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Critical Response Common Questions

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Jhon Patrick Ibañez
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34 views3 pages

Critical Response Common Questions

Uploaded by

Jhon Patrick Ibañez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Critical Response Common Questions

Writing Center Hours: 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM M-Th,


8:30 AM- 4:30 PM F, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM S-S
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 405-945-3278

Definition: A critical response paper calls for the writer to respond to a text.
Think of this as a critique of how the author of your text presents their main
points. Perhaps you think the author does a good job and you would like to
discuss the strengths in the text, or perhaps you would like to discuss how the
author could have improved their message. Either way, your opinion matters.

Common Questions:
Question: What do I write about?
Answer: Your job is to read your assigned text and critique it in
your essay. You should either critique the rhetorical appeals or
the author’s main points in the essay.

Question: How do I start?


Answer: Begin by telling us about the text you read and the
author. State the title and author’s name. State the author’s
main points, and describe how you feel about how the author
presented those points.

Question: How do I end it?


Answer: A good way to end is by summarizing your main
points and restating your overall message or opinion on the
text. What did the author do well, and what did they not do
well?

Question: How do I analyze rhetorical features?


Answer: Read the text slowly, taking notes by hand and
highlighting. Keep in mind the following rhetorical features:

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Critical Response Common Questions
Writing Center Hours: 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM M-Th,
8:30 AM- 4:30 PM F, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM S-S
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 405-945-3278

Genre
What is the apparent genre of the text? What are the conventions of that genre? (Think about
typical length, style, tone, formatting/design, whether & how sources are cited, etc.) Are there
any special features?
Author’s Purpose
What is the author's purpose? (As specifically as possible, how do they want to change the
reader's view?) In terms of broad rhetorical aim, is this purpose primarily informative or
persuasive? Is there any element of entertainment?
Audience
Who is the intended audience? How busy are they? What are their motives for reading? What is
the relationship between the author and the audience? What knowledge does the audience
already have? What knowledge do they need?
Angle of Vision
How does the author reveal their perspective on the topic? Is it stated directly or only implied?
What details are included or omitted, and what is the effect of those choices? How do word
choices and sentence structures contribute to the development of a specific angle of vision?
Logos
What is the main idea of the text? What evidence or supporting details are included? How clear
and consistent is the message?
Ethos
How does the author come across in the text? What contributes to the development of this
persona? Is this persona effective for accomplishing the text’s purpose?
Pathos
How does the author appeal to the audience’s feelings or values? Are these strategies effective?
Kairos
How is the text connected to a specific time and place? Are there features that lose
effectiveness or relevance outside of the text’s original context?
Style/Voice
What stands out in terms of the author’s ways of shaping sentences, word choices, voice or
persona, and/or tone? Is the writing high or low on the ladder of abstraction? What are the
effects of these choices? Overall, are the style and voice appropriate for the genre, audience,
and purpose?
Design/Format
Analyze the choices used for Type, Space and Layout, and Color (see pp. 71-72). To what extent
are these choice aspects of the genre? What other rhetorical effects do they have?

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Critical Response Common Questions
Writing Center Hours: 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM M-Th,
8:30 AM- 4:30 PM F, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM S-S
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 405-945-3278

Multimodal Features
Analyze any graphics, images, videos, and/or sound. How does these relate to logos, ethos,
and/or pathos?

Question: How do I know if the author did a good job or not?


Answer: This comes down to opinion. Do YOU think that the
author effectively made their point, or do you think that there
was a better way that they could have gone about it?

Question: What if my essay isn’t long enough?


Answer: Quotes, examples, reasons - oh my! Check to make
sure that you clearly explain your reasoning for each critique of
the essay. If you have and it still isn’t long enough, try adding
some quotes and examples to further illustrate your point.

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