Critical/Analytical Responses to Text

A critical response is one that asks you to carefully examine a piece of literature in response to a specific question. It is written using formal English: no personal pronouns, contractions or informality are expected. It is absolutely crucial that you support your ideas with details from the piece of literature. Ideally, the details will be direct quotes from the text that will then be analysed. The acceptable form of a critical response is an expository essay (written or oral) following the format of an introduction, body, and conclusion. The writer's task is to examine the underlying meanings/implications of the text as opposed to retelling the plot or offering your personal opinions, reactions, or values.

• Ensure that you understand all criteria on the CRT rubric and how to meet the descriptors. If you're unsure of how to do this, see your teacher.
• If your organization is weak, review the CRT template provided and create a clear outline for yourself. Flesh out this outline to form your response or get all of your ideas out and then reconstruct/reorganize them according to the outline.
• Scribbr Academic Writing: An excellent site that covers all tips and issues for getting started with and improving your academic (critical/analytical) writing.
• Developing a Thesis: Steps, tips, and examples of how to develop a thesis from Harvard's Writing Center.
• Thesis Statements: How to Write Them in Academic Essays: More steps, tips, and examples of how (not) to develop a thesis from Dr. Jerz of Seton Hill University. In the breadcrumbs, you'll also notice several other very helpful links for the various components/aspects involved with writing a CRT (known in university world as an academic essay).
• Transitional Words: A list of words for logically connecting ideas in essays and other writing.
• Be mindful of the conventions of a critical essay, since this is the form you need to use. Ensure that you follow the structure explained and modelled in class. CRT Style & Mechanics Checklist
  • Taboo words in academic writing: An excellent resource for how to revise your writing to sound appropriately formal. Includes words/phrases that are too informal, too unsophisticated, too vague, too exaggerated, too subjective, generally unnecessary, and generally incorrect.
  • Clear, Concise & Direct Sentences: how to avoid wordiness and awkwardness for both formal and informal writing
  • Your CRT will always be formal, academic, and persuasive: construct clear, logical arguments. If you are analyzing a text for a class presentation, you should also adopt a formal style/voice.
  • Avoid personal voice (I, we) - instead, say "the reader," "the viewer," "the audience," etc.
  • Translating between Formal and Informal Style - an exercise
  • Use active voice (The dog bites the boy) rather than passive (The boy is bitten by the dog) to sound stronger and more sure of yourself.