Outline for Formal Written Critique I
Three written critiques are assigned throughout the course, each worth 10 percent. Critiques must be submitted at the class. Written critiques will not be accepted subsequently, except under extraordinary circumstances. Following the return of the graded critique, a corrected version must be re-submitted. Failure to submit the corrected version will incur a 25 percent discount on the assigned grade.
Each critique assignment is a bit different. This is Outline only for Critique 1. The intention is to evolve your communication and analysis with new challenges for each critique.
1. Critiques must be type written.
2. Length is minimum 550 words, maximum 650 words plus a cover page.
3. All text must be double-spaced.
4. All margins must be 1 inch (2.5 cm).
5. All text must be in 12-point pitch.
6. Cover page requires name, student number and course section.
7. Word count must be provided.
Here are some helpful style points: write in the third-person, present tense, do not use contractions, avoid colloquial expressions, be succinct. Never use two words when one will do, avoid superlatives unless really deserved, and keep your paragraph length to five or six crisp sentences. Avoid repetition, redundancy and run-on sentences. Any sentence over 25 words is likely better expressed as two sentences. Be precise in word use: that and which are not the same; because, as and since mean different things. Above all, make every word count.
Critique I Guidelines
The content of the critique should be divided roughly into four parts: a brief synopsis of the paper, comments on the strengths of the paper, comments on the weaknesses that could be improved, and a section in which you outline key findings or issues that you have learned from the paper. In terms of the reader, assume that you are providing an opinion on an article for your future boss.
Evaluation Ideas Abstract
An abstract is a capsulation of the paper:
• What is the paper about (scope)?
• What did the author(s) want to do (objectives)?
• How did they go about doing it (methodology)?
• What did they find (conclusion)?
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If you were to write a sentence of two to answer each of these questions, you would have the essence of an abstract.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Here are some questions you can consider as you prepare the critique of the paper:
1. Is the article is well written and easily understood with clear objectives and reasonable conclusions?
2. Does the author address a tangible problem in society and provide an insightful discussion?
3. Does the author(s) present convincing data and other evidence to support their position?
4. Is the methodology is technically sound and appropriate for the data collected?
5. Does the article makes a useful contribution to the knowledge of transportation and could have long term value?
6. Does the author(s) make good use of the diagrams, figures or data to support their arguments? Are any missing, that should be there?
7. Do the conclusions flow from the material presented in the paper?
What did you learn?
This is your opportunity to assess the intrinsic value of the paper from your own perspective
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