Module 10 Lesson Handout

MODULE 10: WRITING A REACTION PAPER AND A CRITIQUE
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
A. Define the context for a reaction paper and a critique.
B. Analyze the features, guidelines, and structure of a reaction paper and a critique.
C. Raise legitimate and contrary views in an appropriate manner.
D. With your research group, apply the lesson by peer critiquing a Preliminary Literature Review.
What are Reaction Papers, Critiques, and Reviews?

1. Reaction papers, critiques, and reviews are specialized forms of writing in which a reviewer or reader
evaluates any of the following:
● Scholarly work (academic books and research articles)
● Work of art (performance art, play, dance, sports, film, exhibits)
● Designs (industrial designs, furniture, fashion design)
● Graphic designs (posters, billboards, commercials, and digital media)
2. They range in length from 250 to 750 words.
3. They are not simply summaries but are critical assessments, analyses, or evaluations of different works.
4. As advanced forms of writing, they require skills in critical thinking and recognizing arguments.
5. They do not merely rely on opinions, but use proof and logical reasoning to substantiate comments.
What are the Critical Approaches in Writing a Critique?

There are various ways or standpoints by which you can analyze and critique a certain material, particularly literary
works i.e., poetry and prose. You can critique a material based on its technical aspects, its approach to gender, your
reaction as the audience, or through its portrayal of class struggle and social structure.
1. Formalism or Formalist Approach may be defined as a critical approach in which the text under
discussion is considered primarily as a structure of words. The main focus is on the arrangement of
language, rather than on the implications of the words, or on the biographical and historical relevance of the
work in question. Someone who uses Formalist criticism looks into the following aspects:
● Author’s techniques in resolving contradictions within the work
● Central passage that sums up the entirety of the work
● Contribution of parts and the work as a whole to its aesthetic quality
● Contribution of rhyme and rhythm to the meaning or effect of the work
● Relationship of the form and the content
● Use of imagery to develop the symbols used in the work
● Interconnectedness of various parts of the work
● Paradox, ambiguity, and irony in the work
● Unity in the work
2. Feminism or Feminist Approach focuses on how the work presents women as subjects of socio-political,
psychological, and economic oppression. It also reveals how aspects of our culture are patriarchal i.e., how
our culture views men as superior and women as inferior. Someone who uses feminist criticism looks into
the following aspects:
● How culture determines gender
● How gender equality (or lack of it) is presented in the text
● How gender issues are presented in literary works and other aspects of human production and
daily life
● How women are socially, politically, psychologically, and economically oppressed by patriarchy
● How patriarchy ideology is an overpowering presence
3. Reader-Response Approach concerns with the viewer’s reaction as an audience of the work. Someone
who uses reader response criticism looks into the following aspects:
● Interaction between the reader and the text in creating meaning
● The impact of readers’ delivery of sounds and visuals on enhancing and changing meaning
4. Marxism or Marxist Approach looks at the differences between economic classes and implications of a
capitalist system, such as conflicts between the working class and the elite. Someone who uses Marxist
criticism looks into the following aspects:
● Social class as represented in the work
● Social class of the writer / creator
● Social class of the characters
● Conflicts and interactions between economic classes
What is the Structure of a Critique of a Scholarly Work?
Introduction (around 5% of the paper)
● Title of the book, article, or work
● Writer's name
● Thesis statement
Summary (around 10% of the paper)
● Objective or purpose
● Methods used (if applicable)
● Major findings, claims, ideas, or messages
Critique (in no particular order and around 75% of the paper)
● Appropriateness of the methodology to support the arguments (for academic books and research articles) or
appropriateness of mode of presentation (for other works)
● Sufficiency and soundness of explanation in relation to other available information and experts
● Other perspectives in explaining the concepts and ideas.
● It is best to ask the following questions:
❖ Does the writer explicitly state their thesis statement?
❖ What are the assumptions (i.e., scientific/logical/literary explanation without evidence) mentioned
in the work? Are they explicitly discussed?
❖ What are the contributions of the work to the field where it belongs?
❖ What problems and issues are discussed or presented in the work?
❖ What kind of information (e.g., observation, survey, statistics, historical accounts) are presented in
the work? How are they used to support the arguments or thesis?
❖ Are there other ways of supporting the arguments or thesis aside from the information used in the
work? Is the author or creator silent about these alternative ways of explanation?
Conclusion (around 10% of the paper)
● Overall impression of the work
● Scholarly or literary value of the reviewed article, book, or work
● Benefits for the intended audience or field
● Suggestion for future direction of research
What is the Structure of a Non-Academic Review such as of a Film, Book, Artwork, or Performance?
Introduction
● Basic details about the material such as its title, director or artist, name of exhibition / event, and the like
● Main assessment of the material (for films and performances)
Plot Summary / Description
● Gist of the plot
● Simple description of the work
Analysis / Interpretation
● Discussion and analysis of the work
● It is best to ask the following questions:
❖ What aspects of the work make you think it is a success or failure?
❖ Were there unanswered questions or plot lines? If yes, how did they affect the story?
❖ Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced through analogies, metaphors, or
other figurative devices? How does this contribute to the meaning?
❖ How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or in your other studies?
❖ What stood out while you were viewing the film, performance, or artwork?
Conclusion / Evaluation
● Reinforcement of the main assessment
● Comparison to a similar work
● Recommendation of the material (if you liked it)
Guidelines in Writing a Reaction Paper, a Review, and a Critique

1. For research articles or journals
● Get the main topic or the concepts presented. Identify the arguments or messages.
● Relate the content of the work to what you already know about the topic.
● Focus on discussing how the work treats the topic and not the topic itself. Use phrases such as “this
work presents” and “the author argues.”
● Situate your review. Your analysis should be anchored on the theories presented by the writer or
creator.
● Report the type of analysis or mode of presentation the writer used and how this type of analysis
supports the arguments and claims.
● Examine whether the findings are adequately supported and how the connections between ideas
affect the conclusions and findings.
● Suggest points for improvement of the reasoning, explanation, and presentation of ideas, as well as
alternative methods and processes of reasoning.
● Compare the writer’s explanation of the topic to that of another expert from the same field of study.
● Point out other conclusions or interpretations that the writer missed out. Present other ideas that
need to be examined.
● State your agreement or disagreement to the writer’s ideas along with an explanation for it.
2. For artworks and other media

● When critiquing artworks or posters, make sure to use speculative verbs such as “evoke, create,
appear, and suggest” to show that your interpretation of the artist’s work is just that–an
interpretation.
● Presume that the reader has not yet seen the material you are reviewing, so make sure to describe it
to them. For reviews of films or plays, make sure not to spoil key events unless they figure in your
review, in which case always add a disclaimer.
● For artworks, describe the material in simple terms to help your readers visualize it; refrain from
being vague or abstract.
3. On a general note, your reaction paper’s conclusion may focus on the answers to the following
questions:
● Did the work hold your interest?
● Did the work annoy or excite you?
● Did the work prompt you to raise questions to the author or creator?
● Did the work lead you to some realizations?
● Did the work remind you of other materials that you have read, viewed, or listened to in the past?
References
Barrot, J. S., & Sipacio, P. J. S. (2020). Communicate today English for academic & professional purposes for
senior high school revised edition. C & E.
~ end ~

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MODULE 10: WRITING A REACTION PAPER AND A CRITIQUE

What are Reaction Papers, Critiques, and Reviews?

What are the Critical Approaches in Writing a Critique?

Guidelines in Writing a Reaction Paper, a Review, and a Critique

2. For artworks and other media

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