Learn to Critique Article and Make the Most of It

Critiquing an article may not be as difficult as some may think. Understanding a few key points in how to critique written content can make a difference in how it is presented to the reading audience, as well as clarifying significant information in the message or main idea being expressed. Many students are required to critique writing abilities of other writers, especially those who have written famous works. But for article content, it can be helpful even for students who have writing abilities they need to improve.

Understanding the Main Idea or Message

When you critique someone's work you are basically providing an opinion on how well they presented their content. Usually, when someone reads an article they are drawn to its information based on the title and how it opens during the first paragraph. You hope to write something that would encourage the reader to keep reading it. For instance, you may have an opinion on how the introduction is written and the scope of the topic. Look at how well this information is presented and how well is the main idea supported?

How Well Is the Content Written from a Technical Standpoint?

Notice how sentences and paragraphs are structured. Is information presented in a logical manner? Other areas of concern may include grammar, punctuation, and word usage. Even though many students may not be experts in these areas, it helps to point such areas out to see how they can be changed or improved. Plus, if a student ever considers hiring a professional to review their written content, they have an idea of what they may look for in critiquing academic content.

What Areas Need Improvement and How

Depending on the topic of the article, you may have ideas or notes to share as to how the content can be improved. For instance, maybe something in the text wasn't fully explained or it lacked evidence to make it seem more credible. When it comes to written content such as articles, it helps to keep in mind you are striving to do better than you did in the past. The subject matter may be something of significance that people like to read about, but taking such content and writing about it from another perspective just may help you in writing and critiquing content better.