Handout: Evaluative Writing
Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
Purpose
An evaluation makes judgments, both positive and negative, about a book, article, essay, etc.
Scope
An evaluation should include an assessment of the author's main idea and of the evidence used to support it. It can also extend to elements such as rhetoric and style. An evaluation should always be based upon criteria that are made explicit rather than on personal conviction, and it should avoid pejorative language.
An effective evaluation will address issues such as, but not limited to, the following:
- How effective was the author at convincing you of the validity of their main idea?
- Was the author's evidence sufficient to support their argument?
- Did the author neglect major pieces of evidence?
- Did the author use the evidence in a fair way?
- Was the issue or topic dealt with in the article a significant one?
What Is an Evaluative Summary?
A one-sentence evaluative summary does just what its name implies: it sums up, in one sentence, your overall evaluation of the article. It represents your final conclusion regarding the article, a generalization that logically flows from the specifics of your evaluation. Because it is a mini-summary, it should be self-contained. As a mini-critique, it should bring to the forefront your judgment regarding the article in a most brief and concise manner.
Developed at Brandeis University through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation