CRITICAL ANALYSIS TIPS – ENG 301

A critical analysis is a close examination of a piece of writing. When conducting a critical analysis, you will be expected to engage in critical reading of the piece you are examining. You will be also be required to summarize the piece that you are critiquing before you begin to evaluate it.

The major elements of your argument can be delineated as follows:

  • Claim: you will be making is a value claim.
  • Warrant: whatever standard against which you measure the piece will be your warrant.
  • Evidence/Support: specific references to the piece under consideration will constitute your evidence.

Here is a useful model for the critical analysis:

  • Introduction:

In your introduction, include the following:
    • The title of the article under consideration, and the name of its author (one sentence)
    • The author’s purpose for writing the piece (one sentence)
    • A short summary of the piece (no more than one paragraph – think fifty words or thereabouts)
    • A brief evaluation of the piece (one sentence)

  • Development:

Some areas that you may look at in your analysis:
    • Claim – is it clear? What kind of claim is it? Is it arguable, or is it a statement of fact, or an opinion?
    • Warrant (if any) – do you accept it? Is it implicit or explicit?
    • Evidence – what kind of evidence is offered? Statistics? Fact? Expert authority? Personal observation? Personal experience? Is the evidence credible? Is it documented? Do you accept it? Can you think of contradictory evidence of your own to disprove it?
    • Logic – does the argument develop logically? Are key terms adequately defined? Does the writer rely on fallacies to make his/her points? Is the structure of the argument coherent, or is it disorganized?
    • Language – is the tone relevant to your discussion? Is it neutral, or passionate? Does the author use direct, clinical language, or does he/she employ literary devices? If the latter, what is their effect?

  • Conclusion:

In your conclusion, include the following:
    • An evaluation of the success or failure of the argument
    • Your personal response to the article – is it relevant? Timely? Incoherent? Out-of-date?