
Write a 750-1000-word
(3-4 typed page) evaluation of a particular subject. State your judgment
clearly and back it up with a convincing argument based on standards of
value that are appropriate for judging this kind of subject. When
evaluating your subject, argue for why the subject is good or bad.
Generally, you will need to fit your subject into a particular class that
has particular criteria or standards by which members of that class are
measured. For example, you might argue whether or not La Tapatia
(your subject) is a good restaurant (the class or group the subject
fits into). You would determine what standards/criteria are appropriate
for a good restaurant (i.e., food, variety, atmosphere, service, etc.) and
show how well the particular restaurant meets your criteria. Use the
"Steps to Evaluation Argument" on 157-8 of GRWCA to help develop
your essay.
At the start
of your essay, present your subject clearly: state your subject
explicitly (name the TV show, car, or whatever), and also give the reader
enough information about your subject to understand your judgment without
giving up too much information. For example, if you’re reviewing a movie
or a book, don’t give away the ending.
Also,
make a clear, balanced
judgment. Assert whether your subject is “good” or “bad.” Even
though you want to make a judgment, also acknowledge both the good and bad
points about the subject--try to be impartial. For example, if you’re
evaluating a web site, you might argue that the graphics are great but the
download time is too long. Of course, you must make sure that your good
points outweigh your bad points if you’re ultimately judging the web site
as good and vice versa. Weighting of your criteria
(explaining which criteria are most and least important) also helps
clarify your judgment.
However, you
must go beyond simply stating that your subject is good or bad. You must
argue for your judgment: present appropriate reasons and argue with
evidence and explanation to show why your subject is good or bad. If your
criteria or standards for evaluation aren’t clear, you might also need to
explain them. For example, if you are arguing that La Tapatia is a
good restaurant because it has good food, excellent service, and a
pleasant atmosphere, then you obviously don’t need to devote much time to
justifying your standards. However, if one of your main criteria is that
it has a place for children to play, you would definitely need to explain
why this is an important criterion for a good restaurant.
As part of
your argument, you might
also need to anticipate objections or alternative judgments. For example,
if you want to argue that Apollo 13 is a good family film, you
might discuss how the movie appears to be good for the entire family: the
language is clean, the movie promotes responsible behavior, and the movie
has a fairly simple story to follow. These elements suggest that the
movie is a good family-film. However, someone might argue that Apollo
13 is not appropriate for small children because some of the
situations are “too intense, frightening, or mature” for many youngsters.
You need to address this concern and show that despite these frightening
scenes, the film is still appropriate for kids. Anticipating readers'
concerns definitely enhances your credibility.
Another
feature that can help your evaluation essays is a pointed comparison.
Compare your subject to other subjects in the same category. For example,
if you’re evaluating a Black Eyed Peas album, compare it to other albums
that are in the same class (i.e., hip-hop, rap, dance, etc.). Make sure
your comparisons are pointed in that you focus on a particular
criterion or standard and show how the Black Eyed Peas album has more
variety in the tracks or has more intellectually stimulating lyrics.
In your
conclusion, sum up your argument and make a final judgment. In this type
of essay, the delayed thesis can be very effective. However, the judgment
you make should gradually become clear by the time you get to the end of
the essay--it shouldn’t be a surprise.
Topics:
Evaluate something in which you are interested and
something that you can re-visit.
You might evaluate a movie, a restaurant, a book, a television show, a CD,
a website, a software package, a class/teacher, a candidate for public
office, an amusement park, a shopping mall, a magazine, a band, a bar, a
counselor, or a program.
You must be able to see/experience it
before writing the essay--it can’t be based on your memory of the thing.
Click here for formatting
information.
 |