LESSON 7 REACTION AND CRITIQUE PAPER

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: Read the specific directions carefully before answering the exercises and activities.
Accomplish this module on or before OCTOBER 9/16, 2020. For online consultations, please refer to the given
schedule.

ESSENTIAL LEARNING PURPOSES: At the end of these lessons, I am expected to:

1. Describe the content and structure of a critique or reaction paper;
2. State the nature and purpose of critique and reaction papers.
3. Apply the content and stages of writing critique and reaction paper to the recent
events;

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before going further, let us see if you can answer this exercise. I know you can do it! This will
help you to determine your prior knowledge about this topic. Good luck!

Read the following restaurant review. Take note of the details used in favor of the restaurant.

Gastronomic Feast

The interesting lineup of local and international dishes will overwhelm

you when you see the assortment of foods
at The Cosmopolitan Buffet. Whether you are
a meat lover, a seafood aficionado, or
even a picky vegetarian, your cravings
will be satisfied with the many food choices
laid out for you. Simply try out whatever dishes
please the eye and go back for more.
Even the variety of desserts, from tarts and
cookies to cakes and ice-cream, will satisfy
your sweet tooth and keep you wanting
more. The well-designed counters and
comfortable dining areas also give a cozy
ambiance at a very reasonable price.

From: Food Trip Tipper Reviews

Guide Questions:
1. Does the writer highlight significant aspects of the restaurant?
2. Is the review persuasive enough?

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 63
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APPLIED SUBJECT ABM, HUMSS, STEM, & TVL
 REACTION AND CRITIQUE PAPER

Have you done any of these things lately?

 Clicked the “like” button on Facebook
 Posted a comment on a news story in the internet or on your social media
 Argued with a friend over the good or bad points of a film both of you
watched

These are all expressions of one’s feelings about or judgment of something and they are all the things that
we do all the time.

In academic writing, these activities can be done in the form of a reaction paper and critique.

Here’s an excerpt from a sample reaction paper.:

“Nothing about the play stimulated me. I was dragged into it only because the class was required to
watch it. So many aspects of the play need improvement. For one, the props were outdated. Made me wonder
if that was part of the ploy, or because the production team was operating on a tight budget. Another thing
that displeased me was the venue. It was evident that the acoustics had seen better days. Lastly, the script
was lackluster and boring. Also, it’s hard to believe that the characters from this economic group would
speak and behave this way. I also find the speaking style of the characters too pretentious. While I appreciate
the effort of the writers, perhaps they can rethink the characters’ worldview. The only saving grace was that
the script tried as best as it could, to mimic the struggles of the working class.”

When you write about what you have read, or something you have seen or experienced—an event,
situation, or phenomenon—you’re writing your reaction about it and your output would be classified as a reaction
paper.

Here’s an excerpt from a sample critique.

Pulitzer-prize winner Toni Morrison gives readers a glimpse of the rich tapestry of her imagination and
insight on how it is to be an African-American in a multi-cultural society. She brings her own experiences as
an African-American from a small town in Lorrain, Ohio to the intricate web of her novels resorting at times
to magical realism, as in two of her novels Song of Solon and Beloved, she weaves her tales using folklore
and myths. Her language is clear and lyrical. Her characters are like the ever-changing facets of a
kaleidoscope.
Morrison has written extensively about racism, class and sexism and explored how these issues have
affected the lives of her characters, positing that these issues are societal and psychological restrictions that
leave a gaping hole in the black woman’s psyche. Her narratives depict the characters interacting with a
variety of forces: the protagonist at odds with other characters; the protagonist at odds with nature;
protagonists at odds with themselves. Precisely because of her own unique experience as an African-
American, Morrison is at her best when she writes for, and about African-Americans. The extent to which
she acknowledges their experiences against a backdrop of gender oppression and racism is what makes her
novels worth reading. She infuses her novels with these realities and shows just how such issues restrict the
individual not only physically but also emotionally.

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 As a contemporary fictionist, Morrison continues to be intrigued by the question of how African-
Americans, particularly women—transcend or sometimes succumb to restrictions of class, gender, and race.
Morrison gives her readers a glaring account of the disparity between the American woman’s experiences
vis-à-vis the African woman’s circumstances. In most of her novels, white American women are depicted as
being financially well-off, educated, pretty, and living a charmed life. In contrast, African-American women
are depicted as impoverished, uneducated, unattractive, and more often than not, deserted by their husbands.
However, despite these glaring stereotypes, Morrison redeems her characters by giving them qualities that
would endear them to the readers. That she should situate her characters in situations where they have to
grapple with the roles ascribed to them by society on the basis of their gender, race, and class is inevitable.

Of all the types of academic writing in this lesson, critiques are considered the most academic. Defined as a
form of intellectual discourse involving one’s evaluation of an event, book, place, or phenomenon, a critique is the
more expanded version of a reaction paper. Examples of critiques include a critique of an artist’s work, literary
criticism, and scholarly essays evaluating a project. This type of writing allows writers to articulate their opinion
about issues familiar and relevant to them.

WHAT IS A REACTION AND CRITIQUE PAPER?

What is a reaction paper? Reaction or response papers are designed so that you'll consider carefully what
you think or feel about something you've read or seen. Instructions Read or view whatever you've been asked to
respond to read or view.

While reading or viewing think about the following questions:

 How do you feel about what you are reading (seeing)?
 With what do you agree or disagree?
 Can you identify with the situation?
 What would be the best way to evaluate what you read or see?

Pre-writing for Your Reaction Paper

Keeping your responses to these questions in mind, complete as many statements as possible about what you read
or saw.

1. I think that 8. In addition

2. I see that 9. For example
3. I feel that 10. Moreover
4. Its seems that 11. However
5. In my opinion 12. Consequently
6. Because 13. Finally
7. A good quote is 14. In conclusion

The above statements become your rough draft. Now it needs to be organized. Your paper should have:
 An introduction (no more than two paragraphs),
 A body, and
 A conclusion.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 65
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APPLIED SUBJECT ABM, HUMSS, STEM, & TVL
I. Introduction
 Sentence 1 should include pertinent information such as author, title, and publication or presenter, title,
and place.
 Sentence 2, 3, and 4 should give a summary or overview.
 Sentence 5 should be your thesis (i.e., you agree, disagree, identify with, or evaluate)

NOTE: A thesis statement is an assertion, not a statement of fact. A thesis should take a stand, contain one
main point, and be sufficiently specific and narrow.

NON-EXAMPLE: Students write many papers in college courses.

EXAMPLE: Students write papers in college to advance their knowledge of certain subjects.

II. Body
 The body should contain paragraphs that provide support for your thesis.
 Each paragraph should contain one idea.
 The topic sentence of each paragraph should support the thesis.
 The final sentence of each paragraph should lead into the next paragraph.

III. Conclusion The conclusion can be:

 A restatement of what you said in your paper,
 A comment that focuses your overall reaction, or
 A prediction of the effects about your topic. Note: your conclusion should include no new information.

A critique is a genre of academic writing that briefly summarises and critically evaluates a work or
concept. Critiques can be used to carefully analyse a variety of works such as:
 Creative works – novels, exhibits, film, images, poetry
 Research – monographs, journal articles, systematic reviews, theories
 Media –  news reports, feature articles

Like an essay, a critique uses a formal, academic writing style and has a clear structure, that is, an
introduction, body and conclusion.   However, the body of a critique includes a summary of the work and a
detailed evaluation.  The purpose of an evaluation is to gauge the usefulness or impact of a work in a
particular field. 

Critical Approaches

Various critical approaches govern the writing of a reaction paper/review/critique. Theoretical framework
is to research as critical approach is to a reaction paper/review/critique. A critical approach provides the basis that
grounds the critique, giving it a solid foundation. It answers the question: What principle did the writer use?

Formalist Approach

This approach relies on the use of formal elements affecting the situation or event. This is the most basic of
all approaches and relies on what can be said of the event or phenomenon on the basis of form, content, and style.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 66
MODULE IN ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
APPLIED SUBJECT ABM, HUMSS, STEM, & TVL
If you use this approach, be prepared to discuss the event, place, or thing in relation to its structure, message, and
theme. When writing about a seminar-workshop for example, be sure to assess the event in terms of its purpose,
logistics, flow of the program, and resource speaker/s. Similarly, when you write a book review using this
approach, your intent is to evaluate the merit of the book in terms of its structure, symbols, and meaning.

Historical Approach

This approach recognizes that the social and cultural environments have a tremendous effect on events and
situations. When you use this approach, you should consider the time, social milieu, political climate, and socio-
political context in relation to the event or phenomenon that
you are writing about. This approach requires that you consider the work in relation to the period during which it
was written. Further, this approach argues that the work is influenced by everything around it, including the way
the event or phenomenon is perceived by people in society.

Reader-Response Approach

This approach relies on the fact that readers bring with them their own interpretation of the text. If you
decide to use this approach, you should consider that the readers are able to construct their own interpretation of
the event or situation. This approach is based on the premise that the text is not complete until the readers have
interacted with it, and that the work is in a constant process of influencing and being influenced by the readers.

Gender or Feminist Approach

This approach concerns itself with how the event or phenomenon is perceived from a viewpoint that
assumes that men and women have sex-ascribed roles in society. It has been argued that men and women think
differently and therefore construct meaning differently. If you use this approach, you need to consider the work in
terms of your sexual identity, as well as those involved in the event. In writing about an event using this approach,
you need to view it from your own vantage point as either a male or a female. In writing about a fashion event for
instance, you might wish to express your view about the way the female models are presented. When reviewing a
book using this approach, you might wish to consider the roles given to men in relation to those given to women to
see if they are treated equally, or if there is an imbalance.

Biographical Approach

This approach is premised on the fact that the author’s life has a significant bearing on how the work is
written and how it will take shape. Circumstances including the author’s education, background, and way of life
are reflected in the writing. This approach is based on the premise that in the act of writing, the author is not just
writing about the work but bringing into the work an entire belief system and a whole set of circumstances, both
past and present.

Complete the following chart.

Critical Approach What You Know About It

(words or adjectives you associate with it other than
those listed)

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MODULE IN ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
APPLIED SUBJECT ABM, HUMSS, STEM, & TVL
FORMALIST
HISTORICAL
READER-RESPONSE
FEMINIST
BIOGRAPHICAL

A. Write an outline of a reaction paper about an event that you attended

recently.

• What (what the event is; what others say about it; interesting
anecdotes; unforgettable scenarios; your feelings towards it)
• Where (the venue)
• When (date; Did it coincide with another important event? Is there a
special reason why the event was held on that day?)
• Who (important persons who organized the event; noteworthy guests;
beneficiaries)
• Why (the reason why the event was organized)

Paste a picture of the occasion.

B. Write a blurb about a book. Make use of the outline below.

• What (what the book is about; what others say about it; unforgettable
scenes; what it stands for; the relevance of the theme to people’s lives; good things you
would like to say about it)
• Who (unforgettable characters)
• Why (the plot; why you are recommending it to other readers; why you read the book)

Pretend that you have been asked to write a critique of your own
performance task. Using the guidelines cited in this lesson, write a
critique of your planned activity. Describe how the activity will unfold.

Reflect on these questions: What specific aspect/s of your task will you

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 68
MODULE IN ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
APPLIED SUBJECT ABM, HUMSS, STEM, & TVL
emphasize in your critique? Are there aspects worth emphasizing than others? How do you decide which aspect of
an event or situation needs to be highlighted?

To help you understand the topics in this lesson better, access the
following links:

“Literary Criticism Primer: A Guide to the Critical Approaches to

Literature”
https://herefordhs.bcps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3705599/File/
Academics/English/New%20Lit%20Crit%20Primer.pdf

“Critical Approaches to Literature”

http://home.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/spring97/litcrit.html

“How to Write a Reaction Paper”

https://www.essaysupply.com/blog/how-to-write-a-reaction-paper

“Sample Reaction Paper”

http://webspace.ship.edu/jacamp/sample_reaction.htm

ENHANCE ENGLISH ENGAGEMENT

English for Academic and Professional Purposes
(Mishima Z. Miciano/Remedios Z. Miciano)

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

AND SKILLS AND STRATEGIES FOR ACADEMIC DISCOURSE 1st edition
(Lorna A. Billanes, Ph.D)

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 69
MODULE IN ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
APPLIED SUBJECT ABM, HUMSS, STEM, & TVL