English for

academic and
professional
purposes
LESSON 1
CRITICAL APPROACHES
IN
WRITING A CRITIQUE
Learning Targets
1. I can define critique;
2. I can identify the various approaches writing a
critique;
3. I can criticize the texts using the different
approaches of criticism; and
4. I can apply the appropriate critical approaches in
writing your critique.
critique
a careful analysis of an argument to determine what is
said, how well the points are made, what assumptions
underlie the argument, what issues are overlooked, and
what implications are drawn from such observations.

CREATIVE
RESEARCH
WORKS
MEDIA
Why do we write critiques?
A knowledge of the work’s subject area or related
works.
An understanding of the work’s purpose, intended
audience, development of argument, structure of
evidence or creative style.

A recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of the

work.
How to write a critique?
Study the work under discussion..

Make notes on key parts of the work.

Develop an understanding of the main argument or

purpose being expressed in the work.

Consider how the work relates to a broader issue or

context.
different approaches in writing a
critique:
Formalis
t:
“a unique form of human knowledge that needs to be
examined on its own terms.”
different approaches in writing a
critique:
Gender
Criticism:
“examines how sexual identity influences the creation
and reception of literary works.”

Feminist Criticism:

attempts to correct this imbalance by analyzing and

combatting such attitudes—by questioning,
different approaches in writing a
critique:
Historica
l: “seeks to understand a literary work by investigating
the
social, cultural, and intellectual context that produced
it—a context that necessarily includes the artist’s
biography and milieu.”
different approaches in writing a
critique:
Reader-Response
Criticism:
takes as a fundamental tenet that “literature” exists
not as an artifact upon a printed page but as a
transaction between the physical text and the mind of
a reader.
Structuralis
m: focused on how human behavior is determined by
social, cultural
and psychological structures.
different approaches in writing a
critique:
Sociological:
focuses on man’s relationship to others in society,
politics, religion, and business.
 English for
academic and
professional
purposes
LESSON 2
OBJECTIVE/BALANCED
REVIEW ORCRITIQUE OF
A WORK OF ART,
Learning Targets
1. I can define balanced/objective assessment or criticism
of artwork;
2. I can identify the forms and structures of writing art
criticism;
3. I can identify techniques in reviewing different art
forms;
4. I can interpret the broader context and different types of
art; and,
5. I can write a balanced/objective review or critique of
pieces of work.
Engagement activity
1. What are your bases of listing down
those words?

2. Are your lists based on facts? How do

you know?

3. Do you consider your lislts as your

opinions? Why?
balanced/objective review or
criticism?

It is a system of interpreting, judging, and assessing a

person, thing, or any work of art not influenced by
feelings or opinions in considering and presenting facts.
To have balanced/objective review of any piece
of work, the following are considered:
Description. Pure description of the object, piece of work,
art, event, etc. It answers the questions:

artwork - "What do you

see?"
Piece of writing - "What do you
see?"
To have balanced/objective review of any piece
of work, the following are considered:
Analysis. Determining what the features suggest and
deciding why the artist or writers used such features to
convey specific ideas. It answers the questions:
Artwork - "How did the artist
do it?"
Piece of writing-"How did the writer
write it?"
To have balanced/objective review of any piece
of work, the following are considered:
Interpretation. Establishing the broader context for this
type of art. It answers the questions:

Artwork - "Why did the artist create it and what

does it mean?
Piece of writing - "Why did the write create it and
what does it mean?
To have balanced/objective review of any piece
of work, the following are considered:
Judgment. Judging a piece of work means giving it rank
in relation to other works and of course considering a very
important aspect of the visual arts; its originality.
“Is it a good
artwork?”
Is it a good
composition?
In judging the piece of work, there must be:
Criteria (What criteria do I think are most appropriate for
judging the artwork or writing?),

Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork or

piece of writing relate to each criterion?)’

Judgment (Based on the criteria and evidence, what is my

judgment about the quality of the artwork or piece of
writing?).
Describe:
The Weeping Woman is a painting finished by Pablo
Picasso in France, 1937. This type of artwork can be
considered to be expressionism. There isn’t an actual
background scene in the painting. The background is
completed with different lines and colors. The woman
is the focus point of this painting. She is wearing an
accessory on top of her head which demonstrates her
elegance. My first impression of the artwork is that the
face of the woman is not proportionate and is only
painted with lines, no curves. The main colors that are
used in this painting are green, yellow, blue, purple,
red and black. The painting is set mainly of lined and
little curves. The mood and visual effect that this
Analyze:
The colors that the author uses can be considered to be quite
different as each color conveys a separate impression. The
light purple that begins at the bottom top of the woman’s
eyes can convey sadness. The other half of the face is
mainly covered in green and yellow; these can be said to
interpret other solid emotions that the painter must have
towards this woman as she was a vital character in Picasso’s
life. The painting is created with mainly lines which can
mean that the woman had strong physical features or that
her different emotions were felt passionately as lines are
usually seen as strong technical elements. The only curves
that are being used are for her hair and eyes. The eyes look
quite down or depressive. This is because the woman is
crying, which goes back to the main mood which is
Interpretation:
I believe that Picasso wanted the audience to feel pain and
provide a
statement that explains how all women feel and the agony
that they are consistently in. The audience can see that the
woman has peeled away her flesh by corrosive tears to
reveal her white bones. The handkerchief she tries to stuff
in her mouth seems as a shard of glass. This vivid image
can convey pain and hurting. Picasso has expressed the
behavior of this woman several times and often describes
the constant tears that fall off her eyes. So, the feeling
conveyed by the artwork is definitely suffering. Picasso
wanted us to feel her and understand the pain that she was
going through. It was not easy to be a woman during that
time since females where often frowned upon. Picasso
Judge:
Finally, the artist’s value may be to evoke pain, as
mentioned previously. This is due to the colors that Picasso
used and the shapes that he draws; not only these technical
elements but also the images that the painter uses within the
actual face of the woman. The painting relates to the entire
female community. This community can understand the
painting and know what Picasso was trying to portray.
Every woman is able understand and comprehend the
message behind this painting as we all feel the same way at
one point in our lives. I believe that this is a strong value in
the painting. The weak value lies in the different colors that
the painter chooses. I found it confusing to interpret other
areas of the face as the colors that were used didn’t seem to
match other locations of the face.
How to Critique Different Art Forms
Painting Critique. Paint is a medium that emphasizes light, colors,
and space.
What school of painting does it belong to? Is it typical or unusual
for this particular school?
Describe the way the artist applies paint. Are there broad paint strokes, small
points of color, or just a smooth surface? What effect does it help to achieve?
Describe how the light is depicted. Where does the light come from? Is there a
strong value contrast? In what way does the shadow function? What, in your
opinion, does it evoke?
Speak about the handling of space in the picture. Does it look flat or three-
dimensional? What kind of perspective is used?
How to Critique Different Art Forms
Sculpture Critique. Similarly, many specific factors influence the
overall
impression of a sculpture.
Say if the material gives a particular texture to the statue. Is the
surface
smooth, or is it uneven?
The surrounding space is just as important as the sculpture itself. Describe the
place (in the museum, in a park, in front of a building) where it is situated. What
does it add to the sculpture?
Speak about the color of the sculpture. Is it painted? Does it rely on natural lights
and shadows?
Describe the composition of the sculpture. What does it look like when you
approach it? Did the sculptor provide any instructions on how to position it?
How to Critique Different Art Forms
Architecture Critique. You can write art critiques on architecture,
too!
What architectural style does it belong to?

Was it built with a purpose? Did a specific person request it?

Did one architect complete the building, or were there any alterations? Why were
they made?

What do the exterior and the interior look like? What effect do they produce? Is
there a contrast between them?

Are there statues or paintings on the walls? Discuss them as well!

How to Critique Different Art Forms
Photography Critique. Analyzing a photograph is a lot like
critiquing a painting.
How does the photographer use focus? Is any part of the image blurry?
What effect does it produce?

Is the picture monochrome? If yes, describe its tone, contrast, and

shadows. If no, describe the use of color.

If it’s a photo of a face, pay extra attention to the emotion it expresses.

If it’s dynamic, discuss the sense of motion.
 English for
academic and
professional
purposes
LESSON 3
WAYS TO EXPLAIN A
CONCEPT
Learning Targets

1. I can determine the ways a writer can

elucidate on a concept; and

2. I can define concept paper

concept paper
aims to clarify a concept which can be about any topic
from
any fields. It can also be a short summary that tells the
reader what the project is, why it is important, and how
it will be carried out.
How to expound a concept?
Definition - identifies a term and sets it apart from all other terms
that may be related to it.
1. Formal – follows a patter or equation; term+genus+differentia
Technology is the branch of knowledge dealing with engineering
or applied sciences
2. By synonym – using a word or phrase that shares a meaning with
the term being defined.
Technology – Knowledge, Computers
3. By origin or semantic history
Technology comes from the Greek work tekhnologia.
4. By illustration
Technology involves the use of machineries in every aspect of
work.
5. By function
Technology uses hi-tech machines to get the work done.
6. By analysis – breaking down wholes into parts, aspects to levels and
a process into steps
Technology is defined as the application of scientific knowledge for
practical purposes, especially in industry.
7. By likeness of similarity
Technology is likened to modern living where robots exist.
8. By analogy or metaphor
Technology is like a robot that make life easier
9. By contrast – use of opposites
Unlike the manual work, technology makes work efficient.

10. By negation – stating what the term is not

Technology is not harmful if used properly.

How to expound a concept?
Explication is the process by which concepts are defined for
scientific
purposes.
Clarification is an analysis of an abstract concept through
investigation of examples and the identification of critical and
less critical attributes.
 ACTIVITY 3. DEFINE AND EXPLAIN
Directions: Define and explain each concept applying at least
three (3) techniques in definition.