Essays are undoubtedly the norm of any academic learning, and it will do you good to understand their nitty-gritty. Now, there are those that you can sail through easily without the help of a rower, whereas others need you to have a powerful diesel or steam engine to navigate the stormy waters. Writing an evaluation essay follows the latter, which is why our skilled essay writers took the time to put up this world-class guide.
Some of the key areas you expect to find in this manual include:
- Definition of an evaluation essay,
- Detailed step by step on the process of writing an evaluation essay,
- Advice on how to improve evaluation essay, and
- Evaluation essay examples, among others
By the end of this guide, you will have every necessary arm and ammunition in your arsenal to bring down any evaluation argument essay test. The samples herein will make you familiar with the styles and formats used in this type of writing. You will be a pro at evaluative essay writing, and your professor might be the first client on your long list of consultation clientele.
Let’s get going!
Table of Contents
What Is An Evaluation Essay?
It is a unique assignment that requires students to go through a particular piece and offer value judgment by following a particular set of criteria. It can also be referred to as a critical evaluation essay or evaluative writing.
Before we know how to write an evaluation essay, we should understand what it is and the expectations therein.
In this type of assignment, you will have to provide evidence to justify an author’s opinion on a particular subject. Students familiar with reviews will easily identify with what I am saying here. Reviews and evaluative essays borrow a lot from each other and are thus inseparable. The goal of evaluative essay writing is to develop the following critical thinking skills among students:
- Analysis
- Synthesis
- Evaluation
Students with such skills will identify the reasons for liking or disliking certain things. They will not become passive rather active decision-makers who decide after careful thought and evaluation. What would the world be if we all had such?
Having looked at what is a written evaluation, we now want to proceed to the flesh of this type of essay. You better prepare your teeth for some tough grinding!
Evaluation Essay Outline
The quality evaluation is the product of extensive research and critical thinking. It would help if you considered various factors when evaluating in writing. Therefore, the mandatory homework you must do before embarking on writing to evaluate include:
- Thoroughly reading through the work
- Understanding the criteria for evaluation essay writing
- Develop various evaluative aspects such as sentence structure, grammar, and usage of sources
- Determining the target audience
- Understanding the emotional appeal of the subject
- The base of sources to be used
All these are essential because they form the sections of your evaluative essay. Imagine playing a puzzle game and having hints at your disposal; how long will you take to complete the puzzle? That is the same case with these basic principles; they will give you smooth sailing.
There are four main components of an evaluation essay without which you should not expect anything above grade C. These are:
- Introduction
- Background information
- Criteria
- Conclusion
Each of these segments has its writing standard to achieve the best grades. There is no one-size-fits-it-all approach to this, and thus you will have to labor to understand how to write each of them. Lucky for you, our professionals have already simplified each section. Keep reading.
How To Start An Evaluation Essay
Students who know how to write an evaluation essay are masters at starting the paper and concluding it. You can have a very good set of arguments to present in your body, but your essay may not attract anyone without a proper introduction. Most college and university teachers insist on a captivating intro for anyone who scores highly.
The introduction part is where you find the overall judgment of your paper in the form of a thesis statement. It plays a pivotal role in your paper in that it enables the reader to understand your standpoint with specific reasons or criteria. The mistake most students make is using general statements like ‘I just love it more, I guess.’
A proper intro will help you achieve the following:
- Give focus to your review
- Formulate an effective evaluation by not trying to cover it all
- Establish your overall judgment
You can use an evaluation essay example from our website to see how you can structure your introduction in the right format.
How To Do An Evaluation: Writing The Background Information
This section is connected to the thesis statement and thus dependent on each other. It is where you give your reader an insight into the topic you will tackle. How would you feel if a speaker jumped right on the stage and began giving their opinion about a matter without first providing the background information?
If you evaluate a book, you must include a summary to familiarize the reader with the plot and characters. The background information in your evaluative essay serves two major functions:
- Helping the audience read from the same script as you and have an idea of what you are reviewing
- Helping you establish the purpose of your subject
Remember that different genres have different goals when writing the background information. Some are meant for entertainment purposes, while others comment on everyday life. Put this into consideration before starting your background information.
Evaluation Essay Format: The Criteria
Identifying the criteria for your evaluative essay is one of the key steps towards justifying an evaluation essay. Any student wishing to be successful in such a venture must first develop a list of some of the prominent and acceptable standards for judging the particular subject. Some of the sources for this exercise include:
- Online sources
- Your school library
- Magazines
- Talks or TV documentaries on the subject
While exploring these sources, you should note the various standards used by reviewers and their reasons for their approval or disapproval of various subjects. You can only achieve the most here if thoroughly research the subject matter and read it comprehensively.
You cannot convince someone else unless you are first clear and confident in what you cover. Therefore, it is prudent to ascertain the various arguments from reliable sources and fully digest the work in question. To excel in this section:
- Back up your viewpoints with reliable evidence
- Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses
- Present a balanced argument
Any piece of writing that depicts bias is ultimately less convincing. You will not persuade the reader to agree with your viewpoint or ideas in the end. Need I say that your paper will be as good as useless in the sight of the reader?
Concluding Your Evaluative Essay
This segment will summarize the points made in the body paragraphs. Logical and structured arguments within the body will enable you to arrive at a convincing conclusion. You require a strong, well-augmented, and reasonable conclusion to achieve the purpose of your evaluative essay.
The secret of having a perfect conclusion rests in a well-researched and convincing body. Here are a few points to consider in your evaluative essay conclusion:
- Repeat the thesis statement as well as the criteria you chose
- Briefly point out the main arguments, points, and ideas
- Make the final overall evaluation of your subject matter
The above points are valid whether you had a descriptive or argumentative evaluation essay. Do not be like most students who exert all their energy and efforts on the intro and body while sidelining the conclusion. Since this is the last part of your essay, it is supposed to leave a positive impression on the reader. It can only be possible through a solid and straightforward concluding paragraph.
Finally, let us explore some of the expert tips and tricks necessary for a top-class paper.
Evaluation Essay Example
If you want to know how to write an evaluative essay like a pro it is always great to checkout custom college papers and examples. Here is a sample to help you understand the structure, format, and tips of a world-class paper:
Masters of our own fate is a speech that was given by Winston Churchill in the American Congress after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It can be considered as a famous speech from the mode of delivery, choice of words, the simplicity of phrases, poetic illustrations and other linguistic elements that roused the spirits of the audience. In addition, Winston Churchill also lightened the audience through introductory jokes followed by speech development mechanisms that convinced Congress that America and Britain had then become masters of their own fate whose seriousness was justified by the fact that he had traveled using a steamship in German submarine-infested waters. It is after this speech that America was drawn into the Second World War, indicating the influence of this speech.
The preferred mode of delivery is manuscript based combined with some aspects of memorization since Winston did not appear to read every word in the written script. Most of the speech was read from written pages and other times Winston was looking at the audience to either complete his statements, or emphasize some points when facing the target individuals. Although this mode has its own limitations, it proved effective in delivering and accurate message to Congress convincing them to allow the nation to go to world war two and deliver the ultimate attacks that led to its termination.
Despite the fact that the speech delivery limits the amount of eye contact, the moments when it occurred ensured effective delivery of the intended message. It was used complementary with animations and movements on the stage to ensure that the audience was engaged throughout the presentation. Using eye contact when necessary, Winston was able to show the seriousness of the matter by looking at the relevant individuals in relation to specific points. Sometimes he faced congressmen, their influential leaders, and mediators to stress various points supporting his belief that America and Britain had been forced to become masters of their own fate after the Japanese activities at Pearl Harbor.
Voice qualities were integral parts of the speech where they varied according to the speech presentations. In the beginning, the tone was friendly where Winston jokingly indicated that he was half American, making him one of them. However, as the speech progressed, his voice characteristics became more formal and stressed the seriousness of the matter at hand. Sometimes, he raised his voice and pitch, then paused at the end of such statements so that the audience could process the information before progression. The rate at which he delivered his speech was moderate so that Congress was taken step by step at every point of argument.
In addition to the voice attributes, Churchill also considered an appropriate appearance to support his formal presentation to the American Congress. He was in a suit, and although he began with a joke, his facial expression indicated that his intention was to lighten Congress up before delivering his ultimate speech. It was inevitable to have such an appearance due to its determinate purpose of making America flexible in decisions that led to their engagement in world war two, and, providing the well-grounded confidence in neutralizing ruthlessness and wickedness from adversaries through a path of war and conquest.
The use of bodily actions and gestures during the delivery also made the speech more receptive and convincing to Congress. During the speech, gestures like pointing, turning around, raising both arms to indicate the need for support, and folding them close to the chest to indicate his love for the country helped to deliver the intended information. The evaluation of the bodily gestures is that they were effective and relevant to the situation.
The introduction was exceptionally attention-getting in its fundamental choice of words and phrases. He begins by thanking the Americans for allowing him to be in their midst by stating “this experience one of the most moving and thrilling in my life”. The introduction also challenged Congress that if his father had been an American, he could be in their position but it was better the way it was, of which, he had reached the house through invitation. Such commentaries in the introduction were also accompanied by the joke of being half American hence catching the attention of Congress for other parts of the speech.
Further, Winston Churchill clearly established his credibility about his message through non-verbal indications, choice of wordings, tones, and arguments. He pointed out that Britain had passed through similar dark moments, and all went well. Therefore, he encouraged Congress using the words “As long as we have faith in our cause and an unconquerable will-power, salvation will not be denied us” Churchill also gained credit by proving that the adversaries were ruthless, bitter, and own vast weapons of all kinds and nothing can stop them. Their training and discipline were another point of argument justifying the rationale for his conviction that America and Britain had become masters of their own fate.
In summary, the speech by Winston is memorable as it indicated his ability to be poetic, and utilize the right choice of words to influence decision makers. Using the phrase we are masters of our fate; American and British people will stand together side by side for justice and peace, and lack of fear for evil tidings by trusting in the Lord. These are the selected words that drew America into the war, triggered the development of the atomic bomb, and guided its usage to end the war.
Advice On How To Improve Evaluation Essay
The structure and format discussed above are crucial elements of any successful evaluative essay. Nonetheless, there are other key tenets worthy of your reflection as outlined below:
- Brainstorm and analyze different topics to develop a strong footing in this type of essay
- Always consider the word count of your evaluative essay – this determines the number of words in each of the four segments.
- Clearly state what you are evaluating from the onset
- The body of your evaluative essay should be descriptive
- Use counter-arguments where necessary
- The body of your essay should sound trustworthy
- Double-check your evaluative essay before submission
Having criteria that you can easily debate is necessary for a great evaluation essay. Remember that a balanced criterion is a secret to attracting readers and, subsequently, top scores.
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