WEEK 4: CRITIQUE PAPER

Most academic and most evaluated evaluation among the three.

Made by experts of the field

Focused on analyzing and evaluating the components of a work

Usually made to provide direction or future improvements of the subject

Common Critical Approaches in Writing

1. READER-RESPONSE CRITICISM

It affirms that the meaning of texts depends on how a reader reacts to it.

This approach claims that a text does not have a meaning until the reader reads it and interprets it.

It primarily deals with the process of creating meaning and experiencing the text as it is being read.

This formula makes it easier to understand the Reader-Response Approach:

READER + READING SITUATION + TEXT = MEANING

Keep in mind that in Reader-Response, the interpretation of a reader towards a certain text usually
changes over time, depending on his/her reading situation. Hence, the readers from different
generations and time periods have varied interpretation of texts as well.

2. FORMALISM

It asserts that the meaning of text depends on the form.

Therefore, it focuses on the text.

The literary elements and how the writer utilized it in the entire text is the main focus of this
approach.

Unlike the Reader-Response where the reader’s situation affects the meaning of the text, in
Formalism, you look in the imagery, the figurative languages found in the text, the text structure, the
text style, and the tone of the text.

3. FEMINISM

You examine women in literature but it is not just women, it is the tension between male and female
imagery within a piece of literature.

It is concerned with the role, position, and influence of women in a literary text. Feminist critics
examine the female consciousness being depicted by both male and female writers.

4. MARXISM

It is based on the political theory of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

The role of power, politics, and money in literary texts are emphasized in this approach.

Usually, when Marxism is used to analyze a text, the way in which the continuing conflicts between
the working class and the elites is conveyed.

Other Critical Approaches in Writing

1. New Historicist Criticism

It claims that every literary text is a product of its time and its world.

Utilizing this approach emphasizes the background information imperative to better understand
how literary texts were perceived in their time.
It also shows how these texts reflect the ideas and attitudes of the time in which they were written.

2. Biographical Criticism

It contends that to better understand any text, the author’s life and background must be taken in to
account.

Knowing the author’s personal experiences, his struggles and successes in life, can help the reader
better interpret the text.

3. Sociological Criticism

It claims that the social environment must be considered in analyzing and interpreting a text.

Focuses on the values of a society and how those views are reflected in a text.

4. Psychological Criticism

It is based on Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Approach.

It asserts that any text is a reflection of its author’s mind and personality. Moreover, it also looks on
to the hidden motives of the literary characters within the text.

WEEK 5: REACTION PAPER

A reaction paper, review, and critique are specialized forms of writing in which an author reviews or
evaluates a subject. Composed of 250- 750 words

1. It helps us to develop a knowledge of the work’s subject area or related works.

2. It helps us to understand the work’s purpose, intended audience, development of

argument, structure of evidence or creative style.

3. It helps us to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the work.

The following are subjects in making a Reaction Paper:

● Scholarly work - Academic Books, journals, and article

● Work of art - Performance Art, play, dance, sports, films, and exhibit

● Designs - Industrial designs, furniture, fashion designs

● Graphic designs - Posters, billboards, commercials, and digital media

Common format

● Introduction - Title or name of the subject

● Body – Summary and Evaluation

● Conclusion - Overall impression of the work

Reaction paper

Presents your reasonable response to anything seen, heard, read, or experienced

• It can be done by anyone

• Focused on personal appreciation of the subject

• Expression of personal judgment.

Despite the fact that you are writing about your reactions, thoughts and impressions, you still need
to follow an appropriate structure.

Steps in making a good Reaction Paper

1. Read the material carefully

2. Write down your thought while reading/watching
3. Come up with a thesis statement
4. Compose an outline
5. Construct your paper

Writing a reaction paper is mainly based on how you feel or think about something.

Objective Assessment

You have listed some opinions. Opinions are your own views of certain issues or concerns.

Here are some phrases that you can use:

I think technology is harmful.

In my opinion, technology is very important nowadays.

In my view, technology is not useful and helpful.

You are entitled to your own opinions, but these opinions must be based on facts.

● It is very important that you will not be focused only on giving opinions. You must also look
for information that will help support your opinion

● This will add to the credibility and validity of your opinion;

● More will believe you if what you express is strongly supported with information that are true
and correct

WEEK 6: REVIEW PAPER

REVIEW

• Objective judgment of something

• Focused on highlighting the good and bad points

• Made by knowledgeable people of a field

Steps in making a Good Review

1. Think of an interesting title. This should be interesting enough to catch the attention of your
readers. You may opt to do this before or after writing.
2. On the first paragraph, provide a sufficient background discussion of what you are to review.
Only three to five sentences on this part will do.
3. The second paragraph serves as the crucial point in your text. This will serve as the
transition period from the background of what you are to review leading to your (as the
writer) general impression. This also serves as the thesis statement of the text you are
writing.
4. The third paragraph indicates the start of the critique or review proper. At this point, all the
concrete and specific details will serve as support to the general impression and thesis
statement you gave on the second paragraph. As you go into the details, remember to
discuss both the positive and the negative aspects of what you are reviewing. The positive
ones are presented first.
5. As a writer, you may want to include a recommendation for the aspects which you find the
need for attention and improvement.
 6. Lastly, you may also consider giving rating to what you have reviewed. This helps readers
measure the quality of the thing (e.g., story, movie, art, design) that you reviewed.

WEEK 7: CONCEPT PAPER

Concept Paper

Academic paper that is written with the purpose of identifying and explaining an idea or a concept
related to a particular field or discipline.

Provides an overview of the project, helps funding agencies eliminate proposals that are likely to be
disapproved.

Several Uses

⮚ Serves as a foundation of full proposal

⮚ Helps determine whether a certain project is feasible or not

⮚ It is used to pique the interest of the potential funding agencies

⮚ Used to obtain informal feedback on the ideas prior to preparing the full proposal

3 TYPES OF ACADEMIC CONCEPT PAPERS

I. Research Concept Paper

This is a summary written by students embarking on research to gather and present preliminary
ideas: to review a field of study, state a research question, identify methods, and indicate the
significance of a line of research, often including a budget and timeline. It tells the reader what the
research is, why it is important and how it will be carried out.

II. Advertising Concept Paper (Creative Concept)

A creative concept is an overarching “Big Idea” that captures audience interest, influences their
emotional response and inspires them to take action. It is a unifying theme that can be used across
all campaign messages, calls to action, communication channels and audiences.

III. Project Concept Paper - Grant Project Concept Paper

This is a brief, one or two page concept paper prepared prior to submission of a full
proposal. Applicants may use concept papers in any of the following ways: to interest potential
funders/sponsors, to develop potential solutions or investigations into project ideas, to determine
whether a project idea is fundable.

Ways In Explaining a Concept

1. FORMAL - Follows a pattern or equation

Term + genus + differentia (differentiating characteristics)
Ex. A robot is a machine that looks like a human being and performs complex acts of a
human being (Webster)
2. By SYNONYM - Using a word or phrase that shares a meaning with the term being defined
Ex. Hashish-marijuana
3. By ORIGIN or SEMANTIC HISTORY - Ex. Yoga comes from Sanskrit “to join”
4. By ILLUSTRATION - Ex. Known for shedding their leaves in the fall, deciduous, trees, include
oaks, maples, and beeches
5. By FUNCTION - Ex. A thermometer measures temperature change
6. By ANALYSIS - Breaking down wholes into parts, aspects into levels, and a process into
steps
 Ex. The republican form of government has three branches: the executive, the legislative,
and the judiciary.
7. By LIKENESS OR SIMILARITY - Ex. Brighter than 100 million suns, quasars stand like
beacons on the shore of the universe
8. By ANALOGY or METAPHOR - Ex. The germs or bacteria or antigens are like a gang of villains
invading our body, attacking our unseen defenders, the layers of macrophages, cytokines,
and lymphocytes
9. By CONTRAST - Ex. Unlike those of gas, the particles of plasma are electrically charged.
10. By NEGATION - Stating what a term is not
Ex. Wild rice, an American delicacy, is not rice at all but the seed of a tall aquatic grass.

PARTS OF A CONCEPT PAPER

Concept paper for a PROJECT

1. Cover Page

2. Introduction

3. Rationale or Background

4. Project Description

5. Project needs and Cost

Concept paper for an ACADEMIC RESEARCH

1. Title Page

2. Background of the Study

3. Preliminary Literature Review

4. Statement of the Problem/Objectives

5. Abridged Methodology

6. Timeline

7. References

Guidelines in Writing a Concept Paper

1. Cost and methodology should be reasonable.

2. The budget, methodology, and timeline should be clearly aligned.

3. Use statistics and figures when discussing the rationale for the project.

4. Use no more than five pages (single-spaced) excluding the cover page. Do not overwhelm the
readers with unnecessary details.

5. Never request funding for planning the proposal.

6. Adjust your language to the intended readers. You may use technical terms if readers are
scholars and scientists. However, refrain from using jargon when your target readers are lay
persons.

7. Include the overview of the budget if it is required. If not, then skip the budget section.

Be sure that basic format details, such as page numbers, are incorporated.

9. Cite your references.

WEEK 8: GRAPHIC AIDS

According to Barrot and Sipacio (2016), visuals can be classified into six groups as shown below:

GRAPHIC VISUAL AIDS

1. Charts 4. Diagrams

2. Tables 5. Visual

3. Graphs 6. Maps

The Northen Arizona University in its online platform, explained that many technical pieces of
writing have two main kinds of material which are:

1. the written portion of the document, the prose

2. graphic material that supports the prose

TYPES OF GRAPHIC AIDS

CHARTS
Usually, a chart uses lines, boxes, and arrows when presenting data. Its principal purpose is to
show ranks, levels, classifications, and orders.

Ex: Organizational Chart, Flow Chart

TABLES
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines tables as systematic arrangement of data usually in rows
and columns for ready reference. A row is a list of items presented straight across a table while a
column presents data vertically.

GRAPHS
are meant to be focused on the data in question and how they trend. They have exact numerical
figures shown on axes, usually organized on the left and bottom of the graph. Graphs are most
commonly used in analyses and situations that call for raw and exact. Some of the common types
of graphs are: bar, line, pie, and pictograph.

Ex: Bar Graph, Line Graph, Pie Graph, Pictograph

DIAGRAM
A drawing that shows arrangements and relations is called a diagram. Merriam- Webster Dictionary
also defines diagram as a graphic design that explains rather than represents.

Ex: Venn Diagram

VISUAL IMAGES
Visual images are pictures or photographs. Providing visual images to reports and concept papers
can surely support and in some cases, add information. If taken well, these images can likewise
add aesthetics to the output.

MAPS
Maps can be common addition to reports especially when presenting data about places or areas.
Since maps are usually presented with numerical data, using them can somehow break the
monotony of numbers in a presentation.