Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
DIVISION OF BOHOL

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

Quarter : 1 Week : 6 Day : 1-4 Activity No. : 1-3

: Uses appropriate critical approaches in writing a critique such as
Competency
formalism, feminism, etc.;
: 1. Determine the most appropriate approach in critiquing a certain
artwork.
Objectives
2. Write a critique on a certain masterpiece and effectively apply the
critical approaches.
Topic : Writing a Review or Critique
Materials : Book (Applied English for Academic Professional Services, pages 88 –
89.)
Reference : Dapat, J. O. (2016). Applied English for Academic Professional Services,
pages 88 - 89. Pasay City. JFS Publishing Services
https://www.slideserve.com
https://www.pinterest.com
Copyrights : For academic use

CONCEPT NOTES:

Critiquing is a systematic way of objectively reviewing a masterpiece to highlight both

its strengths and weaknesses and its applicability to practice.

Critical Approaches in Writing Critique

1. Reader-Response Approach - asserts that a great deal of meaning in a text lies with how
the reader responds to it. Reader-response suggests that the role of the reader is essential to
the meaning of a text, for only in the reading experience does the literary work come alive.
2. Formalism Approach - emphasizes the form of a literary work to determine its meaning,
focusing on literary elements and how they work to create meaning. Using formalism, a critic
can show how the various parts of a work are welded together to make an organic whole.
After analyzing each part, the critic then describes how they work together to make give
meaning (theme) to the text.
3. Psychological Approach - views a text as a revelation of its author’s mind and personality.
It is based on the work of Sigmund Freud. It is also known as Psychoanalytical Criticism,
the analysis of an author’s unintended message. The analysis focuses on the biographical
circumstances of an author. The main goal is to analyze the unconscious elements within a
literary text based on the background of the author.
4. Sociological Approach - argues that social contexts (cultural, economic and political
context) must be considered when analyzing a text.
Based on the theories of Karl Marx (and so influenced by philosopher Georg Wilhelm
Friedrich Hegel), this school concerns itself with class differences, economic and otherwise,
as well as the implications and complications of the capitalist system: "Marxism attempts to
reveal the ways in which our socioeconomic system is the ultimate source of our experience"
(Tyson 277).
5. Gender Criticism- examines how sexual identity influences the creation of a masterpiece.
a. Feminist approach- is concerned with the role, position, and influence of women
in a literary text.
 b. Masculinist approach- centers on the desire to work with men’s issues and yields
to the political conviction that feminism does not fit with the facts, and needlessly
vilifies men.

6. Biographical Approach - argues that we must take an author’s life and background into
account when we study a text. Like other approach papers, this is a tool for initial analysis
of a subject. As you think through each element of the paper, you’ll gain a deeper
understanding of the person profiled.
7. New Historicist Approach -argues that every literary work is a product of its time and its
world.
New Historicists do not believe that we can look at history objectively, but rather that
we interpret events as products of our time and culture and that "...we don't have clear
access to any but the most basic facts of history...our understanding of what such facts
mean...is...strictly a matter of interpretation, not fact" (279). Moreover, New Historicism
holds that we are hopelessly subjective interpreters of what we observe.

Format of a Critique Paper

A. Introduction- name of the work being reviewed as well as the date it was created and the
name of the
author/creator.
-describe the main argument or purpose of the work
- explain the context in which the work was created. This could include the social or
political context, the place of the work in a creative or academic tradition, or the
relationship between the work and the creator’s life experiences.
(Generally, the background information of the artwork.)
B. Body - contains both the summary/description of the work, and the critical evaluation of
the work.
Summary- describe the certain work
Critical Evaluation- this section should give a systematic and detailed assessment of
the different elements of the work, evaluating how well the creator was able to achieve
the purpose.
-determine both the strengths and weaknesses of the work
-it should examine the work and evaluate its success, in light of its purpose.
C. Conclusion - a statement indicating the overall evaluation of the work
-a summary of the key reasons, identified during the critical evaluation, why
this evaluation was formed
-in some circumstances, recommendations for improvement on the work may
be appropriate.

ACTIVITY 1:
Determine the critical approach underscored in the following items for two
(2) points each. Write your answer on the blank provided before each number.

__________ 1. Divine researched the life and credentials of the author to help her
analyze and understand the author’s notable work.
__________ 2. The researcher found out that the novel “El Filibusterismo” emphasizes
the social and political aspects in the Philippines.
__________ 3. A student in English class tries to understand the theme and symbolism
of the story she is reading.
__________ 4. Jaime noticed that the book she is reading focuses on the success
stories of men.
__________ 5. The group of students has encountered trouble in understanding the
article they are reading; so, they checked when it was written and tried to connect the
significant events happed during that time to understand the views of the author.
__________ 6. Jessa reads a novel that highlights on the gap between rich and the
poor.
__________ 7. Trisha reads a book entitled “Behind Her Smile” which centers on the
struggles and achievements of women.
__________ 8. A painting displayed in the museum reflects the traditions and practices
of the Filipinos.
__________ 9. While reading the poem entitled “Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost, Sheena
interprets the meaning of the poem based on her own understanding.
__________ 10. During breaktime, Daniela reads one chapter of her favorite novel.
While reading, she tries to imagine and picture out the situation in the story.

Activity 2:
Study the painting below and answer the following questions for two (2)
points each at the back.

Photo credits: https://www.pinterest.com

Questions:
1. What does the painting reflect?
2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the painting?
3. What critical approaches can be best applied in critiquing this artwork? Why?
4. How would you relate the painting to the current conditions and practices in our
society?
5. What would you recommend to improve this artwork?

ACTIVITY 3:
Choose any movie that you like the most. Write a critique about it following
the given format of a critique paper for twenty (20) points. Write your answer
on a separate short bond paper. Here are also some suggested Filipino movies:

1. Veronica Velasco’s Through Night and Day

2. Nuel Crisostomo Naval’s Miracle in Cell No. 7
3. Erik Matti’s BuyBust
4. Loy Arcenas’s Ang Larawan
5. Articulo Uno productions’ Heneral Luna