Because the Nissan has the lowest initial price, it receives the most favorable judgment. The evidence is found on the price tag. Each car is compared by way of a single criterion: cost.
When we evaluate informally (passing judgments during the course of conversation, for instance), we typically assume that our criteria are self-evident and require no explanation. However, in written evaluation, it is often necessary that we clarify and define our criteria in order to make a persuasive evaluative argument.
Although we frequently find ourselves needing to use abstract criteria like "feasibility" or "effectiveness," we also must avoid using criteria that are overly vague or personal and difficult to support with evidence. As evaluators, we must steer clear of criteria that are matters of taste, belief, or personal preference. For example, the "best" lamp might simply be the one that you think looks prettiest in your home. If you depend on a criterion like "pretty in my home," and neglect to use more common, shared criteria like "brightness," "cost," and "weight," you are probably relying on a criterion that is too specific to your own personal preferences. To make "pretty in my home" an effective criterion, you would need to explain what "pretty in my home" means and how it might relate to other people's value systems. (For example: "Lamp A is attractive because it is an unoffensive style and color that would be appropriate for many people's decorating tastes.")
When you make judgments, it is important that you use criteria that are appropriate to the type of object, person, policy, etc. that you are examining. If you are evaluating Steven Spielburg's film, Schindler's List , for instance, it is unfair to criticize it because it isn't a knee-slapper. Because "Schindler's List" is a drama and not a comedy, using the criterion of "humor" is inappropriate.
Once you have established criteria for your evaluation of a subject, it is necessary to decide which of these criteria are most important. For example, if you are evaluating a Mexican restaurant and you have arrived at several criteria (variety of items on the menu, spiciness of the food, size of the portions, decor, and service), you need to decide which of these criteria are most critical to your evaluation. If the size of the portions is good, but the service is bad, can you give the restaurant a good rating? What about if the decor is attractive, but the food is bland? Once you have placed your criteria in a hierarchy of importance, it is much easier to make decisions like these.
When we evaluate, we must consider the audience we hope to influence with our judgments. This is particularly true when we decide which criteria are informing (and should inform) these judgments.
After establishing some criteria for your evaluation, it is important to ask yourself whether or not your audience is likely to accept those criteria. It is crucial that they do accept the criteria if, in turn, you expect them to accept the supporting judgments and overall claim or judgment built on them.
Related Information: Explaining and Defending Criteria
In deciding which criteria will be effective in your evaluation is determining which criteria your audience considers important. For example, if you are writing a review of a Mexican restaurant to an audience comprised mainly of senior citizens from the midwest, it is unlikely that "large portions" and "fiery green chile" will be the criteria most important to them. They might be more concerned, rather, with "quality of service" or "availability of heart smart menu items." Trying to anticipate and address your audience's values is an indispensable step in writing a persuasive evaluative argument.
Related Information: Understanding Audience Criteria
Laura Thomas - Composition Lecturer Your background experience influences the criteria that you use in evaluation. If you know a lot about something, you will have a good idea of what criteria should govern your judgments. On the other hand, it's hard if you don't know enough about what you're judging. Sometimes you have to research first in order to come up with useful criteria. For example, I recently went shopping for a new pair of skis for the first time in fifteen years. When I began shopping, I realized that I didn't even know what questions to ask anymore. The last time I had bought skis, you judged them according to whether they had a foam core or a wood core. But I had no idea what the important considerations were anymore.
Evidence consists of the specifics you use to reach your conclusion or judgment. For example, if you judge that "La Cocina's green chile is superb" on the basis of the criterion, "Good green chile is so fiery that you can barely eat it," you might offer evidence like the following:
"I drank an entire pitcher of water on my own during the course of the meal."
"Though my friend wouldn't admit that the chile was challenging for him, I saw beads of sweat form on his brow."
Related Information: Example Text
In the following paragraph, evidence appears in italics. Note that the reference to the New York Times backs up the evidence offered in the previous sentence:
Since killer whales have small lymphatic systems, they catch infections more easily when held captive ( Obee 23 ). The orca from the movie "Free Willy," Keiko, developed a skin disorder because the water he was living in was not cold enough. This infection was a result of the combination of tank conditions and the animal's immune system, according to a New York Times article .
Evidence for academic evaluations is usually of two types: concrete detail and analytic detail. Analytic detail comes from critical thinking about abstract elements of the thing being evaluated. It will also include quotations from experts. Concrete detail comes from sense perceptions and measurements--facts about color, speed, size, texture, smell, taste, and so on. Concrete details are more likely to support concrete criteria (as opposed to abstract criteria) used in judging objects. Analytic detail will more often support abstract criteria (as opposed to concrete criteria), like the criterion "feasibility," discussed in the section on criteria. Analytic detail also appears most often in academic evaluations of solutions to problems, although such solutions can also sometimes be evaluated according to concrete criteria.
Good evidence ranges from personal experience to interviews with experts to published sources. The kind of evidence that works best for you will depend on your audience and often on the writing assignment you have been given.
When you choose evidence to support the judgments you are making in an evaluation, it will be important to consider what type of evaluation you are being asked to do. If, for instance, you are being asked to review a play you have attended, your evidence will most likely consist primarily of your own observations. However, if your assignment asks you to compare and contrast two potential national health care policies (toward deciding which is the better one), your evidence will need to be more statistical, more dependent on reputable sources, and more directed toward possible effects or outcomes of your judgment.
Comparison and contrast is the process of positioning an item or concept being evaluated among other like items or concepts. We are all familiar with this technique as it's used in the marketing of products: soft drink "taste tests," comparisons of laundry detergent effectiveness, and the like. It is a way of determining the value of something in relation to comparable things. For example, if you have made the judgment that "La Cocina's green chile is superb" and you have offered evidence of the spiciness and the flavor of the chile, you might also use comparison by giving your audience a scale on which to base judgment: "La Cocina's chile is even more fiery and flavorful than Manuel's, which is by no means a walk in the park."
In this case, the writer compares limestone with wood to show that limestone is a better building material. Although this comparison could be developed much more, it still begins to point out the relative merits of limestone. Concrete is a feasible substitute for wood as a building material. Concrete comes from a rock called limestone. Limestone is found all over the United States. By using limestone instead of wood, the dependence on dwindling forest reserves would decrease. There are more sedimentary rocks than there are forests left in this country, and they are more evenly distributed. For this reason, it is quite possible to switch from wood to concrete as the primary building material for residential construction.
Comparing and contrasting rarely means placing the item or concept being evaluated in relation to another item or concept that is obviously grossly inferior. For instance, if you are attempting to demonstrate the value of a Cannondale mountain bike, it would be foolish to compare it with a Huffy. However, it would be useful to compare it with a Klein, arguably a similar bicycle. In this type of maneuver, you are not comparing good with bad; rather, you are deciding which bike is better and which bike is worse. In order to determine relative worth in this way, you will need to be very careful in defining the criteria you are using to make the comparison.
In order to make comparison and contrast function well in evaluation, it is necessary to be attentive to: 1) focusing on the item or concept under consideration and 2) the use of evidence in comparison and contrast. When using comparison and contrast, writers must remember that they are using comparable items or concepts only as a way of demonstrating the worth of the main item or concept under consideration. It is easy to lose focus when using this technique, because of the temptation to evaluate two (or more) items or concepts rather than just the one under consideration. It is important to remember that judgments made on the basis of comparison and contrast need to be supported with evidence. It is not enough to assert that "La Cocina's chile is even more fiery and flavorful than Manuel's." It will be necessary to support this judgment with evidence, showing in what ways La Cocina's chile is more flavorful: "Manuel's chile relies heavily on a tomato base, giving it an Italian flavor. La Cocina follows a more traditional recipe which uses little tomato and instead flavors the chile with shredded pork, a dash of vinegar, and a bit of red chile to give it a piquant taste."
A variety of writing assignments call for evaluation. Bearing in mind the various approaches that might be demanded by those particular assignments, this section offers some general strategies for formulating a written evaluation.
Sometimes your topic for evaluation will be dictated by the writing assignment you have been given. Other times, though, you will be required to choose your own topic. Common sense tells you that it is best to choose something about which you already have a base knowledge. For instance, if you are a skier, you might want to evaluate a particular model of skis. In addition, it is best to choose something that is tangible, observable, and/or researchable. For example, if you chose a topic like "methods of sustainable management of forests," you would know that there would be research to support your evaluation. Likewise, if you chose to evaluate a film like Pulp Fiction , you could rent the video and watch it several times in order to get the evidence you needed. However, you would have fewer options if you were to choose an abstract concept like "loyalty" or "faith." When evaluating, it is usually best to steer clear of abstractions like these as much as possible.
Once you have chosen a topic, you might begin your evaluation by thinking about what you already know about the topic. In doing this, you will be coming up with possible judgments to include in your evaluation. Begin with a tentative overall judgment or claim. Then decide what supporting judgments you might make to back that claim. Keep in mind that your judgments will likely change as you collect evidence for your evaluation.
Start by making an overall judgment on the topic in question, based on what you already know. For instance, if you were writing an evaluation of sustainable management practices in forestry, your tentative overall judgment might be: "Sustainable management is a viable way of dealing with deforestation in old growth forests."
With a tentative overall judgment in mind, you can begin to brainstorm judgments (or reasons) that could support your overall judgment by asking the question, "Why?" For example, asking "Why?" of the tentative overall judgment "Sustainable management is a viable way of dealing with deforestation in old growth forests" might yield the following supporting judgments:
When brainstorming possible judgments this early in the writing process, it is necessary to keep an open mind as you enter into the stage in which you collect evidence. Once you have done observations, analysis, or research, you might find that you are unable to advance your tentative overall judgment. Or you might find that some of the supporting judgments you came up with are not true or are not supportable. Your findings might also point you toward other judgments you can make in addition to the ones you are already making.
To prepare to organize and write your evaluation, it is important to clearly define the criteria you are using to make your judgments. These criteria govern the direction of the evaluation and provide structure and justification for the judgments you make.
We often work backwards from the judgments we make, discovering what criteria we are using on the basis of what our judgments look like. For instance, our tentative judgments about sustainable management practices are as follows:
If we were to analyze these judgments, asking ourselves why we made them, we would see that we used the following criteria: wellbeing of the logging industry, conservation of resources, wellbeing of the environment, and cost.
Once you have identified the criteria informing your initial judgments, you will want to determine what other criteria should be included in your evaluation. For example, in addition to the criteria you've already come up with (wellbeing of the logging industry, conservation of resources, wellbeing of the environment, and cost), you might include the criterion of preservation of the old growth forests.
In deciding which criteria are most important to include in your evaluation, it is necessary to consider the criteria your audience is likely to find important. Let's say we are directing our evaluation of sustainable management methods toward an audience of loggers. If we look at our list of criteria--wellbeing of the logging industry, conservation of resources, wellbeing of the environment, cost, and preservation of the old growth forests--we might decide that wellbeing of the logging industry and cost are the criteria most important to loggers. At this point, we would also want to identify additional criteria the audience might expect us to address: perhaps feasibility, labor requirements, and efficiency.
Once you have developed a long list of possible criteria for judging your subject (in this case, sustainable management methods), you will need to narrow the list, since it is impractical and ineffective to use of all possible criteria in your essay. To decide which criteria to address, determine which are least dispensable, both to you and to your audience. Your own criteria were: wellbeing of the logging industry, conservation of resources, wellbeing of the environment, cost, and preservation of the old growth forests. Those you anticipated for your audience were: feasibility, labor requirements, and efficiency. In the written evaluation, you might choose to address those criteria most important to your audience, with a couple of your own included. For example, your list of indispensable criteria might look like this: wellbeing of the logging industry, cost, labor requirements, efficiency, conservation of resources, and preservation of the old growth forests.
Stephen Reid, English Professor Warrants (to use a term from argumentation) come on the scene when we ask why a given criterion should be used or should be acceptable in evaluating the particular text, product, or performance in question. When we ask WHY a particular criterion should be important (let's say, strong performance in an automobile engine, quickly moving plot in a murder mystery, outgoing personality in a teacher), we are getting at the assumptions (i.e., the warrant) behind why the data is relevant to the claim of value we are about to make. Strong performance in an automobile engine might be a positive criterion in an urban, industrialized environment, where traveling at highway speeds on American interstates is important. But we might disagree about whether strong performance (accompanied by lower mileage) might be important in a rural European environment where gas costs are several dollars a litre. Similarly, an outgoing personality for a teacher might be an important standard of judgment or criterion in a teacher-centered classroom, but we could imagine another kind of decentered class where interpersonal skills are more important than teacher personality. By QUESTIONING the validity and appropriateness of a given criterion in a particular situation, we are probing for the ASSUMPTIONS or WARRANTS we are making in using that criterion in that particular situation. Thus, criteria are important, but it is often equally important for writers to discuss the assumptions that they are making in choosing the major criteria in their evaluations.
Once you have established the central criteria you will use in our evaluation, you will investigate your subject in terms of these criteria. In order to investigate the subject of sustainable management methods, you would more than likely have to research whether these methods stand up to the criteria you have established: wellbeing of the logging industry, cost, labor requirements, time efficiency, conservation of resources, and preservation of the old growth forests. However, library research is only one of the techniques evaluators use. Depending on the type of evaluation being made, the evaluator might use such methods as observation, field research, and analysis.
The best place to start looking for evidence is with the knowledge you already possess. To do this, you might try brainstorming, clustering, or freewriting ideas.
When you are evaluating policies, issues, or products, you will usually need to conduct library research to find the evidence your evaluation requires. It is always a good idea to check journals, databases, and bibliographies relevant to your subject when you begin research. It is also helpful to speak with a reference librarian about how to get started.
When you are asked to evaluate a performance, event, place, object, or person, one of the best methods available is simple observation. What makes observation not so simple is the need to focus on criteria you have developed ahead of time. If, for instance, you are reviewing a student production of Hamlet , you will want to review your list of criteria (perhaps quality of acting, costumes, faithfulness to the text, set design, lighting, and length of time before intermission) before attending the play. During or after the play, you will want to take as many notes as possible, keeping these criteria in mind.
To expand your evaluation beyond your personal perspective or the perspective of your sources, you might conduct your own field research . Typical field research techniques include interviewing, taking a survey, administering a questionnaire, and conducting an experiment. These methods can help you support your judgment and can sometimes help you determine whether or not your judgment is valid.
When you are asked to evaluate a text, analysis is often the technique you will use in collecting evidence. If you are analyzing an argument, you might use the Toulmin Method. Other texts might not require such a structured analysis but might be better addressed by more general critical reading strategies.
After developing a list of indispensable criteria, you will need to "test" the subject according to these criteria. At this point, it will probably be necessary to collect evidence (through research, analysis, or observation) to determine, for example, whether sustainable management methods would hold up to the criteria you have established: wellbeing of the logging industry, cost, labor requirements, efficiency, conservation of resources, and preservation of the old growth forests. One way of recording the results of this "test" is by putting your notes in a three-column log.
One of the best ways to organize your information in preparation for writing is to construct an informal outline of sorts. Outlines might be arranged according to criteria, comparison and contrast, chronological order, or causal analysis. They also might follow what Robert K. Miller and Suzanne S. Webb refer to in their book, Motives for Writing (2nd ed.) as "the pattern of classical oration for evaluations" (286). In addition to deciding on a general structure for your evaluation, it will be necessary to determine the most appropriate placement for your overall claim or judgment.
Writers can state their final position at the beginning or the end of an essay. The same is true of the overall claim or judgment in a written evaluation.
When you place your overall claim or judgment at the end of your written evaluation, you are able to build up to it and to demonstrate how your evaluative argument (evidence, explanation of criteria, etc.) has led to that judgment.
Writers of academic evaluations normally don't need to keep readers in suspense about their judgments. By stating the overall claim or judgment early in the paper, writers help readers both to see the structure of the essay and to accept the evidence as convincing proof of the judgment. (Writers of evaluations should remember, of course, that there is no rule against stating the overall claim or judgment at both the beginning and the end of the essay.)
The following is an example from Stephen Reid's The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers (4th ed.), showing how a writer might arrange an evaluation according to criteria:
Introductory paragraphs: information about the restaurant (location, hours, prices), general description of Chinese restaurants today, and overall claim : The Hunan Dynasty is reliable, a good value, and versatile.
Criterion # 1/Judgment: Good restaurants should have an attractive setting and atmosphere/Hunan Dynasty is attractive.
Criterion # 2/Judgment: Good restaurants should give strong priority to service/ Hunan Dynasty has, despite an occasional glitch, expert service.
Criterion # 3/Judgment: Restaurants that serve modestly priced food should have quality main dishes/ Main dishes at Hunan Dynasty are generally good but not often memorable. (Note: The most important criterion--the quality of the main dishes--is saved for last.)
Concluding paragraphs: Hunan Dynasty is a top-flight neighborhood restaurant (338).
Sometimes comparison and contrast is not merely a strategy used in part [italics] of an evaluation, but is the strategy governing the organization of the entire essay. The following are examples from Stephen Reid's The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers (4th ed.), showing two ways that a writer might organize an evaluation according to comparison and contrast.
Introductory paragraph(s)
Thesis [or overall claim/judgment]: Although several friends recommended the Yakitori, we preferred the Unicorn for its more authentic atmosphere, courteous service, and well-prepared food. [Notice that the criteria are stated in this thesis.]
Authentic atmosphere: Yakitori vs. Unicorn
Courteous service: Yakitori vs. Unicorn
Well-prepared food: Yakitori vs. Unicorn
Concluding paragraph(s) (Reid 339)
The Yakitori : atmosphere, service, and food
The Unicorn : atmosphere, service, and food as compared to the Yakitori
Concluding paragraph(s) (Reid 339).
Writers often follow chronological order when evaluating or reviewing events or performances. This method of organization allows the writer to evaluate portions of the event or performance in the order in which it happens.
When using analysis to evaluate places, objects, events, or policies, writers often focus on causes or effects. The following is an example from Stephen Reid's The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers (4th ed.), showing how one writer organizes an evaluation of a Goya painting by discussing its effects on the viewer.
Criterion #1/Judgment: The iconography, or use of symbols, contributes to the powerful effect of this picture on the viewer.
Evidence : The church as a symbol of hopefulness contrasts with the cruelty of the execution. The spire on the church emphasizes for the viewer how powerless the Church is to save the victims.
Criterion #2/Judgment: The use of light contributes to the powerful effect of the picture on the viewer.
Evidence : The light casts an intense glow on the scene, and its glaring, lurid, and artificial qualities create the same effect on the viewer that modern art sometimes does.
Criterion #3/Judgment: The composition or use of formal devices contributes to the powerful effect of the picture on the viewer.
Evidence : The diagonal lines scissors the picture into spaces that give the viewer a claustrophobic feeling. The corpse is foreshortened, so that it looks as though the dead man is bidding the viewer welcome (Reid 340).
Robert K. Miller and Suzanne S. Webb, in their book, Motives for Writing (2nd ed.) discuss what they call "the pattern of classical oration for evaluations," which incorporates opposing evaluations as well as supporting reasons and judgments. This pattern is as follows:
Present your subject. (This discussion includes any background information, description, acknowledgement of weaknesses, and so forth.)
State your criteria. (If your criteria are controversial, be sure to justify them.)
Make your judgment. (State it as clearly and emphatically as possible.)
Give your reasons. (Be sure to present good evidence for each reason.)
Refute opposing evaluations. (Let your reader know you have given thoughtful consideration to opposing views, since such views exist.)
State your conclusion. (You may restate or summarize your judgment.) (Miller and Webb 286-7)
The following is a portion of an outline for an evaluation, organized by way of supporting judgments or reasons. Notice that this pattern would need to be repeated (using criteria other than the fieriness of the green chile) in order to constitute a complete evaluation proving that "Although La Cocina is not without its faults, it is the best Mexican restaurant in town."
Intro Paragraph Leading to Overall Judgment: "Although La Cocina is not without its faults, it is the best Mexican restaurant in town."
Supporting Judgment: "La Cocina's green chile is superb."
Criterion used to make this judgment: "Good green chile is so fiery that you can barely eat it."
Evidence in support of this judgment: "I drank an entire pitcher of water on my own during the course of the meal" or "Though my friend wouldn't admit that the chile was challenging for him, I saw beads of sweat form on his brow."
Supporting Judgment made by way of Comparison and Contrast: "La Cocina's chile is even more fiery and flavorful than Manuel's, which is by no means a walk in the park itself."
Evidence in support of this judgment: "Manuel's chile relies heavily on a tomato base, giving it an Italian flavor. La Cocina follows a more traditional recipe which uses little tomato, and instead flavors the chile with shredded pork, a dash of vinegar, and a bit of red chile to give it a piquant taste."
If you have an outline to follow, writing a draft of a written evaluation is simple. Stephen Reid, in his Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers , recommends that writers maintain focus on both the audience they are addressing and the central criteria they want to include. Such a focus will help writers remember what their audience expects and values and what is most important in constructing an effective and persuasive evaluation.
In his Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers , 4th ed., Stephen Reid offers some helpful tips for revising written evaluations. These guidelines are reproduced here and grouped as follows:
Criteria are standards of value . They contain categories and judgments, as in "good fuel economy," "good reliability," or "powerful use of light and shade in painting." Some categories, such as "price," have clearly implied judgments ("low price"), but make sure that your criteria refer implicitly or explicitly to a standard of value.
Examine your criteria from your audience's point of view. Which criteria are most important in evaluating your subject? Will your readers agree that the criteria you select are indeed the most important ones? Will changing the order in which you present your criteria make your evaluation more convincing? (Reid 342)
Include both positive and negative evaluations of your subject. If all of your judgments are positive, your evaluation will sound like an advertisement. If all of your judgments are negative, your readers may think you are too critical (Reid 342).
Be sure to include supporting evidence for each criterion. Without any data or support, your evaluation will be just an opinion that will not persuade your reader.
If you need additional evidence to persuade your readers, [go back to the "Collecting" stage of this process] (Reid 343).
Avoid overgeneralizing your claims. If you are evaluating only three software programs, you cannot say that Lotus 1-2-3 is the best business program around. You can say only that it is the best among the group or the best in the particular class that you measured (Reid 343).
Unless your goal is humor or irony, compare subjects that belong in the same class. Comparing a Yugo to a BMW is absurd because they are not similar cars in terms of cost, design, or purpose (Reid 343).
If you are citing other people's data or quoting sources, check to make sure your summaries and data are accurate (Reid 343).
Signal the major divisions in your evaluation to your reader using clear transitions, key words, and paragraph hooks. At the beginning of new paragraphs or sections of your essay, let your reader know where you are going.
Revise sentences for directness and clarity.
Edit your evaluation for correct spelling, appropriate word choice, punctuation, usage, and grammar (343).
Nesbitt, Laurel, Kathy Northcut, & Kate Kiefer. (1997). Academic Evaluations. Writing@CSU . Colorado State University. https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=47
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Explore what different task words mean and how they apply to your assignments
Task words are the words or phrases in a brief that tell you what to do. Common examples of task words are 'discuss', 'evaluate', 'compare and contrast', and 'critically analyse'. These words are used in assessment marking criteria and will showcase how well you've answered the question.
None of these words have a fixed meaning. Your lecturers may have specific definitions for your subject or task so you should make sure you have a good idea of what these terms mean in your field. You can check this by speaking to your lecturer, checking your course handbook and reading your marking criteria carefully.
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Definition of evaluate verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
present simple I / you / we / they evaluate | /ɪˈvæljueɪt/ /ɪˈvæljueɪt/ |
he / she / it evaluates | /ɪˈvæljueɪts/ /ɪˈvæljueɪts/ |
past simple evaluated | /ɪˈvæljueɪtɪd/ /ɪˈvæljueɪtɪd/ |
past participle evaluated | /ɪˈvæljueɪtɪd/ /ɪˈvæljueɪtɪd/ |
-ing form evaluating | /ɪˈvæljueɪtɪŋ/ /ɪˈvæljueɪtɪŋ/ |
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A comprehensive guide to writing an evaluation essay – tips, examples, and techniques.
Welcome to the ultimate guide on writing an evaluation essay! Evaluating a subject, be it a book, movie, restaurant, or a piece of art, requires critical thinking and analysis. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn valuable tips and examples to help you master the art of evaluation essays. Whether you are a student working on an assignment or a writer looking to sharpen your skills, this guide will provide you with the tools you need to craft insightful and compelling evaluations.
Writing an evaluation essay involves assessing the quality, value, or significance of a particular subject based on specific criteria. It requires careful evaluation, evidence-based analysis, and a clear presentation of your findings. In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps of writing an effective evaluation essay, from choosing a topic and developing a thesis to organizing your arguments and refining your writing. By following our tips and studying the examples provided, you will be well-equipped to write a standout evaluation essay that engages and persuades your readers.
Writing an evaluation essay requires a careful analysis and critique of a subject or a topic. To master this art, you need to develop a critical mindset and attention to detail. Here are some key steps to help you craft a compelling evaluation essay:
Select a subject that you are passionate about or one that you have knowledge of. This will make the evaluation process more engaging and easier for you. | |
Conduct thorough research on your chosen topic to gather relevant information and supporting evidence. This will strengthen your evaluation. | |
Create a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines your evaluation and the criteria you will use to assess the subject. | |
Organize your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs that present your evaluation, and a conclusion that summarizes your findings. | |
Support your evaluation with concrete examples and evidence from your research. This will make your argument more convincing. | |
Avoid bias and present a balanced evaluation by considering different perspectives and viewpoints on the subject. | |
Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammar errors. Make sure your evaluation is well-supported and effectively communicates your analysis. |
By following these steps and honing your critical thinking skills, you can master the art of writing an evaluation essay and create a compelling and insightful piece of writing.
An evaluation essay is a type of writing that assesses and critiques a particular subject, such as a movie, book, restaurant, or product. It requires the writer to analyze the subject and provide a judgment based on defined criteria. The purpose of an evaluation essay is to evaluate the subject’s quality and effectiveness, and to present a clear and coherent argument for the writer’s assessment.
When writing an evaluation essay, it is important to have a clear understanding of the subject being evaluated and to establish specific criteria for evaluation. These criteria can vary depending on the subject and the writer’s perspective, but they should be logical, relevant, and objective. The evaluation essay should also include evidence and examples to support the writer’s judgment and provide a well-rounded assessment of the subject.
Overall, the evaluation essay requires critical thinking, analysis, and effective communication skills. It is an opportunity for the writer to express their opinion and evaluation of a subject in a structured and persuasive manner.
When selecting a topic for your evaluation essay, it’s important to choose something that you have a genuine interest in and can thoroughly analyze. Here are some tips to help you pick the perfect topic:
By following these guidelines, you can find a topic that will allow you to write a compelling and insightful evaluation essay.
When writing an evaluation essay, it is important to follow a clear structure to effectively communicate your assessment of the subject matter. Here are the key components of structuring your evaluation essay:
By structuring your evaluation essay in a clear and logical manner, you can effectively convey your assessment to your audience and support your evaluation with strong evidence and analysis.
1. Choose a topic that you are familiar with and passionate about. This will make the writing process more enjoyable and engaging for you.
2. Clearly define the criteria that you will use to evaluate the subject. Make sure your criteria are specific, measurable, and relevant to the topic.
3. Provide evidence and examples to support your evaluation. Use facts, data, and examples to back up your claims and make your argument more convincing.
4. Use a clear and logical structure for your essay. Start with an introduction that provides context and introduces the topic. Then, develop your evaluation in the body paragraphs, and conclude with a summary of your main points.
5. Be objective in your evaluation. While it’s important to express your opinion, make sure to support it with evidence and consider different perspectives.
6. Edit and revise your essay carefully. Check for spelling and grammar errors, ensure that your arguments are well-supported, and make sure your writing is clear and concise.
1. Movie Evaluation: “The Shawshank Redemption” is a classic film that touches on themes of hope, redemption, and friendship. The storyline, acting, and cinematography all contribute to the emotional impact of the movie. However, some critics argue that the pacing of the film is slow in certain parts, affecting the overall viewing experience.
2. Restaurant Evaluation: XYZ Restaurant offers a diverse menu, with options ranging from traditional dishes to modern fusion cuisine. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, creating a pleasant dining experience. However, some customers have complained about the slow service and inconsistent quality of food.
3. Book Evaluation: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, justice, and morality. The author’s evocative writing style and vivid characterizations make the book a compelling read. However, some critics argue that the novel oversimplifies complex issues and lacks nuance in its portrayal of race relations.
Once you have completed your evaluation essay, it is crucial to revise and proofread it thoroughly to ensure that it is polished and error-free. Follow these steps to refine your essay:
By revising and proofreading your evaluation essay, you can ensure that it is well-written, coherent, and error-free, enhancing its overall quality and effectiveness.
Writing an evaluation essay can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor. It allows you to critically assess a topic or subject and provide your own unique perspective on it. Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about or have expertise in, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and insightful.
When crafting your evaluation essay, be sure to provide a clear evaluation criteria and support your claims with evidence and examples. Use a balanced approach, acknowledging both the strengths and weaknesses of the subject you are evaluating. Additionally, make sure to structure your essay in a logical and organized manner, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
Overall, evaluation essays offer a valuable opportunity to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills. By following the tips and examples outlined in this guide, you can create a compelling and thought-provoking evaluation essay that engages readers and sparks meaningful discussions.
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Library Handouts & Guides:
What is Source Evaluation?
Source evaluation is the process of critically evaluating information in relation to a given purpose in order to determine if it is appropriate for the intended use.
Why Evaluate Sources?
• Instructors expect students to use scholarly sources: using better sources often results in better grades!
• Information can be out-of-date, inaccurate, and even purposely misleading (such as propaganda)
• Some forms of information, such as websites, allow anyone to contribute content or exist only to sell products or ads by generating traffic
All information, especially online content, needs critical scrutiny. Use the CRAAPP test to evaluate and determine the credibility and reliability of a source:
• The timeliness of the information. • Broken links or old dates indicate a source has not been updated recently. | |
• The importance of the information for your needs. • Consider your audience and compare with a variety of sources. | |
• The creator (author, publisher, sponsor) of the information. • Search for author's contact information, credentials, or background. | |
• The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information. • Check if the source was reviewed or edited. • Look for spelling or grammar errors. | |
• The reason why the information was created. • Identify the author's purpose for creating the source. • Identify any potential bias that could affect the source's credibility. | |
• Publishing rights have been granted to a single cultural perspective • Think about other types of knowledge that could enhance the information. • Think about any barriers to accessing the information. |
Use the chart below to apply the CRAAPP test to websites and other information sources:
(timeliness of the information) | • When was the information published or posted? • Has the information been revised or updated? • Is the information current or out of date for your topic? • Are the links functional or broken? • When was the page created? | A recent update does not mean the information is current. To determine if the information is up to date, compare the information to other sources, such as scholarly articles found in a library database. This is very important for science, health, business, and technology disciplines where new information is frequently produced. Broken links are one indication that a website has not been recently updated. A copyright date is an indication of when information was published or updated! |
(importance of the information for your needs) | • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question? • Who is the intended audience? • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)? • Is the site intended to be general, comprehensive, or selective? | To identify the target audience, look at: • Reading level (is it easy or challenging? Does it assume previous knowledge with the topic?) • Design of the page (are there banner ads, flashy graphics, or plain text?) • Possible target demographics (is the information aimed at academic researchers, kids, consumers, political activists, or another type of person)? |
(source of the information) | • Who is the author, publisher, source, or sponsor? • Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given? If yes, what are they? • What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic? • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address? • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? | Google the name(s) of the person or people who created the source. Try to find their credentials, education, work experience, or life experience. Does this mean that they have expertise on the topic of the source? If you cannot find the name of the person or people who created the source, go to the "About" page to learn about the website or organization.
|
(reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content) | • Where does the information come from? • Is the information supported by evidence? • Has the information been reviewed? • Can you verify the information in another source or from personal knowledge? • Does the language or tone seem biased or emotional? • Are there obvious errors (spelling, grammar, etc.)? | Many websites, particularly non-profit organizations or advocacy groups, will have a particular agenda or purpose that results in formation with a bias. Bias does not mean that the source is not reliable, but it is very important to take into account when interpreting or using the given information. Consider if the author is fair, balanced, or moderate in their presentation or viewpoint. Are they overly emotional or extreme? Is there a conflict of interest due to the author's affiliation or perspective? |
(reason the information exists) | • What is the purpose of the information? Does it inform, persuade, sell, or entertain? • Are the intentions of the authors/sponsor clear? • Does the point of view appear objective? • Are there political, cultural, institutional, or personal biases? | Websites may have several purposes, such as to persuade and entertain at the same time. It is important to analyze if one purpose conflicts with the information found on the website. Are there any purposes? For example, does the aim of the organization or the use of advertising on the page indicate that the purpose is hidden? |
(publishing rights granted to a single group) | • Are there other types of knowledge (for example, oral traditions) that could enhance the information? Which ones? • Are there barriers to accessing the information? For example, cost, technology, account registration? | Consider whose voices have traditionally been the only ones in a research conversation on a particular topic. Which other voices ought to be included? Sources found through the library catalogue are accessible for the Bow Valley College community. These same sources may be behind a paywall if found through Google. |
This video tutorial explains how to differentiate between popular and scholarly sources and demonstrates how to use them correctly in your research and course assignments. Need help searching for and identifying peer-reviewed journal articles? Go to the How to Find Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles guide
Use the chart below to differentiate between scholarly/academic, trade/professional, and popular mainstream sources:
When conducting research, the ability to distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary sources is a very useful skill:
Provide firsthand and unfiltered information, without interpretation, analysis or evaluation: • Historical artifacts, diaries, records, newspapers, letters • Works of art and literature | Tend to come first in publication cycle; immediate to the time period and/or event(s) Often fits in one of these categories: 1. Subjective, first-person narration 2. Creative writing 3. Neutral, detached reporting | |
Comment, discuss, analyze, evaluate, and/or interpret primary, tertiary, and other secondary sources: • Essays and reviews • Peer-reviewed journal articles • Textbooks (may also be tertiary) | Tend to come second in publication cycle; vary from close to or far-removed from originating time period and/or event(s) • Tone is argumentative and analytical • Often builds on past and/or current discourse with aim to counter, extend, and/or supplant previous works | |
Provide general overviews or summaries that compile and synthesize both primary and secondary sources: • Encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks • Annotated bibliographies, indexes, chronologies | Tend to come last in publication cycle; far-removed from originating time period and/or event(s) • Factual, objective and concise with focus on distilling multiple sources • Typically has a broad, general focus and lacks any original analysis and critique |
What this handout is about.
The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.
Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :
Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.
The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:
“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”
Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)
“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”
Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.
“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”
These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:
“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”
These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.
“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”
The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.
Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:
Who is your audience.
Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.
Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .
Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.
Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs
Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:
Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.
Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.
Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.
More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:
Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.
Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.
You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .
With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”
So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”
Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .
There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.
Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .
You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.
Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.
No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .
The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.
Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.
Your instructors are not fooled when you:
Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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The learning guides to this course list various learning objectives or competencies with each module, and these are described in terms of some verb: identify, describe, distinguish, diagram, define, use, construct, explain, evaluate, compare, discuss ... (I think that's all of them). Let me offer brief descriptions of what I have in mind with each of these terms.
Compare : This involves describing two or more things (objects, practices, ideas, etc.), emphasizing those aspects where the things are similar and where they are different. If the things have much in common, then the differences should be highlighted; if they seem widely dissimilar, then interesting commonalities should be mentioned. See Distinguish .
Example : A comparison of the methods of capital punishment would involve a description of lethal injection, the gas chamber, the electric chair (etc.), while highlighting the similarities and differences. Here, the comparison would look not just at the technique, but how well the technique meets certain criteria (e.g., of not violating the “cruel and unusual punishment” protection of the U. S. Constitution).
Construct : All sorts of things require construction, but in a philosophy course these are usually limited to arguments and truth-tables. A formal construction of an argument involves writing a list of numbered premises and a conclusion that can be inferred from the premises; an informal construction involves writing out, in a narrative form, the conclusion and the reasons for why the conclusion should be believed. The construction of a truth-table requires drawing a table of rows and columns, with a separate column for each simple statement made in the argument, as well as for each premise and the conclusion. There need to be as many rows in the truth-table as there are possible truth combinations of the simple statements (viz., 2 n , where ‘n’ is the number of simple statements).
Define : A definition is a verbal description of the meaning of some general term (e.g., we could define ‘human’ but probably not ‘Socrates’). This skill might involve nothing more than remembering some learned definition; but to arrive at a definition on your own requires a close understanding of the thing whose name is being defined. In general, when defining ‘X’, the definition needs to include all X’s, and exclude all non-X’s.
Describe and Explain : In this present list of skills, ‘describe’ is most similar to ‘explain’; in some instances, they differ only in one’s intention. A description will list some of the properties or features of a thing (or process or event, etc.), but an explanation will relate the thing or event to a larger context that makes it “more understandable” to a third party. Offering a description might also do this (depending on which features are mentioned), but often a description simply will help a third party to recognize or identify the thing.
One might offer a bald description of the facts, without bothering to explain what they mean. One might describe a single thing or event in isolation of its surroundings or any other context, but this isn’t possible with an explanation. To explain something is always to make reference to a larger context that helps ground its meaning; or else to relate two or more things together in a way that makes each more understandable than were they described in isolation.
Finally, to describe something is to give a list of properties or qualities of a thing (or process or event, etc.), but to do this always with some purpose and sense of relevance in mind. For instance, a description of Abraham Lincoln normally won’t mention that he possessed a nose and two feet, or that he was a human being. Some properties are more important than others, which is determined by the context.
Example : A description of capital punishment would amount to little more than a definition of the term and the means by which it is carried out. An explanation of capital punishment, on the other hand, might go in any of several directions — a sociological explanation (what it is about a certain society that makes the practice of capital punishment desirable or possible), or political (how certain political forces have led to its implementation, limitation, or rejection), or historical, etc.
Diagram : This is limited (in this course) to diagramming extended arguments. More abstractly, a diagram is the description of something in a graphic form.
Discuss : A discussion involves examining the various reasons for and against some claim, or else a multi-faceted exploration of some topic. The core meaning of ‘discussion’ is a conversation between two or more people, and so a discussion here should have at its heart the even-handed consideration of a topic, looking at it from various sides. This involves rather more than reciting facts or describing something. It is closer to evaluation , only it neither requires nor expects you to come down on one side of the issue. You need to make use of background information surrounding that claim or topic.
Example : A discussion of capital punishment would mention some of the history of the practice, describe how it is carried out, and describe (and perhaps offer some evaluation) of arguments for and against the practice.
Distinguish : Closely related to compare , this involves describing two or more things (actions, ideas, etc.) in such a way that highlights their differences.
Explain : (See Describe , above.)
Evaluate : An evaluation is similar in complexity to a discussion , the primary difference being that evaluations will make use of criteria for deciding whether one thing is better or worse than another, whether some practice is morally permissible, and so on.
Example : An evaluation of capital punishment would involve a discussion of the practice, and then an assessment of whether it is effective (in deterring would be criminals, in meting out justice, in making wise use of public resources), or whether it is moral, or whether it is constitutional, or some combination of these and others.
Identify : Identification typically involves little more than the ability to pick-out some X from a line-up of individuals; in other words, it involves recognition skills. Sometimes ‘identify’ is used in the sense of describe .
Use : You might be asked, for instance, to properly use some newly-learned concept in a sentence, or use an inference pattern in a new argument. In this course, you will be asked to make use of completed truth-tables for determining validity, and to make use of the method of counter-example to determine invalidity. That’s it.
Prepared by Steve Naragon [ email ]. Last update: 29 Aug 2009
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Assessment, as defined by www.edglossary.org , “ refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students.” It is analogous to evaluation, judgment, rating, appraisal, and analysis. (Great Schools Partnership, 2015)
Although the terms assessment and evaluation are often used synonymously, they are distinctive and different. The intent of assessment is to measure effectiveness; evaluation adds a value component to the process. A teacher may assess a student to ascertain how well the individual successfully met the learning target. If, however, the measurement is used to determine program placement, such as a special education program, honors club, or Individual Educational Program documentation, the assessment constitutes an evaluation.
Assessment is two-fold in nature. It enables the teacher to gather information and then determine what the learner knows or does not know and concurrently drives the planning phase. To meet the needs of all learners, the teacher may need to differentiate the instruction.
The teacher is then responsible for providing positive feedback in a timely manner to the student. This feedback should include whether the student met the learning target, specifically what needs to be improved upon, and who and how these goals will be met.
The intent of assessment has traditionally been to determine what the learner has learned. Today, the emphasis is on authentic assessment. While the former typically employed recall methods, the latter encourages learners to demonstrate greater comprehension. (Wiggins, 1990)
1) Goal-referenced | Learner knows whether they are on track towards a goal or need to change course. |
2) Tangible & transparent | Learners can understand exactly how your feedback relates to the task at hand. |
3) Actionable | Learners know specifically what actions to take to move towards their goal. |
4) User-friendly | Learner finds the feedback appropriate to his/her cognitive level. |
5) Timely | Learner receives feedback while the attempt and effect are still fresh in their mind. |
6) Ongoing | Learner has multiple opportunities to learn and improve towards the ultimate goal. |
7) Consistent | Learner can adjust his/her performance based on stable, accurate, and trustworthy feedback. |
Within an academic setting, assessment may include “the process of observing learning; describing, collecting, recording, scoring, and interpreting information about a student’s or one’s own learning http://www.k12.hi.us/atr/evaluation/glossary.htm .”
It can occur by observations, interviews, tests, projects, or any other information-gathering method. Within the early childhood and early primary elementary grades, observations are used frequently to assess learners. Teachers may use a checklist to note areas of proficiency or readiness and may opt to use checkmarks or some other consistent means for record-keeping.
It is helpful for a teacher to include the date, day, and time. This record-keeping may result in emerging patterns. Does the learner exhibit certain behaviors or respond to learning activities because of proximity to lunchtime, morning, or afternoon? The aspect of understanding how individuals learn can be noted within the affective domain. (Kirk, N/D) This may influence how a student learns and behaves within a classroom setting. Seating, natural and artificial lighting, noise, and temperature all influence how students feel and interact within the environment and affect cognitive behaviors.
Interviews can be used on the elementary or secondary levels as an assessment tool. Like any other well-planned assessment tool, they necessitate careful planning and development of questions, positive rapport with the student, and an environment free from distractions, outside noise, and time constraints. Interviews may or may not be audiotaped or videotaped, and scoring rubrics may be used to assess (Southerland, ND).
Tests offer yet another venue for assessment purposes. They may take the form of essay or short response, fill-in-the-blank, matching, or true or false formats. Like any of the other methods, they should be valid and reliable. Carefully thought-out test questions need to be tied to learning standards, and a clear and fair scoring measure needs to be in place.
Typically, assessment has been viewed as the result; the letter or point assigned at the end of an assignment; however, assessment can and should come at the beginning, end, and throughout the teaching and learning process. While assessment should drive instruction, it often falls short when determining instructional decisions.
Danielle Stein eagerly anticipated the upcoming parent-teacher conferences of the day. She had studied hard as a Childhood Education major and had worked diligently in her first year as a third-grade teacher at Maplewood Elementary School. Danielle had planned interdisciplinary lessons, employed inquiry-based learning centers, and regularly met individual students to ensure that they had mastered the skills as determined by the state standards.
Each student had a portfolio filled with dated representations of their work. Ms. Stein understood the importance of specific and timely feedback and had painstakingly provided detailed written feedback on each work sample. She meticulously arranged the portfolios and anecdotal notes and looked forward to sharing the students’ accomplishments with their family members.
As last-minute jitters began to set in, Danielle realized that she had no grades for any of the students. Despite doing all the right things, she had no way to assign a grade to any of the work the students had done. How would she respond when guardians asked what grade their child would earn on the first report card? How would she accurately tell them how they compared with their peers in reading? In math? In social studies and science?
Danielle quickly realized she was not as prepared as she had anticipated.
How do teachers assess student work? Is there a certain number of assignments that the teacher should grade within a 9-week session? Are there alternatives to letter grades? Reflect on how you were graded as a student.
Introduction to Education Copyright © 2021 by Shannon M. Delgado and Sarah Mark is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
(Last updated: 13 May 2021)
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What does it mean to critically evaluate something or to provide a critical review? We won’t lie – these terms are complicated. But the following paragraph, and the rest of this blog post below, may help your understanding:
Typically, the word “critical” has a negative connotation. Think of words like “critique” and “criticise” and you see why. However, with essay writing, being asked to write “critically” does not necessarily mean you need to be negative. Instead, you are voicing your opinion in a logical and coherent way that is based upon evidence and evaluation.
When faced with the task to “critically evaluate” or to provide a “critical review”, it is important to remember that there is going to be some element of description. But you need to be able to build on that description to further justify your point. Let’s go through some examples.
Descriptive writing really focuses on answering the four ‘w’ questions – what, where, who, when. In descriptive writing you are going to need to focus on the following:
Who | What | Where | When |
---|---|---|---|
Who is the author? | What is this about? | Where does this take place? | When does this occur? |
Who is affected? | What is the context? | ||
Who is involved? | What is the main point? |
As you can see from the table above, all of the ‘w’ questions are really important and are essential components to writing a good essay . The purpose of these components is to let the reader get the essential information they need to understand the main idea. Yet if you stop here, you only end up with a descriptive essay, which does not meet the requirements of criticality that are requested by the professor or TA.
Critical writing gives you the opportunity to go beyond the descriptive, so when you critically evaluate or critically review something, you are moving toward analysis and evaluation. This type of critical writing asks you to assess the how, why, what if, so what and what next questions. As you will begin to notice, these questions require much more explanation that the ‘w’ questions (each of which you could likely answer in 10 words or less). Let’s look at some of these questions below:
How | Why | What if | So what | What next |
---|---|---|---|---|
How does this occur? | Why did this occur? | What if we are wrong? | What does this mean? | Is it transferable? |
How does it work? | Why was that done? | What if there was a problem? | Why is this significant? | What can we learn from it? |
How do the parts fit into the whole? | Why this argument / solution? | What if a certain factors were changed/ altered/ removed? | Is this convincing? Why? Why not? | What needs doing now? |
Anyone who has done a lot of writing or who has seen many students’ writing will tell you that there are plenty of ways to write an essay . Yet while there are many strategies, when writing in English, there are certain expectations that the reader has when working through a paragraph or larger piece of writing. Therefore, in order to satisfy the reader that you have successfully completed a critical review or evaluation, you need to make sure that the reader gets what they are expecting.
The first step is to carefully read the article/piece of work that you are going to be critically assessing. Often, students feel like, just because something has been published in an academic journal, that it is an excellent piece of writing that cannot be questioned. But this isn’t necessarily true. The author of that article made certain decisions during the research and writing processes. It is your job to evaluate and analyse what they have done and whether the author has presented any evidence that you can draw conclusions from or make links between areas of knowledge.
In an academic journal article, there are often two places where you will be able to find the easiest opportunities to critically evaluate the work: the methodology and the discussion. In the methodology, the author has made certain decisions about how they are going to answer the research question presented. They have usually (in empirical research) identified a sample, context, and certain instruments (e.g. questionnaire, interviews, observations, etc.). Perhaps one of the easiest ways you can critically evaluate this information is to determine whether or not the sample size is big enough or whether the context applies globally or only to the region where the research took place. For example, a sample of 250 undergraduate students might seem like a lot, but if they are all from a remote area of Pakistan, their situation may not be applicable to undergraduate students who are studying in the UK. Highlighting this issue is one of the more basic forms of criticality because you are applying your own judgements to a situation.
Another area where you might be able to critically evaluate a paper is in the discussion section. It’s in this section where the author expresses their point of view and how their findings relate to other aspects of research. In some articles, you might find that the author has made claims . So if we consider the same group of 250 undergraduate students in Pakistan, the author might find that of the 250 students 225 felt that learning English was important for job security in the future. Therefore, the author might claim that students should learn English if they want to secure a good job in the future. With this argument you could evaluate whether this statement is actually true. We already know that 250 is not representative globally, but we can also assume that students in a remote area of Pakistan may not have access to the same opportunities as students in Beijing. These students may come to a different conclusion about English (potentially).
The point of a critical evaluation is to demonstrate that you can think beyond what you are being told. By taking steps to question what is being written and presented to you, you may be better able to write a critical review and to reflect on how and why the author took the position they did. No research study is perfect and it is your job to determine what could have been modified or changed to fit a different situation.
Focus on directive essay words: “summarise”, focus on directive essay words: “elaborate”.
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Assessed writing postgraduate study skills.
The written assignments you submit must address the key issues in the question in a manner that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the theories and the concepts studied. It should present your views and findings, based on well-reasoned views and judgements.
Assignment markers look for two things.
If you have started to develop your skills in critical reading you will have a good understanding of the literature and already formed many of your own ideas on the subjects an assignment relates to. In assignments you will often be expected to use these ideas in academic argument and critical evaluation.
In order to articulate and communicate your understanding, it is often necessary to translate the language of other authors into a form that represents your own perspectives and is comprehensible to your readers. In this process of translation you reflect on your understanding of the literature, and this helps you to recognise omissions in your understanding. You also call on the breadth of your knowledge to construct the arguments and counter arguments required in balanced debate.
In a similar approach to that of critical reading, if you need to make an argument for a particular theory or approach it is important that you fully understand it. You should ask yourself key questions, such as these.
You also need to make sure that you back up your position with academic opinion, facts, examples and statistics, rather than mere personal opinion. Your argument will then appear balanced rather than biased.
Take care to demonstrate that you recognise the difference between fact and conjecture. So if something only might be true, rather than is definitely true, you should make this clear by stating this suggests that... or it could be said...
An assignment question that asks you to critically evaluate something is seeking a balanced debate. Your answer should consider the positive aspects of the thesis alongside the negative aspects of the thesis.
There is a specific rationale for asking you to consider both. Very often, when first reading about a theory or a concept, the response is to form a value judgement; that is to either agree or disagree. However by thinking of both sides of the debate, both good and bad, you develop and refine your analytical skills. These skills are important as they form the foundation for robust problem solving and decision making. Furthermore they help build creativity and innovation by encouraging you to challenge how you think about things, and are crucial to the development of reflective practice. Cumulatively the impact of this is that you become more receptive to new ideas and approaches.
There are a range of study skills booklets available to students. If you're not already signed in, sign in to see them all including Thinking critically which gives you further information on this subject.
Key points to consider include the following.
Compare and contrast academic opinion; this will make your own work stronger.
Where a critical evaluation is sought, it is important to include your own conclusions. These should take the preceding debate as their premise, and can refer back to the literature as necessary. It does not matter whether or not the marker agrees with your conclusions. However, it is important that your conclusions are justified, and based on a well-reasoned rationale.
When you refer to material in a source you've found, you can summarise or paraphrase the work, or quote directly.
It is important to get a good balance between the two. Indeed, too much quoting can appear lazy - the person reading your essay wants to know what you have to say about a particular subject or theory. You also demonstrate that you understand what you're talking about it if you paraphrase something.
Whether you paraphrase or quote material, you should always include a reference to its source.
It is important that your work is written to professional standards and that you use appropriate academic words and terminology. However, it is also important to write clearly and accurately - these attributes should not be lost in the search for an academic style of writing.
Linking words and phrases can help you to build up an argument by linking one sentence or idea to another. Using linking words and phrases, such as moving on to... or this argument suggests... can help your argument follow a logical flow.
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Teaching excellence & educational innovation, what is the difference between formative and summative assessment, formative assessment.
The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative assessments:
Formative assessments are generally low stakes , which means that they have low or no point value. Examples of formative assessments include asking students to:
The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.
Summative assessments are often high stakes , which means that they have a high point value. Examples of summative assessments include:
Information from summative assessments can be used formatively when students or faculty use it to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent courses.
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Definition of Question Words with Examples. Words such as 'explain', 'evaluate' or 'analyse' - typical question words used in essay titles - provide a useful indication of how your essay should be structured. They often require varying degrees of critical responses. Sometimes, they may simply require a descriptive answer.
How to write an Evaluation Essay. There are two secrets to writing a strong evaluation essay. The first is to aim for objective analysis before forming an opinion. The second is to use an evaluation criteria. Aim to Appear Objective before giving an Evaluation Argument. Your evaluation will eventually need an argument.
to determine or fix the value of; to determine the significance, worth, or condition of usually by careful appraisal and study… See the full definition Menu Toggle
Critically evaluate: Weigh arguments for and against something, assessing the strength of the evidence on both sides. Use criteria to guide your assessment of which opinions, theories, models or items are preferable. Define: Give the exact meaning of. Where relevant, show you understand how the definition may be problematic.
EVALUATE definition: 1. to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something: 2. to judge or…. Learn more.
Here's a list of some of the most common instruction/command words you'll see in essay questions (and examination questions as well), together with an explanation of what they mean. Describe: Give a detailed account of…. Outline: Give the main features/general principles; don't include minor details. Explain, account for, interpret: Describe ...
To evaluate is to assess or appraise. Evaluation is the process of examining a subject and rating it based on its important features. We determine how much or how little we value something, arriving at our judgment on the basis of criteria that we can define. We evaluate when we write primarily because it is almost impossible to avoid doing so.
Critically evaluate: As with 'evaluate', but showing how judgments vary from different perspectives and how some judgments are stronger than others. This often means creating an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case, based on the evaluation from different perspectives. Define: Present a precise meaning.
Evaluate definition: to determine or set the value or amount of; appraise. See examples of EVALUATE used in a sentence.
EVALUATE meaning: 1. to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something: 2. to judge or…. Learn more.
evaluate something The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the different drugs. Researchers evaluated teaching performance by comparing students' exam results. evaluate how, whether, etc… The study will critically evaluate whether this technology is useful. We need to evaluate how well the policy is working.
Critical Analysis and Evaluation. Many assignments ask you to critique and evaluate a source. Sources might include journal articles, books, websites, government documents, portfolios, podcasts, or presentations. When you critique, you offer both negative and positive analysis of the content, writing, and structure of a source.
A well-done evaluation has three attributes: clarity, consistency, and a sense of hierarchy. By clarity, I mean that your marks on the paper clearly identify what the weakness (or strength) of the writing is, and if a revision is proposed, then what that revision is. By consistency, I mean that your evaluation is such that students feel as if ...
When you evaluate something, you're making a judgment, one that most likely results from some degree of analysis.
Whether you are a student working on an assignment or a writer looking to sharpen your skills, this guide will provide you with the tools you need to craft insightful and compelling evaluations. ... Clearly define the criteria that you will use to evaluate the subject. Make sure your criteria are specific, measurable, and relevant to the topic ...
Use the CRAAPP test to evaluate and determine the credibility and reliability of a source: CURRENCY. • The timeliness of the information. • Broken links or old dates indicate a source has not been updated recently. RELEVANCE. • The importance of the information for your needs. • Consider your audience and compare with a variety of sources.
What this handout is about. The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms ...
Define: A definition is a verbal description of the meaning of some general term (e.g., we could define 'human' but probably not 'Socrates'). This skill might involve nothing more than remembering some learned definition; but to arrive at a definition on your own requires a close understanding of the thing whose name is being defined.
43. 8.1 Assessment and Evaluation. Assessment, as defined by www.edglossary.org, "refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students.". It is analogous to evaluation, judgment, rating, appraisal ...
Typically, the word "critical" has a negative connotation. Think of words like "critique" and "criticise" and you see why. However, with essay writing, being asked to write "critically" does not necessarily mean you need to be negative. Instead, you are voicing your opinion in a logical and coherent way that is based upon ...
Analysis/Evaluation. provided by the authors. Evaluative writing is a specific genre that analyzes a subject in order to make and support a "judgment call," a judgment that is based on specific, clear criteria. That judgment - which is your reasoned opinion - becomes the heart of the essay's thesis, clearly stating whether the subject is successful or not based on how it meets ...
Critical evaluation. An assignment question that asks you to critically evaluate something is seeking a balanced debate. Your answer should consider the positive aspects of the thesis alongside the negative aspects of the thesis. There is a specific rationale for asking you to consider both. Very often, when first reading about a theory or a ...
The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark. Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point value. Examples of summative assessments include: a midterm exam. a final project. a paper. a senior recital.