Quick Write

Our next essay is an evaluation. What does evaluation suggest to you?

What monster are you thinking or writing about? Narrow it down to 2 or 3 that you would be interested in learning more about.

IGN Dracula Untold Review

What do you think is the purpose of the evaluation?

Evaluations: What is it and Why do it?

Good walk through that explains evaluations more in depth. Even though it is for a program, many of the ideas apply to your Monster evaluations.

Monster List of Monsters

  • Monsters
  • Vampires
  • Dracula
  • . . .

Evaluation Essay 3

Evaluation: Monster Prompt

Gathering Data

You will need to decide on the monster you want to evaluate, and investigate the subject thoroughly. You will need to find your primary sources and scholarly sources.

For Example: Dracula or Vampires

Primary Sources:

  • Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula (1898) – Book
  • Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – Film

Scholarly Sources:

Search the Crafton library database for your monster or category of monster. Also, Google Scholar is a great search engine for scholarly stuff. Possible search terms:

Evaluation Notes

Writing an Evaluation: It is one thing to offer an opinion, yet it is an entirely different matter to back up a claim with reasons and evidence. Only when you do will readers take you seriously.

Explain your mission: Just what do you intend to evaluate and for whom? Are you writing for experts, a general audience, or novices? How much explaining do you need to do so that you audience follows you without getting annoyed with to much information.

Establish and defend criteria: Criteria are the standards by which objects are measured.

Successful presidents leave office with the country in better shape than when they entered.

When readers are likely to share your criteria, you need to explain little about them. When readers disagree or object, be prepared to defend your principles.

Remember: Monster Theory (Seven Theses) is a great starting point for establishing criteria. 

Offer convincing evidence: Evidence makes the connection between an opinion and the criteria for evaluation that supports it. Supply data to show that a product you judged faulty didn’t meet those minimal standards.

Offer worthwhile advice: Some evaluations are just for fun. Done right, most evaluations and reviews provide usable information, beneficial criticism or even ranked choices.

We evaluate everything from pizza, restaurants, movies, and even professors. Commentary and criticism of all sorts just happen. Doing them well is another matter. Here is a useful explanation of an evaluation to help you out.

The Evaluation Essay

Using Sources

What are the ways you can use sources in your essay?

  • Explain
  • Provide information
  • Examples
  • Credibility
  • Quotes
  • Research data
  • Ideas!

Quote Sandwich

One of the most important skills you can learn in academic writing is how to incorporate sources. To help remember this, we will use the metaphor of the quotation sandwich.

quotation sandwich

 

The Quote Sandwich. Introduce the Quote, Quote, explain the quote.

Do not drive by quote. When you quote or use a source you have to explain it and use it. The quote sandwich is why you cannot start or end a paragraph with a quote.

Movie Review

‘The Hunger Games’: EW Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum is reviewing “The Hunger Games” movie.

  • Does she acknowledge what her mission is and who her audience is?
  • What criteria does she establish for it to succeed?
  • Does she anticipate her audience’s questions and reactions?
  • Does she address any differences between the book and movie?
  • What is her grade or judgment of the movie?

Quick Write

What monster are you going to write about? Narrow it down to one or two.