Unit 8 Lesson 5: Critiquing with Evidence Flashcards
(13 cards)
argument
a process of reasoning that supports a conclusion; a written or spoken record of this process
book review
a critical analysis of a text that summarizes the text’s contents, analyzes its subject and central ideas, and evaluates the effectiveness of the author’s work
critique
a critical analysis or evaluation of another piece of writing; also known as a critical response or review
What does a book reviwer
a book review writer considers an author’s ideas and presentation and then offers an initial argument, or appraisal, of the work. A book reviewer reaches their conclusions about the book and tells why those conclusions should be considered valid.
For a book reviwer, what do you do once e they have summarized the contents of a book and explained some of its key ideas
Once they have summarized the contents of a book and explained some of its key ideas, book reviewers generally want to offer a critique of the book, pointing out its strengths and weaknesses. For the critique to be convincing, it must back up the reviewer’s argument.
Since an argument requires reasoning, developing an argument just means reasoning step-by-step. Often, a reviewer may not be immediately aware of their own reasons for finding something in a book effective or ineffective. Thus, developing an argument involves some detective work.
A reviewer may close the cover of a book and think “Well, that was tough to follow,” or “That was kind of simplistic.” But to write a strong review, the reviewer must go back and figure out—and then explain—what specific parts of the book led to their conclusion.
It is also important for a reviewer to be able to critique the argument from other perspectives.
A reviewer may compare and contrast different interpretations, insights, and attitudes of an argument as a means of critical analysis.
How do you develop an argument when critiquing non-fiction writing?
Developing an argument requires reasoning for a point that you are making, so that your reader can understand how you arrived at that point. In a book review, it means giving examples and evidence that show the reader why you reached the conclusion that you did about the book.
Why is it important to present an argument in a book review?
Without an argument, any subjective opinions in a review might come across as unconvincing, arbitrary, or hard to understand. If you just say that the writing in the book is hard to follow without any explanation of why, readers might have trouble understanding why you felt that way. An effectively reasoned argument not only convinces readers that your view has merit, it also helps them judge whether they are likely to share your reaction—whether positive or negative—if they read the book.
Suppose you have just finished a book you plan to review. You found the book exciting and engaging, and you want to convey that reaction in your argument. What follow-up questions might you use to develop an argument?
It could be helpful to ask: What are the most exciting parts of the book, and why are they exciting? What do the most exciting and engaging parts of the book have in common?
evidence
the facts and information that support an idea or analysis
The textual evidence in a nonfiction work that a reviewer can use to support their critique can vary, including:
- specific quotations
- paraphrased examples
- factual statements
- statistics
For a book reviewer, developing a strong argument involves presenting their argument in a way that is easy for the audience to follow.
While a book review writer collects supportive textual evidence from the work of nonfiction, the review itself will likely include only a few well-chosen examples—just enough to illustrate a point.
