Kadena Education Center, Tuesday/Thursday 1645-1930
Email: ecfullon@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.oocities.org/umuc_engl101/homepage.html
ENGL 101c - Critiques
The purpose of these assignments is for you to develop a critical perspective while sharpening your writing skills. The focus is on the process needed to read and write effectively for college-level requirements.
1. On a separate page, write a formal sentence outline of the essay you have chosen.
Include the thesis and the conclusion of the essay. (reference: LBH, pp. 37-41; see
example on LBH, pp. 744-745)
2. Write a formal critique. It should be a structured essay with an introduction, body
and conclusion. Start with a brief summary (2-3 sentences). Mention the title and
the author in the introduction. (See LBH, pp. 123-124 for a guide to writing a summary).
a. Critique 6, Cause and Effect (S&S, Chapter 7): due Tue, July 5 (Synthesis)
Choose two or more elements of the essay and discuss how those
elements work together to achieve and overall effect or meaning. Consider the
questions on LBH, p.136:
How do the elements relate to or reinforce one another?
What is the message and what point or points do the elements make together?
Are there other sources (e.g., author's bio) you can use to better understand the main idea?
How do outside sources support the overall effect or meaning being discussed?
(references: LBH, pp. 129-130, pp. 660-679 and S&S, pp. 193-198)
b. Critique 7, Division and Classification (S&S, Chapter 8): due Thu, July 7 (Synthesis)
Discuss the elements or message of one essay and compare with
elements or message of another essay in the book.
Are there similar or contrasting elements or patterns?
How does the other essay help to better understand the one you are reading?
How does the other essay support or clarify the main idea, the overall effect
or the message being discussed?
(references: LBH, pp. 129-130, pp. 660-679 and S&S, pp. 223-228)
FORMAT
one page for critique, one page for outline
1-inch margin on all sides
double spaced, 12-pt. type, Times Roman
your name on the upper right hand header
WHAT IS A CRITIQUE?
Go to http://www.google.com and type What is a critique?
Click on Web definitions for critique and this is what you’ll find: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=defmore&q=define:critique.
My favorite definition is “To analyze and evaluate an artwork by
making constructive judgments in regard to the merits, value,
meaning, technique, and design of the work of art.”
Next, go to http://www.bartleby.com/ and type the word critique on
the bar next to Select Search and click Go. Click on the first answer
(American Heritage Dictionary) and this is what you’ll find: http://www.bartleby.com/61/32/C0753200.html.
Here, we are told that a critique is a “critical review or commentary,
especially one dealing with works of art or literature” and that the
word "has been used as a verb meaning 'to review or discuss critically'
since the 18th century."
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm...
The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson, US essayist & poet (1803-1882)
