Name:
___________________________________________________________________________________
A critical response is a relatively short piece of writing (approx. 250-500 words). Many professors assign
daily or weekly critical responses to ensure students are reading the assigned texts and to help students
think critically about the texts they are reading.
The main purpose of composing a critical response is to show your understanding, opinion and analysis
of a text or some theme/topic discussed in class. Critical responses do not simply summarize the text or
evaluate whether or not you like it; they are a focused analysis, argument, or interpretation about the text
that formulates and/or develops your ideas. Further, critical doesnt necessarily mean negative; it means
to engage objectively with a piece as you analyse it.
Your Task: After watching multiple clips and having read the two essays about youth, Dont You Think
Its Time to Start Thinking by Northrop Frye and Insolence Lost by Chuck Klosterman, you will write
a short critical response exploring the ideas, perspectives, and themes in one or multiple texts.
You should take notes as we are watching various clips, reading and discussing texts to help find specific
quotations, ideas, and incidents to which you may want to respond critically. You may also supplement
your ideas with other examples from the news, pop culture, and your own experiences and/or background
knowledge.
Organization:
You can organize your critical response however youd like, but here is one suggested structure:
1) Begin with a brief overview/summary of the original text (story, article, episode or idea). What are
the main points, ideas, or arguments? What is the primary purpose of the work?
2) Write a clear and argumentative statement that establishes how you feel about/interpret this text
(point)
3) Analyze the text and provide evidence for the argument you are making (proofs)
counterarguments, facts, personal anecdotes, etc. Here you may want to consider whether there are
sections you dont understand; if any of the evidence is weak or insufficient; if there was an idea
that you thought was particularly noteworthy or misguided; the context of the piece; any
assumptions the author makes; anything you are excited or surprised about, or any contradictions
you find in this text
4) Provide an interpretation of your evidence in relation to your argument (explanation)do not just
summarize the issue under discussion; try to answer so what?
5) Write a strong concluding statement that reinforces your ideas and/or offers up some questions for
future consideration
Or, even better, they would perhaps achieve self-confidence and contentment, realizing that they
can overcome the medias empty distractions and refuse to buy their message of inadequacy and selfdoubt.ENG4U
Name:
Level 4:
80-100%
- Voice and style
are highly
appropriate for
critical response
(academic,
critical,
inquisitive,
analytical)
- Analyses and
assesses ideas,
themes,
concepts,
arguments, and
the influence of
social/cultural
values in an indepth, unique,
highly insightful
and mature way
Level 3:
70-79%
- Voice and
style are
appropriate for
critical
response
Level 2:
60-69%
- Voice and
style are
somewhat
appropriate for
critical
response
Level 1:
50-59%
- Voice
and style
are not
appropriat
e for
critical
response
- Analyses and
assesses ideas,
themes,
concepts,
arguments and
social/cultural
values in an
insightful way
- Somewhat
analyses and
assesses ideas,
themes, and
concepts,
but often relies
on clichs or
does not fully
explore issues
- Analyses
and
assesses
ideas,
themes,
etc. in a
shallow or
vague way
- Carefully
organizes,
synthesizes and
revises
significant
information and
ideas to suit the
critical response
(including both
content and
style: sentence
structure,
transitions,
spelling,
grammar and
punctuation)
- Organizes,
synthesizes
and revises
information
and ideas to
suit the critical
response
- Attempt to
organize,
synthesize
and/or revise
information
and ideas to
suit the critical
response but
some mistakes
remain
- Does not
sufficientl
y organize,
synthesize,
and/or
revise
informatio
n and
ideas to
suit the
critical
response
10 marks
Communication
Organizing Ideas 1.4 identify, sort, and
order main ideas and sup- porting details for
writing tasks, using a variety of strategies
and selecting the organizational pattern best
suited to the content and the purpose for
writing
Producing Finished Works 3.7
produce pieces of published work to meet
criteria identified by the teacher, based on
the curriculum expectations
10 marks
Application
Research 1.3 locate and select information
to fully and effectively support ideas for
writing
5 marks
- Selects and
uses significant
and compelling
evidence from
texts to support
critical analyses
- Selects and
uses evidence
from texts to
support critical
analyses
- Attempts to
use some
evidence from
texts to
support critical
analyses
- Does not
use
evidence
from texts
to support
critical
analyses