Agenda: Evaluative Writing
Goal 1: Understand evaluative thinking and writing
organization
Activity: Observe, listen, question, take notes
Goal 2: Apply and synthesize all writing skills necessary in
evaluative writing
Activity: Write evaluative process essay on topic of choice;
peer- and self-assess
Evaluative thinking is the deepest
level of thinking.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Evaluative Thinking
Step 1: Determine criteria
(expectations, requirements, standards)
Evaluative Thinking
Step 2: Rank criteria by importance
Evaluative Thinking
Step 3: Compare-contrast item
(literary selection, medicine,
machine) with each criterion
Evaluative Thinking
Step 4: Come to a decision about
how closely the item fits with
criteria
Evaluative writing combines other
types of writing.
Comparison-contrast expository writing
Analytical writing
Argumentative writing
The format for an evaluative essay is
much the same as for other essays,
including argumentative, analytical
and expository: compare-contrast
essays
Introduction: hook + explanation of evaluative criteria +
statement of evaluative decision [claim, thesis]
Each body paragraph: comparing and contrasting the item to
each criterion + analytical examples [reasons, details]
Conclusion: further statement of evaluative decision (claim,
thesis) + recommendation (full or with limitations) or not [call
to action, wrap-up]
Evaluative essays might be called reviews,
assessments, or performance evaluations or
performance reports. The criteria used to compare
and contrast with the item are determined by the
particulars of the item. As examples,
• a review of a poem may include criteria about such
topics as audience, purpose, diction, syntax,
rhythm, rhyme, and figurative language and other
literary devices.
• an performance evaluation of a medicine might
include criteria about such topics as targeted
population, impact on health condition of patient,
side effects, and price.
Choose either ascending or
descending order of importance for
the order of each body paragraph
with its criterion. Consider
audience, purpose, and original
ranking of importance when
deciding which paragraph order to
use.
Each body paragraph should
compare and contrast the item with
one criterion and should be filled
with examples about the item that
show the writer’s statement about
the criterion and the item.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
After website research, the next steps on website
evaluation project:
Compute totals for each website
Sort in ascending or descending order of importance
Group (3 per paragraph?) to create body paragraphs
Write body paragraphs
Write introduction and conclusion
Write works cited final draft
Edit, write final, proofread
Hand in with research info. on bottom, edited rough
draft in middle, final draft on top, and rubric on top of
that with 2 evaluations in different pencil colors,
signed
Thesis statement:
When researching the topic of ______, a student can find _____
websites. However, ten are worth considering. Of these ten, ___
(findings) (ratings) criteria that includes (criteria).
Body paragraph:
(Transition), under the topic of __________ at (URL) is a site created
by _______. This site (doesn’t/begins to/meets/exceeds)
expectations [concerning _(criterion)___ __]. [ Enough evidence that
discusses all criteria, using examples from the site, to create at least a
150-word paragraph and to support the researcher’s evaluation.]
Sample thesis: The women’s movement changed many laws. Few websites
explain the movement well.
Second body paragraph (note the transitional dependent clause before the topic
sentence:
Besides the poor-quality websites, I found websites that do an average job of
explaining the women’s movement in the 1970’s. One average-quality website,
angelfire.com/ca/HistoryGals/Wesley.html, described how the women organized to
change laws. They researched the laws to find the inequities, marched and
experienced rude sexist comments from observers , and met with legislators. The
website exceeded my first criterion for pictures because it was filled with photos of
marching women. It did not, however, even meet my criterion for correctional
comments as none were provided; however, that may be because the source is
reliable, so it earned full points for that criterion. (continue about this website; then
transition into discussion of new website of average quality in the same paragraph)
The Language of Evaluation (from high school sophomores)
Expository Sentences:
no or limited opinions
THESIS STATEMENT:
Our Town is about
simple life in a simple
time.
Evaluative Sentences: clear opinion statements
based upon criteria
THESIS STATEMENT: Our Town was a horrible story,
because it does not meet reasonable criteria for a
quality novel for teenagers today. The criteria
include lively characters, an inventive setting,
strong internal conflicts, and high-octane plot.
THESIS STATEMENT:
THESIS STATEMENT: On the Beach is a novel that I
On the Beach is a novel can highly recommend to high school students due
about life after nuclear to a plot full of action, universal characters, strong
war, a topic and plot of internal conflicts ,and a unique, interesting setting
interest to high school on post-apocalyptic earth.
students.
TOPIC SENTENCE: In
TOPIC SENTENCE: McGuire’s language was
Wicked, Gregory
invigorating to the reader’s mind, filled with
McGuire used
imagery yet fast to read.
language that is easy
for high school
students to read.
(Sample: all 10+ in alphabetical order)
Works Cited
angelfire.com/ca/HistoryGals/Wesley.html
britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/647122/womens-movement