Do Your Own - Criticize - Assignment Key Words - Writing Projects

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Get your assignment in front of you, then follow the instructions below. Type your response to each step in the box below it. When you have filled in all the boxes, click on the button at the bottom of the page and you will be well on your way with this project.

Step 1: What are you being asked to criticize? In your own words, explain your assignment in the box below:

Step 2: If you are criticizing a written work, what is the main idea or thesis of what you need to criticize? If you are critiquing an art work, musical composition, architectural design, or something else that does not make its point with words, what would you say is the essence or overall effect of the thing you are critiquing? Write your response in the box below:

Step 3: In the box below, write a critique of the main idea or essence of the thing you have been asked to criticize. What are the strengths and weaknesses in the work you are criticizing? If it is arguing something, is the argument convincing? Does the work seem to fulfill its intent; that is, does it do what it is supposed to do? Why or why not?

Write your response in the box below. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, or organization; just write down anything that occurs to you:

Step 4: Try to distill your criticism of the work into a sentence or two that can serve as your thesis, or main idea, and write your thesis in the box below:

Step 5: How will you support your thesis? What evidence or examples will you include? Support your thesis in the box below:

Are you curious about how other instructors ask students to criticize or use critical thinking and writing? CUNY Assignments has an example. We also have a sample student paper that criticizes.

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