How to Write an Article Critique

Writing an article critique is somewhat challenging. It is not just about analyzing an article. You also have to evaluate whether the author has succeeded in conveying his purpose or not. It doesn’t only require good writing skills. For your article critique to be effective, you also need to have an adequate knowledge on the subject matter. But if you are not good at it, no worries. Listed below are the answers to your question on how to write an article critique.

Article Critique Writing Guidelines

• Just because it is called an article critique doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to criticize a piece of work in a negative way. Although, your reaction towards it could either be positive or negative, you have to explain why you have responded that way.
   
• An article critique is not just about giving your reaction to a certain piece of work. It is neither an explanation nor an amplification of the material you are analyzing. It is a way of evaluating the article in a deeper sense.
   
• When you examine or judge an article, you must look both for its weaknesses and strengths. It is like asking yourself whether it is worthy enough to publish or not.
   
• You also have to analyze the author’s evidence on whether it supports his main points or not. Express your opinion about it, regardless of your stand on whether you agree or disagree.
   
• When doing a critique, your opinion must not be biased or one-sided. As much as possible, make it balanced and weigh both the good and the not-so-good sides of the article.
   
• You should also evaluate the author’s main point, including his purpose or intention, and whether his arguments are logical enough or not.
   
• When you start writing, it is recommended not to follow the author’s flow of context. If you do, it is just the same as you are summarizing his work and not analyzing.
   
• Define the subject, as well as your point of view, in the introduction. Raise specific issues and defend your own viewpoint in the body. Then stress your opinion and summarize your arguments in the conclusion.
   
• Identify the author’s main point. Expand it by describing his point of view. Provide your opinion whether you agree or disagree. Express what you think and how you feel about it. Use quotes to support your explanation and provide evidence for your own standpoint.

You must cover all the ideas mentioned in the article you are analyzing. You should remember that it is not merely a summary of the entire text. When you are asked to do an article critique, you are expected to evaluate and interpret the text by answering the questions “how” and “why”, and not just “what”. Yet, with these tips, you will surely develop an effective article critique.