How to Write an Article Critique

An article critique is an analysis of an article that evaluates the success of a work. Critiques give additional insight into an articles strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide an analysis of its main points. Some formatting styles, such as APA have specific guidelines on how to write a critique however, the necessary components of a critique are generally the same. To adequately critique an article you must have a thorough knowledge of what it is you are critiquing.

Preparation

Read the article. Try not to make any notes when you read the article for the first time.

Read the article again, paying close attention to the main point or thesis of the article and the supporting points that the article uses.

Read the article again. To write a thorough article critique you must have thorough knowledge of the article. Reading it more than once helps to ensure that you haven't missed any important details.

Consider the credentials of the author. Does the author of the article have the necessary credentials to be considered a reliable authorial voice? It is important to consider the author's expertise and possible biases that may be tied to his perspective.

Consider the credentials of the sources used in the article. Are the sources used to support the author's claims authentic and respectable? Published works such as books, journals and other scholarly sources are a few of the adequate sources of information that an author may source.

Writing the Critique

Compose an introduction. According to the University of Waterloo's guide, "How to Write a Critique," the introduction should include the author's name, the name of the article, its source and the thesis or main point of the article.

Summarize the article's supporting points. "How to Write a Critique" suggests that you "summarize the author's purpose and main points/evidence cited that are used for back up."

Determine whether or not the supporting points provided hold up the article's main points adequately and compile your evaluation and review of the article. The University of Waterloo's guide, "How to Write a Critique," recommends that your evaluation contain the answers to the following questions: What are the author's credentials or areas of expertise? Do you agree with the author? Did the author use appropriate methods to gather the evidence? Was the evidence used by the author accurate? Are the article and the evidence still valid or are they outdated, leading to an invalid conclusion? Was the author successful in making his/her point?. The University of Waterloo's website also advises that you "divide the article into sections of thought and write a brief summary of each thought in your own words...[and] back up your decisions by stating your reasons."

Write your conclusion. According to "How to Write a Critique," your conclusion should contain a general opinion of the article, state your agreement or disagreement with the author and the reasons for your conclusion.