TIPS FOR CRITIQUING WRITING

MUSIC 3840 MUSIC HISTORY: THE ENVIRONMENT

The writing process relies on receiving rigorous candid feedback from outside readers. Whether critiquing
a colleague’s writing or your own writing, thoroughly interrogate the document, rather than simply
checking for spelling and grammar errors. Developing critical evaluation skills takes practice. The
following tips should guide your evaluation process of technical scholarly writing.

General Advice:
 As you critique, it is imperative to look for things that could be unclear or appear awkward to an
outside reader.
 Do not make any assumptions about what the author “meant to say,” but instead let the words
“speak for themselves.”
 Identify all the possible things that could be problematic.

Information/Facts:
 Are there too many quoted passages (resulting in a collage of quotes)?
 Is summarized information clearly and carefully explained?
 What is the significance of the information presented?
o Why is it significant? How is it significant?
o Is it clear that the information is significant?
 What is the relevance of the information presented?
o Why is it relevant? How is it relevant?
o Is it clear that the information is relevant?

Evidence:
 Are all assertions or claims supported with detailed, specific evidence?
 Or, does the author offer an opinion without evidence to support their claim?

For each sentence, is the wording:

 Generic (too broad or general)
 Vague (lacking a precise and exact meaning)
 Unclear (what do these words mean to convey?)
 Awkward
 Colloquial (reflecting informal or conversational speech)
 Incorrect (wrong or ineffective word)
 Repetitive
o Use of same word often in the document, especially when other words would provide a
more precise meaning
o Use of the same word or similar phrases in close proximity
 Excessive (can fewer words be used to more clearly communicate the idea?)

Grammar
 Use active verbs
 Maintain subject/verb agreement
 Maintain verb tense consistency throughout the document
 Avoid passive voice.
 Avoid first person: I, we

1
  Avoid sentence constructions such as: “One can see . . . ” or “As you can see . . .”
 Avoid run-on sentences
 Avoid sentence fragments
 Awkward sentence structure (How can this sentence be restructured and reworded to be more
clear or precise for an outside reader?)
 Awkward phrase structure (How can this phrase be restructured and reworded to be more clear or
precise for an outside reader?)

Guidelines for Document Organization:

 Situated within the introduction paragraph, the thesis statement should present a clear purpose
with a narrow and focused scope.
 The introduction paragraph should establish the narrative structure; provide essential context for
the thesis and asserts its significance; and present the main points that will be further explored in
the paper.
 Within the body of the paper, the paragraphs should be arranged to present the main ideas in a
logical, coherent succession.
 Within each paragraph, the topic sentence should introduce a new main idea and provide context
for and establish significance of the idea. Supporting sentences provide evidence to support the
main idea. Be sure sentences are arranged in a logical, coherent succession.
 The conclusion paragraph should tie the narrative together; reaffirm the significance of the thesis;
review the main points discussed in the paper; and propose suggestions for further research.