective review of any piece of work, the following are considered:

1. Description. It pertains to the pure description of the object, piece of work, art,
event, etc. It answers the questions:
a. What do you see? (artwork). Its description constitutes form of art, medium,
size and scale, elements or general shapes, color, texture of surface, and
context of object).
b. What do you see? (piece of writing). It constitutes form, structure, choice of
words, length, genre, etc)

2. Analysis. It determines what the features suggest and deciding why the artist or
writers used such features to convey specific ideas. It answers the questions:
a. How did the artist do it? (artwork)
b. How did the writer write it? (piece of writing)
The analysis constitutes the following: determination of subject matter,
analysis of the principles of design or composition, use of symbol and other
elements, portrayal of movement and how it is achieved, effect of particular
medium, relationships of each part of the composition to the whole and to each
other part, and reaction to object.

3. Interpretation. It establishes the broader context for this type of art. It answers the
questions:
a. Why did the artist create it and what does it mean? (artwork)
b. Why did the write create it and what does it mean? (piece of writing)
Remember: you shouldn’t make your interpretation too arbitrary! Provide
evidence and point out what exactly influenced your understanding of the
artwork.

Here are the elements that you can include in your interpretation:

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• How does this art object make you feel?

• What do you think of when you’re looking at the artwork?
• What did the artist want to tell you as a viewer?
• What do you think about the title of the work? Does it influence your
interpretation?
• If you can’t understand a painting or a sculpture, don’t hurry to give a
negative response to it. Think of other critics who have provided a
positive evaluation of the examined artwork. It doesn’t mean you
shouldn’t have your opinion! All you need is to find a good way to
express it.
E.g., in this painting, the artist wanted to show us the king’s personality and
achievements.
The interpretation constitutes: (a) Main idea (overall meaning of the work),
(b) Interpretive Statement (Can I express what I think the artwork is about in
one sentence), and (c) Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork
supports my interpretation?).

4. Judgment. It judges a piece of work means giving it rank in relation to other works
and of course considering a very important aspect of the visual arts; its
originality. It answers the questions “Is it a good artwork?” Is it a good
composition?

Here are some points that can help you write your judgment:
• Do you think the work is successful or not?
• Does this art object seem original or not?
• What do you feel when looking at this piece of artwork?
• Go back to your first impression. Has anything changed? What did you
learn?
• If nothing changed, explain your first reaction to the work.
• What have you learned from this work that you might apply to your own
artwork or your thinking?

What’s More

Activity 1: What’s on the Table?

Directions: Complete the table by writing down the concepts being asked.

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What does it focus

Critical Approach What is it? How is it done?
on?

Feminist

Marxist

Formalist

Reader Response

What I Have Learned

Complete this statement:

Knowing how to write a critique/review is important because…
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What I Can Do

Activity 1
Directions: Look for a reaction paper/review/critique of a book or movie then answer the
following questions:
1. What is the author's main point?
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2. What points or opinions does the author make, and how do they back that up?
(evidences)
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3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the paper?
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4. Do you agree with the author’s claims? Explain.
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Prepared by:

SWEETCELLE AIRA J. GARCIA

Teacher II

References
A. Books
Valdez, P. N. M. (2016). English for the globalized classroom series: English for Academic and Professional
Purposes. Quezon City: The Phoenix Publishing House.

Saqueton, G. and Uychoco, M.T. 2016. English for Academic and Professional Purposes. Quezon City: Rex
Printing Company, Inc.
B. Electronic Files
Department of Education. Curriculum and Instruction Strand. K to 12 Most Essential Learning Competencies
with Corresponding CG Codes.
Department of Education. English for Academic and Professional Purposes. (2016). Teacher’s Guide. First
Edition.
Department of Education. English for Academic and Professional Purposes. (2016). Reader. First Edition.
C. Online Source
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/49493/i-carry-your-heart-with-mei-carry-it-in

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