Evaluation Essay

Paper details:
Write a 3 – 5 page essay (750 – 1250 words) evaluating a particular subject. Examine your subject closely, and make a judgment about it, with reasons based on widely recognized standards for evaluating a subject like yours. Support your reasons with examples and details.

The Assignment
Write an essay that evaluates a book, film, restaurant, sports team, product, or event
• Make a judgment about your topic and support it with reasons and examples

An evaluative essay judges the quality or worth of its subject—for example, a book, film, restaurant, sports team, product, or event.Alerts readers to things good or bad, beautiful or ugly, worthwhile or not worthwhile

Writing Evaluative Essays
Choose a subject that you know something about and about which you have an opinion
Decide what you overall judgment is: good or bad or a little of both?
Formulate a thesis that states your overall judgment
All good?
All bad?
Or, more likely. . .
Some good but overall bad
Some bad but overall good
Build body paragraphs to support your thesis
Perhaps establish criteria for excellence regarding your subject?
Your own reasons and examples
Outside sources: facts, statistics, quotations from experts
Play the critic, but be informed and fair-minded
Consider using some of these development strategies
Process analysis
Description
Definition
Comparison/contrast
Cause and effect
Classification
While your primary purpose is to persuade, remember the possible purposes of any essay
Inform
Persuade
Entertain

Evaluative Essay Structure

Intro Paragraph

Thesis

What is your verdict on the subject?

Body Paragraphs

Aspects of your subject and your evaluation of them
Perhaps one paragraph for each aspect?

Conclusion