Cheryl HoyGSW 1120

Critique Initial Proposal

Proposals play an important role in shaping ideas into a workable written argument. They
help you look closely at your claim and determine why you feel as you do. They also help
with audience awareness as you recognize, acknowledge, and develop opposing views as
well as your response to them. Finally, they help you effectively organize your essay.
ASSIGNMENT: Type all areas. Use complete sentences for the thesis, supporting
points, counterarguments, and refutes. The thesis must have your evaluative word and
supporting criteria. You may make it more sophisticated by also including the
counterargument. The supporting points, counterarguments, and refutes must have a
transitional word or phrase, a link back to the thesis, evaluative word, and ONE
supporting criterion.
Your Name:
Article Title:
Author:

Thesis (Include the criteria you are using for your evaluation):

Supporting Point (This will be your 1st criteria ):

Supporting Point (This will be your 2nd criteria ):

Supporting Point--optional (This will be your 3rd criteria ):

Opposing view(s)/Counterargument(s)
(No clumping of opposing views--list each separately; each must be developed in its own ):

Response(s)/refute(s)
(Respond to each opposing view separately and in its own that is placed under its corresponding opposing
view ):

Cheryl Hoy
GSW 1120

Drafting the Critique Essay

After completing the prewriting packet and selecting your criteria, write your thesis
statement:
The thesis statement states your position and the three or four merits and/or faults that
you will discuss in the rest of the essay. Then, use this sheet as a guide for drafting your
critique. Remember to organize these argumentative elements in the most logical way, so
your evaluation is effective, flows in a logical direction, and reads clearly.
Write your introduction:
The introduction identifies
the author,
article title,
original date of publication,
original publication medium (title of magazine, journal, etc),
the author's thesis, purpose, and intended audience,
and your thesis statement.
Write a brief summary:
The summary contains only the essential information needed to relay to the reader
the author's thesis,
the article's main points,
and the sub-points.
Note: Do not include specific details, examples, quotes, others opinions, or your
opinions in the summary.
Write your supporting paragraphs:
by giving the criterion and evaluation in the topic sentence,
by explaining the importance of that criterion in an evaluation,
by explaining how that criterion is applicable to your article,
by giving examples (which you must cite parenthetically) from the article,
and by wrapping up the paragraph and reasserting your evaluation.
Write a counterargument for your evaluation:
by presenting at least one relevant criticism of your evaluation,
by explaining the opposing sides view fairly and fully,
and by illustrating this opposing side with specific examples from the article.
Write your refute to the counterargument:
by acknowledging any valid points made by the opposing side,
by responding to the opposing sides concerns,
and by explaining the validity of your evaluation in spite of the criticisms.
Write your response:
The response states your position and your approval/disapproval of the argument or of
any of the argumentative points. This can be part of your concluding paragraph.

Write your conclusion:

by restating your position concerning the validity and effectiveness of the author's
article,
by recapping the article's merits/faults in an effort to provide evidence for your
position,
and by stating the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of the author's ability to reach
his/her audience or to fulfill his purposeto inform, persuade, discuss, argue,
entertain, etc.