Daniel Meyers

Steps for Writing a Critique Essay in College

Regardless of your course of study, you will have to write a decent amount of papers in college. Some, such as scientific papers, are highly specialized documents that don’t provide much creative wiggle room. Others, such as the critique or critical essay, require a strong understanding of structure as well as a keen argumentative mind and a creative touch. Writing a strong critique essay requires detailed research, effective writing and rewriting, and the ability to think about an issue from several different angles. Here are some of the steps you can follow to write a successful critique essay in college.

The first, and in some ways most important step in writing a critique essay is reading the source material. This is not the time to take any shortcuts. Make sure you read the piece from start to finish, and reread it if you don’t think you fully understand it. Take notes throughout, and highlight points that you feel most clearly state the author’s themes and intentions. Start a page of notes where you can lay out each of these points, followed by the evidence from the material that supports each point. If you already agree with the author’s statements try to note the points you feel most clearly prove that out. If you disagree with those statements, highlight the points you find the most damning.

Now that you understand the material and have laid out a solid outline, it is time to come up with your thesis or position. Go back over your notes and try to put into words what you agree or disagree with. Come up with a solid paragraph that lays out your thoughts, with as much detail as possible. Does it sound credible to you? If you’re not sure, run your critique by a friend or fellow student. If any holes are uncovered in your argument, you might need to find some additional sources. Secondary sources can be hugely helpful in your efforts to support or refute the author’s work. Just make sure they come from accredited sources, and focus entirely on your source material. The more specific they are, the better.

With all of your sources together, it is time to create a solid outline for your essay. Start with an introductory paragraph that details your thesis. That should be followed by a short summary of the work you are critiquing, and then a paragraph to go over each point of your critique. Include the evidence you are using from your sources inside each paragraph of your critique. Finally, wrap it up with a conclusion paragraph that points back to your thesis.

Once the outline is full of details you are ready to draft the essay itself. You should be able to take the outline and expand it into complete sentences and paragraphs fairly easily. Make sure you give yourself enough time for rewrites, as you’ll need to refine that first draft, adjust the critique until it is rock solid and correct any spelling or grammatical issues you might uncover along the way. With the essay written, set it aside for a day or two before coming back for a rewrite. Your work will improve with that fresh eye.

Finally, don’t forget the works cited page. This should follow the content of the essay and lay out every source you drew from. Make sure you include all of the relevant information about each source, whether you found content within online criminal justice degrees or the town library. Don’t cut corners here. You could have the strongest critique essay ever, but if you falsify a source you will not be happy with your final grade.

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