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A comprehensive guide to writing an evaluation essay – tips, examples, and techniques.

Welcome to the ultimate guide on writing an evaluation essay! Evaluating a subject, be it a book, movie, restaurant, or a piece of art, requires critical thinking and analysis. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn valuable tips and examples to help you master the art of evaluation essays. Whether you are a student working on an assignment or a writer looking to sharpen your skills, this guide will provide you with the tools you need to craft insightful and compelling evaluations.

Writing an evaluation essay involves assessing the quality, value, or significance of a particular subject based on specific criteria. It requires careful evaluation, evidence-based analysis, and a clear presentation of your findings. In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps of writing an effective evaluation essay, from choosing a topic and developing a thesis to organizing your arguments and refining your writing. By following our tips and studying the examples provided, you will be well-equipped to write a standout evaluation essay that engages and persuades your readers.

The Art of Writing an Evaluation Essay

Writing an evaluation essay requires a careful analysis and critique of a subject or a topic. To master this art, you need to develop a critical mindset and attention to detail. Here are some key steps to help you craft a compelling evaluation essay:

By following these steps and honing your critical thinking skills, you can master the art of writing an evaluation essay and create a compelling and insightful piece of writing.

Understanding the Evaluation Essay

An evaluation essay is a type of writing that assesses and critiques a particular subject, such as a movie, book, restaurant, or product. It requires the writer to analyze the subject and provide a judgment based on defined criteria. The purpose of an evaluation essay is to evaluate the subject’s quality and effectiveness, and to present a clear and coherent argument for the writer’s assessment.

When writing an evaluation essay, it is important to have a clear understanding of the subject being evaluated and to establish specific criteria for evaluation. These criteria can vary depending on the subject and the writer’s perspective, but they should be logical, relevant, and objective. The evaluation essay should also include evidence and examples to support the writer’s judgment and provide a well-rounded assessment of the subject.

Overall, the evaluation essay requires critical thinking, analysis, and effective communication skills. It is an opportunity for the writer to express their opinion and evaluation of a subject in a structured and persuasive manner.

Choosing a Topic for Evaluation Essay

When selecting a topic for your evaluation essay, it’s important to choose something that you have a genuine interest in and can thoroughly analyze. Here are some tips to help you pick the perfect topic:

• Choose a subject that you are knowledgeable about or have personal experience with.
• Select a topic that is relevant and timely to your audience.
• Pick a topic that can be evaluated objectively based on criteria.
• Consider choosing a controversial topic to spark debate and discussion.
• Ensure that there is enough information available for research and analysis.

By following these guidelines, you can find a topic that will allow you to write a compelling and insightful evaluation essay.

Structuring Your Evaluation Essay

When writing an evaluation essay, it is important to follow a clear structure to effectively communicate your assessment of the subject matter. Here are the key components of structuring your evaluation essay:

• Introduction: Start your essay with an engaging introduction that provides context for the topic and clearly states your evaluation criteria.
• Thesis Statement: Develop a strong thesis statement that presents your overall evaluation and main points.
• Criteria: Identify the specific criteria you will use to evaluate the subject. These criteria should be relevant to the topic and provide a framework for your assessment.
• Evidence: Support your evaluation with concrete examples, evidence, or data. Use specific details to illustrate your points and clarify your assessment.
• Analysis: Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the subject based on your criteria. Provide a balanced assessment that considers both positive and negative aspects.
• Conclusion: Summarize your evaluation and reiterate your main points. Offer a final evaluation that reflects your overall assessment of the subject.

By structuring your evaluation essay in a clear and logical manner, you can effectively convey your assessment to your audience and support your evaluation with strong evidence and analysis.

Tips for Writing a Successful Evaluation Essay

1. Choose a topic that you are familiar with and passionate about. This will make the writing process more enjoyable and engaging for you.

2. Clearly define the criteria that you will use to evaluate the subject. Make sure your criteria are specific, measurable, and relevant to the topic.

3. Provide evidence and examples to support your evaluation. Use facts, data, and examples to back up your claims and make your argument more convincing.

4. Use a clear and logical structure for your essay. Start with an introduction that provides context and introduces the topic. Then, develop your evaluation in the body paragraphs, and conclude with a summary of your main points.

5. Be objective in your evaluation. While it’s important to express your opinion, make sure to support it with evidence and consider different perspectives.

6. Edit and revise your essay carefully. Check for spelling and grammar errors, ensure that your arguments are well-supported, and make sure your writing is clear and concise.

Examples of Evaluation Essay

1. Movie Evaluation: “The Shawshank Redemption” is a classic film that touches on themes of hope, redemption, and friendship. The storyline, acting, and cinematography all contribute to the emotional impact of the movie. However, some critics argue that the pacing of the film is slow in certain parts, affecting the overall viewing experience.

2. Restaurant Evaluation: XYZ Restaurant offers a diverse menu, with options ranging from traditional dishes to modern fusion cuisine. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, creating a pleasant dining experience. However, some customers have complained about the slow service and inconsistent quality of food.

3. Book Evaluation: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, justice, and morality. The author’s evocative writing style and vivid characterizations make the book a compelling read. However, some critics argue that the novel oversimplifies complex issues and lacks nuance in its portrayal of race relations.

Revision and Proofreading

Once you have completed your evaluation essay, it is crucial to revise and proofread it thoroughly to ensure that it is polished and error-free. Follow these steps to refine your essay:

• Check for coherence and structure: Make sure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Check for transitions between paragraphs and ensure that your arguments are presented in a clear and organized manner.
• Verify the accuracy of your evidence: Double-check all the facts, statistics, and examples you have used in your essay to ensure their accuracy. Make sure that your evidence supports your evaluation effectively.
• Evaluate the clarity of your thesis statement: Your thesis statement should clearly state your evaluation and the criteria you are using. Make sure it is concise and specific.
• Scan for grammar and spelling errors: Proofread your essay carefully to catch any grammar or spelling mistakes. Use a grammar checker or have someone else read your essay to identify any errors you may have missed.
• Check the formatting and citation style: Ensure that your essay follows the required formatting guidelines and that your citations are properly formatted according to the citation style specified in the assignment instructions.
• Seek feedback: Ask a friend, family member, or teacher to read your essay and provide feedback. Consider their suggestions and make revisions accordingly.

By revising and proofreading your evaluation essay, you can ensure that it is well-written, coherent, and error-free, enhancing its overall quality and effectiveness.

Final Thoughts on Evaluation Essays

Writing an evaluation essay can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor. It allows you to critically assess a topic or subject and provide your own unique perspective on it. Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about or have expertise in, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and insightful.

When crafting your evaluation essay, be sure to provide a clear evaluation criteria and support your claims with evidence and examples. Use a balanced approach, acknowledging both the strengths and weaknesses of the subject you are evaluating. Additionally, make sure to structure your essay in a logical and organized manner, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

Overall, evaluation essays offer a valuable opportunity to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills. By following the tips and examples outlined in this guide, you can create a compelling and thought-provoking evaluation essay that engages readers and sparks meaningful discussions.

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• Social Sciences

How to Write an Evaluation Paper With Sample Essays

• Author: Virginia Kearney

Learn how to write an evaluation with this guide, including some examples!

What Is an Evaluation Paper?

Evaluation essays are just like reviews. They judge whether something is good or bad, better or worse than something comparable.

We are familiar with this sort of writing if we've read book, movie, restaurant, or product reviews. Evaluation papers can be serious or funny, earnest or sarcastic. We all love to read reviews of a really bad movie or restaurant experience. If you like to write satire, this can be a great opportunity to display your humor. Chances are you will have a great time, and so will your reader.

Choosing a Topic

Your topic can be something you've experienced once or many times. Keep in mind that you will write a better paper if you:

• Have a strong opinion—positive or negative—about this topic.
• Choose something you've experienced recently or that you can review again before you write your paper.
• Know a lot about this type of experience.

Use the following list of categories to brainstorm ideas for what you might want to evaluate.

Evaluate an advertising campaign: Does this ad make you want to buy those clothes?

iStyle Magazine, CC-BY, via Flicker

Finding Criteria for Evaluation Essays

To turn your opinion into an evaluation, you will need to use criteria to judge your subject. What are criteria? Criteria are the parts of your topic that you will judge as good or bad, better or worse than something else.

How can you find criteria? Criteria are the parts of the thing you are evaluating. Here are some examples of criteria:

• movie criteria : plot, actors, scenery, score, directing, chemistry between actors, humor.
• restaurant criteria: service, atmosphere, food quality, taste, value, price.
• website criteria: ease of navigation, design, visuals, writing, content.

Finding the best criteria for your evaluation: In order to do this kind of writing well, you need to determine what sort of a topic you are evaluating. If it is a movie, then what genre is it: horror, romance, drama, etc.? Then you need to decide what would make an excellent movie in that genre in your opinion. For example, you may decide that a good romantic comedy has to have three things: humor, surprising plot twists, and actors you enjoy getting to know. Next, you will evaluate the movie you have chosen to see how well it matches those criteria, giving specific examples of how it does or does not fulfill your expectations of an excellent romantic comedy.

Turning Your Topic into an Essay

In order to evaluate something, you need to compare it with the best example of that particular thing. So, to help you develop your topic into an essay, there are two important questions to ask when you are choosing your topic to evaluate:

First question: What category of a thing is it? Second question: What is the ideal example of something in that category?

Example: McDonald's

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What category is it? For the best evaluation essay, you want to compare your topic with things that are very similar, so try to narrow the category as much as possible. To get there, you want to keep on asking the question, "What kind is it?" What category does McDonald's fit into?

Answer to first question : Restaurant. (What kind of restaurant?) Fast food restaurant. (Better, but what kind of fast food?) Hamburger-serving fast food restaurant. (This is what you want!)

So if you were evaluating McDonald's, you would want to compare it to other fast food restaurants that mostly serve hamburgers.

Now the second question: What is the ideal example of something in that category? What makes that example better than others? Thinking about what you consider to be the very best example of something in the category of what you are reviewing can help you decide what criteria you will use, and also what judgment you can make. For example, here is a list of criteria my students have come up with for an ideal burger fast food restaurant:

• looks clean
• serves food fast
• makes it easy to order
• has great fries
• has options on the menu
• offers large drinks with free refills
• serves juicy burgers with lots of grease
• doesn't cost a lot of money

No two people will come up with exactly the same list, but most restaurant reviews look at the following criteria:

Answer to second question: A great fast food burger joint offers great service, atmosphere, and food at a fair cost.

Now you know what your paper is going to be about how close McDonald's comes to this ideal.

Is This an Effective Advertisement?

How to organize your essay.

Using the list of criteria above, we can make a very fast outline for an essay about an imaginary fast-food hamburger restaurant called Bob's Burgers:

Thesis Statement : While you may have to wait a while to get your meal at Bob's Burgers, that is because everyone finds the meal is worth the wait; Bob's Burgers offers not only great service, but a fun atmosphere for eating with friends or family, terrific food, and a good value for the price.

Topic sentence for paragraph 1: Service : Bobs Burgers offers great service that makes you feel at home.

• Food served quickly
• Easy to order
• They get the order correct

Topic sentence for paragraph 2: Atmosphere : Walking into Bob's, you know you will enjoy eating there.

• Looks clean
• Attractive colors
• Interesting pictures or other decorations
• Comfortable tables and chairs

Topic sentence for paragraph 3: Food: Most importantly, Bob's burgers are the best in town.

• Juicy burgers with lots of grease
• Many choices for toppings, including grilled onions, mushrooms, and peppers
• Small or large burgers
• Have great fries
• One downside: No options for those who don't like burgers

Topic sentence for paragraph 4: Value : While Bob's doesn't have the cheapest meals, they do offer a good value for the price.

• Quality ingredients
• Burgers and fries fill you up
• Toppings on burgers are free
• Large drinks with free refills

Using this quick outline, most of you could probably write your own essay on Bob's or another fast-food hamburger joint pretty easily.

Other Ways to Organize

• Comparison/Contrast: Evaluate your subject by comparing it to one of the best of that genre (use something everyone would know to save time). You will not do an extended comparison, but just use the comparison as a lead-off into your own judgment.
• Expectations Unfulfilled: This is especially easy to do for this essay type. Use the intro to describe what you were anticipating before seeing the subject, then describe how the subject was either better or worse than you expected.
• Frame : Use a description of the subject to frame the essay. That way you get right into the action. Then break off half-way through to keep your reader in suspense. Give your evaluation and then conclude with the end of your frame.
• Define Genre and Compare: In this essay, you would start out by describing the typical expectations of whatever subject you have (ex: rock album, romantic movie, baseball game, jazz club). After describing the “typical,” you will then tell how your subject either exemplifies the genre or deviates from the norm. Probably this type of organization is best used for a satire or for a subject that deliberately tries to break out of the normal expectations of that genre.
• Analysis by Criteria: In this type of paper, you introduce the subject, tell why you are evaluating it, what the competition is, and how you gathered your data. Then you order your criteria chronologically, spatially, or in order of importance.
• Chronological Order : You might use this for all or part of your paper. It means telling what happened in the order it happened. This is particularly useful for a performance or restaurant review.
• Causal Analysis: This measures the effect on the audience. How does this subject cause a certain effect?
• Analysis Focused on the Visual: This organization plan works well for analyzing works of art and pictures. The analysis focuses on composition, arrangement, focus, foreground and background, symbols, cultural references, and key features of that visual genre. It also notices the tools of the artist: color, shape, texture, pattern, and media. This paper analyzes these details in order to explain how they are related to the cultural and historical context of the work of art and then tells how they relate to the overall meaning of the piece. Be sure to evaluate if and why this piece is effective or ineffective.
• Analysis Focused on the Social Context or the Story : This type of evaluation takes an image and analyzes how it is effective for a particular point. Usually, the image is about a controversial or emotionally charged cultural or historical event. Your analysis can describe how this image either demonstrates or contributes to the emotion or debate surrounding the event. It may be that the image is ironic or misleading.

Evaluate an athlete.

skeeze, CC0 Public Domain via Pixaby

Introduction and Conclusion Tips

The only problem with our example above is that it is so easy to write, and so it might seem rather trite and unoriginal. How can you make your essay stand out?

• Describe vividly, using interesting verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Make the reader feel that they have been to the restaurant with you.
• Use the introduction and conclusion to entice the reader.

Introduction and Conclusion Ideas

• Use a conversation about the food.
• Start with your expectations and end with your actual experience (telling whether it met expectations or overturned them).
• Talk about popularity or history of the restaurant.
• Use statistics of people eating fast food more. Discuss the controversy about fast food and obesity and health.

See the chart below for more ideas.

How to Connect Introduction and Conclusion

Writing Tips for Evaluation Essays

1. Present the Subject in an Interesting Way

• Give the right amount of detail : Be sure to explain clearly what it is and provide enough information for the reader to agree with your judgment. Sometimes movie reviews leave the reader in suspense as to the outcome of the story. You will have to decide what you want to tell.
• Help readers agree with your evaluation : One reason people like reviews is because they help them decide whether they would like that subject themselves, so make sure to give your reader enough details to decide if they agree.
• Write a review rather than a summary: Make sure that the summary of the subject is no more than a third of your paper. The main part of your paper is supposed to be the evaluation, not the summary. It is possible to do the summary separately and then do the evaluation, or you can summarize as part of your evaluation.
• Make sure what you are evaluating is clear: It is often effective to use an introduction which describes the subject or gets the reader involved in the action quickly.

2. Make a Clear, Authoritative Judgment (2/3 of paper)

• Thesis sentence should tell exactly what you think. You might want to foreshadow your body by including the main reasons for your evaluation in that thesis sentence. (Ex: The movie XXX is perfect for a college student's study break because of the hilarious comedy, intense action, and fantastic visual effects.)
• Define the audience you are addressing and the genre of the subject (in the above example, the audience is college students and the genre is action comedy).
• Create a three-column-log to help you make notes for your paper. Separate your notes into three columns for criteria, evidence, and judgment.
• Pick at least three criteria to talk about in your essay. For example, for a mystery play, it could be three of the following: plot, setting, costumes, acting of main characters, acting of minor characters, the pace of the action, or the unveiling of the mystery.
• Be opinionated! Passionate reviews are always more interesting to read. Use vivid nouns and engaging verbs. Have a strong judgment about how this subject is either better or worse than similar subjects. Your judgment can be mixed. For example, you might say the concert on the mall was a good mix of bands and that the new songs from the main act were energetically played, but that the sound equipment was poorly set up and tended to make it hard to hear the singers.
• Order the body paragraphs from least to most important.
• Back up your opinions with concrete examples and convincing evidence.

3. Argue for Your Judgment

• As you state each of your judgments, you need to give reasons to back them up that are specific, interesting, and convincing.
• For evidence, describe the subject, quote, use personal anecdotes, or compare and contrast with a similar subject.
• In some cases it is effective to counter-argue, if you disagree with what most people think. For example, if your subject is very popular and you think it is terrible, you may want to state what most people think and tell why you disagree.

Pre-Writing Exercise

This exercise is intended to help you prepare to write your paper. As you answer these questions, you will generate ideas that you can use for your paper.

• What is the topic (subject) you are going to evaluate? Do a short description of it in a list or paragraph.
• What category is your topic? Be as specific and narrow as possible.
• Who might be interested in this? This is your audience for the paper.
• What does this audience already know? What do they want or expect from this thing? (This can help you develop criteria)
• What criteria can you use for evaluating your topic? (Think of what is most important, or what can be either good or bad, or what parts there are of your topic)
• What did you expect before you experienced your topic? How did your experience either fulfill or reverse your expectations?
• In your evaluation of your topic, what is good?
• In your evaluation of your topic, what is not as good?
• What is the best example of something in your topic? (Or what other things can you use to compare your topic with?). How does your topic compare to the best of this sort of thing?
• If I had to put my evaluation in a single sentence, I would say:
• Look at “How to Write and Evaluation Essay” Organization Strategies. Which of these will you use? Explain how you will use it.
• Introduction/Conclusion ideas: Which of these will work best for you? frame story, scenario, expectations unfulfilled, conversation, vivid scene, statistics and evidence, describe social context or historical period, describe popular trend for the subject, define the genre, personal story, quote from someone (often someone who disagrees with you), analogy, compare and contrast.
• How will you use this introduction and conclusion idea in your essay?
• Now write a brief outline of your paper (see hamburger example above).

Group Exercise

Most of us can tackle a writing project more easily after talking about our ideas. Instructors may have you work in groups to talk out your ideas. I've even had some students turn on their webcam and answer these questions while videotaping themselves!

If your instructor doesn't have you work in a group, you can get together with some friends to answer the following questions and take notes to help you get ideas for your paper. Take turns in your group. The main goal is to help one another prepare to write. Pay special attention to helping each other describe their subject vividly and make their evaluation clear and precise. Also, look for good ways to organize papers.

• Tell your subject to your group. Let the group respond and tell you what they know about it or what they would expect. You write down their answers.
• Explain your subject. Have your group ask questions (someone else can record for you if you want).
• Explain your criteria for judging it (#5 in pre-writing). Have the group respond. Do these seem like the best criteria? Any other suggestions?
• Tell your group your one-sentence evaluation (this is your thesis). Get suggestions for how to make is more effective.
• Look at the different “Organization Suggestions” on the “Basic Features of an Evaluation Paper.” What type of organization would work best for this paper? Try to write a simple outline.

Evaluation Essay

Questions & answers.

Question: I am writing a justifying an evaluation paper on "The Importance of Learning Practical skills in school" My point will be how schools focus too much on grades & how practical skill classes are not mandatory anymore. What would be a good thesis statement?

Answer: I have found that when people write their topic and thesis, it helps to start by formulating a thesis question which can be answered in more than one way. Then your answer to that question is your thesis. The problem with what you have written so far is that you have a point to make, but you haven't written down the question you are asking. Here are a few suggestions for topic questions:

1. What sorts of curriculum is most important for students in schools?

2. Does practical learning skills have a place in schools?

3. Do schools focus too much on grades?

4. What should schools focus on?

Your answer to that question is your thesis. For more help in developing your thesis see: https://hubpages.com/humanities/Easy-Ways-to-Write...

Question: My assignment is to write an evaluation justification essay using my own title. However, I can't find any topic like my assignment.

Would you help me, please?

Answer: Your assignment "evaluation justification" is just a different name for what I am calling an evaluation paper. In writing an evaluation paper, you will have to give reasons (which can also be called "justifications") and evidence for those reasons. To find a topic, you can look at my essay that lists 100 different ideas: https://owlcation.com/academia/100-Evaluation-Essa...

Question: I am writing an evaluation of a live performance of the T.V show, "Dora the Explorer," how should I start?

Answer: Any evaluation essay can start by using either your expectations before seeing the show or your previous history with the show or that subject. If you watched Dora and liked it as a child, that could be a very good introduction idea.

Question: My assignment was to make an evaluation and comparisons of the three video presentations which have the same subject or topic but are presented in different ways. I am also supposed to choose the best video presentation after evaluating and comparing the three presentations. So, how could I do the evaluation and comparisons in an essay form?

Answer: The type of essay you are doing is really a visual essay evaluation. I have instructions as well as samples in this article: https://hubpages.com/academia/How-to-Write-a-Visua...

Question: My paper is an evaluation of Starbucks versus Local Coffee. How do I evaluate while comparing the two subjects?

Answer: Typical criteria for evaluation of a coffee house would be similar to those you would use for any restaurant: service, food, atmosphere, and value. You can also use the criteria of which is a better place for a meeting with friends, studying, or doing work.

Question: My assignment is to write an evaluation essay on the movie, "The Grinch," the last one. What criteria should I use, and how can I make my introduction?

Answer: Start with your expectations for the movie before seeing it. Here is a list of some of the criteria you could use (choose at least 3):

Compare this movie with the first version.

Compare the movie with the book.

Voice acting

Animation quality

music score appropriateness

Use of humor

How movie would impact a variety of audiences.

Whether the movie is a good one for both children and adults.

Question: I have chosen to write about a job I'm considering in the future. I'm just not sure what to write my thesis on. Should I use, "This is a great job to earn a degree for because...?" Is most of the essay going to be measuring pros and cons?

Answer: Here are some questions:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a career in ____?

2. Should you choose a career in _____?

3. What career will give you the most financial security?

4. Which career choice will lead to the most life satisfaction?

Question: How can I start my introduction of an evaluation?

Answer: Before you can do an evaluation, you need to make sure your readers understand what you are evaluating. Therefore, the best introduction is either a description or summary of what you are going to evaluate or else your expectations (or the general expectations of most people) about that subject.

Question: I'm writing an evaluating essay on the movie "Freedom Writers." What criteria should I consider?

Answer: Good movie evaluation criteria are similar to the following:

How interesting is the plot?

Is the acting well done?

Do the actors match the roles well?

Does the filming enhance the story?

Is the setting realistic to the story?

Is the movie visually appealing to the audience?

Does the movie get the audience involved and interested in the storyline?

Is the ending satisfactory?

Question: I am writing an evaluation essay on Netflix. Is the following criteria good? Netflix is convenient and easily accessible, has an affordable cost, no commercials, and allows users to sign in into an account from different devices. According to my professor, just the first two are good. What do you think?

Answer: In this case, the criteria depend on what your assignment has been as well as what category of evaluation you are doing. Are you comparing Netflix to other online streaming services? Or are you comparing it to cable? I would certainly pay attention to the instructions of your professor in writing your paper because that is the person who is teaching you. The problem with the list you have given is that you are talking about advantages of Netflix, which are not really criteria for evaluating Netflix. In other words, you are giving the answers, but not the questions. Here are some criteria questions:

1. Is it cost-effective compared to alternatives? Is it a good value?

2. Is it easy to use?

3. Is there a good variety of choices in content? Is it better for a certain age group or demographic?

4. Does it do a good job of suggesting content that the viewer would like?

Question: Can the introductory paragraph in a 7 paragraph essay be 2 sentences long?

Answer: The introductory paragraph should probably be at least 5 sentences long. In general, paragraphs in a short essay (less than 5 pages) should never be less than 5 sentences each.

Question: I'm writing an evaluation paper on Adidas and I don't know what my thesis should be about?

Answer: Adidas is one of the most popular brands of shoes, but are Adidas shoes really as good as they hype?

Question: I would like to write an evaluation of the movie Django Unchained. What elements should use to support my thesis?

Answer: It depends on what your thesis or evaluation is. Generally, with a movie, you will say whether it is as good, better, or worse than similar movies. Categories you can evaluate are:

1. How good is the acting?

2. How good is the action?

3. Is the filming and camera angles well done?

4. How well does the movie interpret the theme?

5. Is the ending satisfying?

Question: How can I start an evaluation essay about Facebook banning students who sign up?

Answer: Start with a story of this happening to some students and then end with the question, "Should Facebook be able to ban students from signing up?"

Question: My assignment is to write an evaluation of the novel 1984, highlighting the features that make it a fitting text for the genre of young adult literature, how should I proceed?

Answer: You are lucky that your instructor has given you a clear set of criteria for your paper. What you need to do is to decide what makes a good young adult novel. To do that, you can think about the best young adult novel you know and ask yourself, "What makes this good?" Actually, that is an excellent way to find the criteria of anything. Here are some possible criteria that I can imagine for this topic:

Keeps the reader's attention.

Has themes relevant to young adults.

Addresses problems that young adults care about.

Has interesting characters that seem real.

Has an interesting end that makes the reader think.

After you have come up with your own set of "things that make a great young adult novel" you can look at 1984 and evaluate how well it does those things. In organizing your paper, you can use one criterian per paragraph and then give examples from the novel to show how well it meets that criteria.

Question: How do I format an Evaluative Argument essay?

Answer: Use the format of an Evaluation Essay. An evaluation is a kind of argument. You are arguing that your judgment of the topic is correct. For more ideas on how to do this, you can look at my articles on how to write argument essays.

Question: Are there some ways to do an evaluation for a graphic novel?

Answer: You would evaluate a graphic novel in the same way you would a book or a movie. Compare the type of graphic novel to the best of that genre. You probably would use criteria like the following:

2. characters

4. drawing of characters and action

5. the quality of the drawing

6. whether there is a satisfying conclusion

Question: My paper is about the features of an iPhone X Max compared to an iPhone 8 plus. Can you give me some ideas on how I could start?

Answer: One good way to start is to give a description of the new phone. A second introductory idea would be to talk about the continuing desire for novelty and improvement in phones and the hype surrounding that.

Question: Can we use personal pronouns in such essays?

Answer: You will always want to check with your instructor to be sure that you abide by their standards; however, I would always recommend using first person in an evaluation essay since it is about your own opinion. In fact, if you don't use first person, you are suggesting there is only one right way to view that issue.

Question: Can I use the first person in this essay?

Answer: I always suggest that you check with your instructor, but I personally can't see how you can write an evaluation effectively without using the first person. Evaluations are always an opinion and if you didn't use the first person, you would be asserting that your own personal opinion was the only possible conclusion. No reasonable person thinks everyone will evaluate a restaurant, movie, album, car, or other product exactly the same way.

Question: I am writing a compare and contrast evaluation argument about advertisements. I picked two Courvosior ads, one from 1980 and the other from their new campaign here and now. What should my criteria be? I was thinking art, color, and the spontaneous environment that the new ads are set in vs the old ads.

Answer: I think that you need to be a bit more specific about how you word your criteria. It would probably help you to look at my article about how to write a Visual Analysis Essay, which should give you the art terms that would help you evaluate (analysis is another word for evaluation). You can find it here: https://hubpages.com/humanities/How-to-Write-a-Vis...

Question: I'm writing an evaluation paper on Chipotle, and I don't know what my thesis should be about. Do you have any ideas?

Answer: Your thesis would be the answer to this question: How does Chipotle compare to other Mexican fast food restaurants in terms of taste, atmosphere, service (or choose some other features)?

Question: How do I start the main body of an evaluation paper about "Evaluate the view that all firms are aiming to maximize profit?"

Answer: You will need to end your introduction with the thesis question: Is it true that all firms are aiming to maximize profit?

In the first sentence of your body, you will need a roadmap thesis question which is the answer to that question and all of the reasons for that answer. For example:

While the need for profits for investors means that many firms aim to maximize profits at all costs, for many businesses, what is also important is...

The truth is that all firms do maximize profits at all costs because (give three reasons or examples)...

For more help in writing a thesis and topic sentences see:

https://owlcation.com/humanities/Easy-Ways-to-Writ...

Question: How do you write a post teaching evaluation?

Answer: A post teaching evaluation can be written either as a self-evaluation by the person who did the lesson or by an outside observer. In either case, it is essential to know the goals of the lesson, and to establish the criteria or aspects of the teaching that you are going to evaluate. The introduction would probably include: the goals of the lesson, information about the students being taught, and any pertinent information about the teacher, as well as any special circumstances of this lesson. For example, that the teacher is a student teacher being evaluated on their first lesson, or a tenure-track teacher who has taught this grade for many years but is now trying a new curriculum.

The last sentence of the introduction can include a thesis sentence which would summarize the evaluation. Here is an example:

Mrs. Ruiz clearly explained how to write roadmap thesis sentences using a variety of examples and involving the class in an active discussion, whole-class participation in writing exercises and individual practice.

Following the introduction, the body of the essay should be divided into paragraphs which discuss the goals, or ideal teaching that should take place, and then describe how well that lesson met those goals. Here are some sample topic sentences, which would be elaborated on with examples:

Mrs. Ruiz followed good teaching practices by actively engaging her students and giving them many opportunities to practice the activity before being evaluated.

Mrs. Ruiz's enthusiasm for the subject and humorous examples kept the class engaged, and it was clear that they enjoyed her lesson.

Students were actively engaged in the lesson throughout, and when two students got off-task, Mrs. Ruiz was able to quickly bring them back to the focus of the less.

One weakness of the lesson is that Mrs. Ruiz did not pace her lesson as well as possible and many students ran out of time to finish their in-class work, making many grumbles as they left that they would have too much to do as homework.

Conclusion: In the conclusion, a final evaluation of the effectiveness of the teaching as a whole should be made, as well as any ideas for improvement. Giving "next steps to take" is a good way to end a lesson evaluation for both a personal evaluation as well as an outside one. Here is a sample:

To make her teaching more effective, Mrs. Ruiz should consider the timing of her lessons carefully. She may want to keep a closer watch on the clock and limit the amount of class discussion in order to move on to the next section of the lesson, or perhaps spread this type of three-step lesson over two days of instruction.

Question: How do I write an evaluation of learning theories?

Answer: On any topic for an evaluation paper, you need to decide what criteria to evaluate. For learning theories, the criteria could be:

1. How well do they translate to better teaching?

2. Does this theory work well in different kinds of learning situations?

3. How well does this learning theory explain problems with learning?

4. Is this learning theory easy to understand?

5. Can this learning theory help teachers to design a better curriculum?

Question: I'm writing an evaluation essay about the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing, "Iowa senator's comments on diabetes miss the mark." How will I be able to evaluate and make an introduction to it?

Answer: Start by explaining the situation for this particular piece and/or the award. Then give your thesis which will be what your main evaluation is of this story.

Question: What do you think of this topic: "Is loneliness a hidden killer of the elderly in the UK?"

Answer: You have a very interesting topic idea, although I think it is more of an argument than an evaluation. Here are some other ways to word this question:

1. How important is loneliness in the lives of the elderly in the UK?

2. What causes depression among the elderly in the UK?

3. What are the hidden killers of the elderly in the UK?

4. How important is social interaction for elderly in the UK?

Question: I need to evaluate an article and evaluate if the writer makes a convincing argument or not. How do I do this?

Answer: The assignment you are describing is what I call a Summary, Analysis and Response essay. The instructions are here: https://hubpages.com/academia/How-to-Write-a-Summa...

Question: I am writing an evaluation essay on a book. The book is called "A Child Called IT". How would I start my introduction and thesis statement?

Answer: The title of the book is provocative and so I think a good introduction would be to speculate on what the book is about and then your thesis would be your main evaluation of the book. Here would be an example: Although "A Child Called IT" was a moving story, I found it tedious at times because of repetitive situations and awkward word choice.

Another way to open your essay is to actually tell a short story from the book that shows the main point you want to make.

Question: My paper is an evaluation of an opinion article about "federal government plus autonomous regions" from Manila Bulletin. How should I start my essay effectively?

Answer: One thing you will need to do in this sort of evaluation essay is to explain to your audience the content of what you are evaluating, because they won't necessarily have read it. So the first thing I would do is to summarize the opinion article. However, you may need to give the reader some context for that opinion before you summarize if they are not familiar with the issue. I generally tell students to start with something that grabs the attention of the reader. For example, if the issue is about a bad law, you could start your paper with a story about someone encountering that bad law and all the problems that makes them have. Then you can explain the opinion article and what they think about that law. Your thesis sentence would be something like: "Does Ms. Johnson write effectively to convince her audience that....." Your article will evaluate the person's analysis of the situation as well as whether they have effectively argued their point of view. Your evaluation can consider the tone of the article, the use of examples, the quality of the evidence, the effectiveness of the arguments presented and whether or not their ideas offer the best way of looking at this situation.

Question: How do I write an evaluation essay about a language teaching coursebook?

Answer: You write it the same way as any evaluation essay but you use criteria that are appropriate for that kind of text. To decide on the criteria, think about what would make an excellent language teaching coursebook? Here are some ideas:

Clearly written

Good examples

The information taught moves at an appropriate pace

Instructions are easy to follow

Question: I need to write a qualitative evaluation essay about "YMCA health club" relying on values, tradition, or emotion. How can I start my introduction?

Answer: Start either with a history of the YMCA, which will talk about how the club was created based on values, or use the mission statement of the organization.

Question: How can I evaluate makeup?

Answer: For evaluating a product like makeup, you could use the criteria: color choices, quality, packaging, value, and uniqueness. You might also evaluate whether the advertising for this product or the claims on the packaging are true or not.

Question: I am writing an evaluation paper and I am evaluating if Head Start is a quality preschool program. How can I start the introduction and what should my thesis look like? My criteria are building relationships between children, teachers, and parents, following health guidelines, safety and environment practices, whether staff are well prepared and knowledge seeking, and whether the curriculum is age appropriate.

Answer: You have a good start on your paper outline. Start with a description or story of the program or the problem of daycare programs being well run. Then ask your thesis question: Is Head Start a quality preschool program? Your thesis will be the answer to that question.

Question: How should I start an evaluation essay on a vacation spot?

Answer: Use either a vivid description of the vacation spot in your introduction, or else describe your anticipation about the vacation.

Question: What do you think of the topic, "What is the best thesis for evaluating the game of softball?" as an evaluation essay?

Answer: 1. What is the best way to pitch in softball?

2. What is the best way to coach a softball team?

3. Is softball a good game for young people to play?

Question: How to I evaluate a movie without using personal opinion or judgment?

Answer: You cannot do an evaluation without using personal opinion. However, if that is part of your assignment, your instructor probably means that they want you to back up your personal opinion with facts from the movie.

Question: How can I start an essay on evaluating the claim that children are active and creative in their relationship with new media technology?

Answer: The best start for an evaluating essay is to give the reader a picture of what you are evaluating. So you can use a story of the topic and then back it up with some statistics.

Question: How do you evaluate music in an essay?

Answer: You probably want to compare it to the best music in that category. Here are some things you can evaluate: how it impacts the listener, how well the instruments are played; the meaning of words (if there are any); and how it compares to that artist's other work or work by contemporary musicians. Consider reading some reviews of that music for ideas.

Question: How would I start off an evaluation of a website?

Answer: You would probably start with an experience in going to that website and what happens, good or bad. Or you can start with the criteria of what makes a good website.

Question: I need to write an evaluative essay evaluating two forms of media. I will use the short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" and the film "Away from Her." Any title ideas?

Answer: Since you are comparing the short story with the film made about it, you could use that idea for the title. You could also use the topic of these works, which is about the love of a husband for his wife who has Alzheimer's. Generally, a short statement of the main evaluation point or a question makes the best title. Here are some ideas:

Alzheimer's Love Story Works Best in Film

Does a Film or Short Story Tell an Alzheimer's Love Story Best?

Question: How would I start an evaluation essay paper on a Samsung Galaxy watch?

Answer: Start with the story of someone trying to decide whether to buy a Samsung or iPhone.

Question: What four points should I look at when evaluating a nonprofit such as Autism Speaks?

Answer: I teach a course on evaluating nonprofits and have full instructions here: https://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Write-a-Rese...

Here are typical ways to evaluate a non-profit:

1. Use of finances.

2. How well they solve the problem they focus on.

3. Does the website make it easy to see what they do and how they use resources?

4. Is the focus of the organization clear and specific?

5. Do they focus on the most important causes of the problem?

Question: My assignment is to write about the greatest impact that a teacher has made in me as a student. How should I proceed?

Answer: You are writing a reflection essay, and all of the instructions and a link to a sample essay are available in this article: https://hubpages.com/academia/How-to-Write-a-Perso...

Question: My evaluation is to write about the activity I have had with one of the patients in the ward. I have to reflect on the plan, the actual activity (how did it go), what would I change, and how the theories that I have applied helped. Could you please help me in how should do it in order to touch all the points?

Answer: Your assignment has actually given you a very clear outline. I suggest that you turn each of the sections into a question and use that question to develop each part of your paper. I would put these questions in bold print headers in the paper. However, before you turn that in, be sure your instructor allows this. Another way to do this is to use the question as the first sentence in each paragraph (or section). Here is how I would organize the paper with the questions:

Introduction: describe what the problem was, or what the situation with the patient is that made you feel this was a good activity. This paragraph can end with something like: What is the best activity to help the patient be able to eat independently?

1. What is the best activity to solve the problem?: describe the plan and why you chose that plan. Your reflection here would be why you chose that plan over other possible activities.

2. How did the activity go? Describe the actual activity and reflect on how it went.

3. What would I change?

4. What theories helped?

You might want to reverse the last two points to talk about the theories first and then reflect on how you might change the activity. This could involve talking about how you could apply a deeper understanding of the theories after having practiced doing an activity with a patient.

Question: Is Star Wars a good movie for an evaluation essay?

Answer: You can do an evaluation on any movie, but if you choose a very famous one, you will need to have a good angle to make it more interesting.

Question: How do I write an evaluation about roller coaster safety?

Answer: To evaluate roller coaster safety, you would need to determine what are the best practices for safe amusement park rides. You can probably find that online. Then you should also find out about the accident statistics of the particular roller coaster you are writing about. You can use that information to determine the criteria to use for evaluation.

Question: I'm writing my evaluation paper about black Friday shopping. I need more criteria, but I'm not sure what. I have the environment, prices, deals, and service. What other criteria would be good to include?

Answer: How about evaluating the enjoyment of the event (compared to doing something else over the Thanksgiving weekend), and what effect it has on family time over the holiday.

Question: How do I write in an evaluation essay on motherhood at a young age?

Answer: You need to start by establishing the criteria you will use to evaluate. To do this, write a list of what you think are the positives and negatives of women becoming mothers at a young age. Then after writing your list, try to put those items into groups. I would suspect your groups would be something like:

How this affects a woman's career.

How this affects her relationships.

How well young women are prepared for being a parent.

How well babies of young mothers do later in life.

Question: How can I start an evaluation essay on Sequoia National Park?

Answer: Start by describing being in the park and seeing the trees for yourself. Another good introduction would be to talk about what your expectations were before you went.

Paul on July 06, 2020:

I'm writing about a vehicle. The difference between the International ProStar Tractor Automatic Transmission VS. the International ProStarTractor Manual Transmission

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on February 10, 2020:

Hi London, criteria for art could include design, color, subject matter, history, meaning, perspective, and medium.

London on February 08, 2020:

I'm writing an evaluation on a piece of art. What criteria would you recommend looking at?

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on October 22, 2019:

Hi Diana, I think that you already have 3 criteria: authenticity of the challenges (problems) characters encounter, audience interest in plot, and ending. Other possible criteria are the realism of the action scenes, the audience involvement in the series, specific "ending" stories of particular characters, and visual effects. I think the thesis statement should be your overall impression about whether this was a satisfactory end to a popular series, or whether it met expectations of the audience.

Diana Brenneman on October 21, 2019:

I am writing an evaluation paper on The Avengers: Endgame and I'm not use how to go about it. I have to have at least 5 different criteria, so far i have: the characters are given real human problems making them more authentic, do the audience get involved and are interested in the storyline, and is the ending satisfactory. I also don't know what my thesis statemant should be.

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on August 27, 2019:

Hi Ashley, follow my instructions and start with thinking about what kind of movie this is and how it compares to the best movie of that kind. You can evaluate the setting, actors, plot, visuals or many other aspects. You might want to start by comparing it to other Alice movies or the book.

Ashley Hammonds on August 27, 2019:

I'm trying to write an evaluation over Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. I have no idea where to start, or even how to start it.

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on March 12, 2019:

Hi Jayde, what are the most important parts of the album in your opinion? Or what makes a top album?

Jayde McElveen on March 11, 2019:

What kind of criteria am I looking for in a music album?

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on November 25, 2018:

Yes, Pao, you could review a particular kind of car, say a sports car, or you could review new cars.

Pao on November 24, 2018:

Can I write an evaluation review about cars?

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on November 02, 2018:

Tom, your paper is more of a personal experience essay. To make it an evaluation, you need to pick some particular parts of the trip to rate as either good or bad. You might want to pick just one part of the trip to talk about.

Snake Tom on November 02, 2018:

Would this be consider an evaluation if not how can I turn it into a good one?

The Unexpected Turning Point in Vacation

Orlando, Florida is a very nice place to go on vacations. It is known as one of the best places with many attractions to do. There is Walt Disney world, Orlando Universal studios, Sea World, and Lego Land to name a few. I once won a week of vacation there from the Pepsi Company. They had an event that led to rewards when entering their code under the bottle caps. I saved up and enter them all in the Orlando sweepstakes. The odd part when I won was it was on April fool’s Day. It was real though, because the same day I got a package with the information along with Pepsi shirts, a bag and a Sea World note-book with a pen and four tickets. In the package they even took care of transportation and hotel nights. The hotel was called JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes. It was amazing until about the last two days when it all became a disaster visiting downtown Disney World and Sea World.

Downtown Disney World, now called Disney Springs, was beautiful with the sun shining and not too hot for it being end of June. There were many places to take family pictures and look at. For an example, there was a dragon in the water that was made of Lego’s. There are many shops to enjoy for a few hours. The cons of going to Disney Springs was they were expensive and clutter. On their website under reviews there are many that say how crowded they are. There are a few creepy people that will stare and stock you as if they are going to steal something. One review by Alan B. says, “It is unfair to demand people to park their strollers at the stroller parking without informing that Disney is not responsible”. They had their stroller stolen at night and Disney said they were not responsible for the lost of the stroller. In result, it is best to not go at night and always keep an eye on your stuff. One of the biggest problems was the debris everywhere. Maintenance or the people responsible did not do their job well. My family and I went early and it was like no one cleans up before opening. On one of the websites I visited said to plan and call to make plans accurately to get the best out of your vacation.

After Disney World we all went to Sea World the next day. We thought after Disney Springs that Sea World would be better. We arrived about ten o’clock and they were already crowded. The shops were amazing along with the dolphin show. The show lasted about an hour and when it was over we all went on some rides. The rides were packed and the line that we were waiting in was called the Kraken. We had to wait like thirty minutes until we could get on. The waiting for rides were not worth the wait. It was so hot that if you were wearing flip flops they melted. It did not help that is was black top mostly. The stores were outside and with no A/C. There was one store that had A/C but was jam-packed. After coming back after luch things started taking a worst turn. The

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on April 02, 2018:

Hi Tulip, I think that you may be writing an argument essay rather than an evaluation. See my articles on each of these for help.

Tulip on March 31, 2018:

I am trying to write an evaluation essay, but I am not sure if I am using a correct topic for this kind of essay? My topic is about the social judgment on the immigrant by their name and the social judgment on disabled people. Also, I am asking about how to build my criteria according to that topic if it is correct?

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on March 28, 2018:

Hi Joseph. What might be confusing you is that an evaluation is a kind of argument. An evaluation essay argues for your judgment about something. It is an opinion type of essay. However, your marijana topic doesn't seem to be an evaluation exactly. What you can do to turn this into an evaluation is to use the question: Is legalizing marijuana beneficial to society? You will then need to decide what criteria you will use to evaluate this idea. Some possible criteria (or aspects) of legalizing any mind-altering substance:

1. Entertainment value.

2. Safety for user.

3. Safety for others.

4. Problems with criminalization and jail time when the substance is illegal.

5. Dangers of drug use over the long term.

6. Addiction and how this affects health or leads to other addictions.

Your conclusion should be your final idea about what should be done.

joseph-123 on March 28, 2018:

Dear Ma'am: thank you for accepting my comment, I tried to use the ask box but the problem it is not accepting a long paragraph and always says put it in a question format I tried to make an account and register to the website but still the same problem. I hope you can answer me.. please

These are my questions: I am planing to write an evaluation essay about dangerous of marijuana and the dangerous of legalization of marijuana I am confused about choosing my criteria I am thinking about stuff like addiction health issues ..etc. let me know what you think Also, my second question is that I didn't wrote an evaluation essay before only argument essays so how can I know if I am approaching the write requirements while writing because for it looks like the same thing, especially the paragraphs format and evidences, the only difference is the thesis judgment and conclusion.. Please let me know your thoughts . thank you appreciated.

Joseph, Because you have so many questions, I'm going to ask you to put this as a question rather than a comment before I answer.

Joseph on March 28, 2018:

Dear Ma'am:

Thank you for these great instruction on evaluation essay. I need your opinion on writing an evaluation essay about the dangerous of marijuana my problem that I didn't wrote an evaluation essay before only argument essays can you help me with any suggestion about this topic also with suggestion building my criteria, and how to distinguished between argument type of dissolution and evaluation because when evaluation I am still arguing.

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on March 24, 2018:

Hi Daisy--You have an interesting assignment. Researchers in the U.S. coined the term "extended self" to refer to all of the things, places, and people that a person associates with their own identity. An interesting paper ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC39623... suggests that not all cultures define themselves in the same way or by using the same types of possessions. For your assignment, be sure to check your instructions carefully, but my guess is that your teacher wants you to evaluate the idea of whether people really do create their identities through their possessions, project their identities through their possessions, or seek to be something through their choices of what they own, what they wear, what they "like," and what friends they choose.

daisy on March 22, 2018:

My assignment asked me to evaluate the concept of "extended self"....how to evaluate that?

Josh on January 31, 2018:

I really enjoyed reading this post! I am evaluating two medias, a short story in comparison to the film. I think what you have stated on here will guide me in my paper.

Let's see how it goes!

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on December 08, 2017:

Hi Za, these techniques should work for many types of applications, including companies. You also may want to look at my article on evaluating non-profits, which are a kind of company.

Za on December 07, 2017:

I'm working on evaluating companies for my exam is it okay if i follow this strategies!!

TJ on October 15, 2017:

This really helped me with my paper. Thank you! My professor didn't tell us how to form this kind of paper.

Olivia on September 18, 2017:

Thank you for this its really helped with my college English class.

J on February 13, 2017:

thank you gave a better explanation that my professor.

Yu on January 26, 2017:

Thanks! This is helpful.

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on January 22, 2017:

That is an interesting idea Lili.

Matt on January 13, 2017:

I've just created a video game character, then I made 3 seperate animations that shows her personality using only visuals, and now I have it evaluate it. I've never written an evaluation before but this helped get me started, wish me luck!

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on September 07, 2016:

Hi Janelle! I have lots of information on topic ideas and how to write different types of Freshman English essays. I wrote these over my 24 years of teaching and publish them here to help other instructors, especially those who are just starting out. Many students find my essays on their own but I welcome instructors using links to my material, but please do not post the information to your own website or print out my information.

Janelle on September 07, 2016:

Thank you for this. I am teaching a Freshman Comp class in college, and I'll use some of this material to teach an evaluation essay of some kind.

Jane Rugan on July 22, 2015:

I will be writing my essay on the gender inequality.

Trudy on March 26, 2015:

I am trying to evaluate a hotel

Jamal on March 21, 2015:

Evaluating a TED talks presentation/speech

Lily Galindo on November 30, 2014:

Reviewing a technological device - the Kindle Keyboard 3G. :)

askformore lm on October 28, 2014:

Thank you for a very interesting and useful hub. Thumbs up!

Arif from Bangladesh on July 27, 2013:

wow!! amazing really.... I should develop my hub just like you :)

FilipinoHeart on October 13, 2012:

Thank you for this very accessible and useful information. Cheers! :)

Virginia Kearney (author) from United States on May 11, 2012:

Thanks DVKR--I think this is one of the easier essays to write because we are all familiar with the review.

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How to Write a Film Analysis Essay: Examples, Outline, & Tips

A film analysis essay might be the most exciting assignment you have ever had! After all, who doesn’t love watching movies? You have your favorite movies, maybe something you watched years ago, perhaps a classic, or a documentary. Or your professor might assign a film for you to make a critical review. Regardless, you are totally up for watching a movie for a film analysis essay.

However, once you have watched the movie, facing the act of writing might knock the wind out of your sails because you might be wondering how to write a film analysis essay. In summary, writing movie analysis is not as difficult as it might seem, and Custom-writing.org experts will prove this. This guide will help you choose a topic for your movie analysis, make an outline, and write the text.️ Film analysis examples are added as a bonus! Just keep reading our advice on how to get started.

❓ What Is a Film Analysis Essay?

• 🚦 Film Analysis Types

📽️ Movie Analysis Format

✍️ how to write a film analysis, 🎦 film analysis template, 🎬 film analysis essay topics.

• 📄 Essay Examples

🔗 References

To put it simply, film analysis implies watching a movie and then considering its characteristics : genre, structure, contextual context, etc. Film analysis is usually considered to be a form of rhetorical analysis . The key to success here is to formulate a clear and logical argument, supporting it with examples.

🚦 Film Analysis Essay Types

Since a film analysis essay resembles literature analysis, it makes sense that there are several ways to do it. Its types are not limited to the ones described here. Moreover, you are free to combine the approaches in your essay as well. Since your writing reflects your own opinion, there is no universal way to do it.

• Semiotic analysis . If you’re using this approach, you are expected to interpret the film’s symbolism. You should look for any signs that may have a hidden meaning. Often, they reveal some character’s features. To make the task more manageable, you can try to find the objects or concepts that appear on the screen multiple times. What is the context they appear in? It might lead you to the hidden meaning of the symbols.
• Narrative structure analysis . This type is quite similar to a typical literature guide. It includes looking into the film’s themes, plot, and motives. The analysis aims to identify three main elements: setup, confrontation, and resolution. You should find out whether the film follows this structure and what effect it creates. It will make the narrative structure analysis essay if you write about the theme and characters’ motivations as well.
• Contextual analysis . Here, you would need to expand your perspective. Instead of focusing on inner elements, the contextual analysis looks at the time and place of the film’s creation. Therefore, you should work on studying the cultural context a lot. It can also be a good idea to mention the main socio-political issues of the time. You can even relate the film’s success to the director or producer and their career.
• Mise-en-scene analysis . This type of analysis works with the most distinctive feature of the movies, audiovisual elements. However, don’t forget that your task is not only to identify them but also to explain their importance. There are so many interconnected pieces of this puzzle: the light to create the mood, the props to show off characters’ personalities, messages hidden in the song lyrics.

To write an effective film analysis essay, it is important to follow specific format requirements that include the following:

• Standard essay structure. Just as with any essay, your analysis should consist of an introduction with a strong thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The main body usually includes a summary and an analysis of the movie’s elements.
• Present tense for events in the film. Use the present tense when describing everything that happens in the movie. This way, you can make smooth transitions between describing action and dialogue. It will also improve the overall narrative flow.
• Proper formatting of the film’s title. Don’t enclose the movie’s title in quotation marks; instead, italicize it. In addition, use the title case : that is, capitalize all major words.
• Proper use of the characters’ names. When you mention a film character for the first time, name the actor portraying them. After that, it is enough to write only the character’s name.
• In-text citations. Use in-text citations when describing certain scenes or shots from the movie. Format them according to your chosen citation style. If you use direct quotes, include the time-stamp range instead of page numbers. Here’s how it looks in the MLA format: (Smith 0:11:24–0:12:35).

Even though film analysis is similar to the literary one, you might still feel confused with where to begin. No need to worry; there are only a few additional steps you need to consider during the writing process.

Need more information? It can be found in the video below.

Starting Your Film Analysis Essay

There are several things you need to do before you start writing your film analysis paper. First and foremost, you have to watch the movie. Even if you have seen it a hundred times, you need to watch it again to make a good film analysis essay.

Note that you might be given an essay topic or have to think of it by yourself. If you are free to choose a topic for your film analysis essay, reading some critical reviews before you watch the film might be a good idea. By doing this in advance, you will already know what to look for when watching the movie.

In the process of watching, keep the following tips in mind:

• Consider your impression of the movie
• Enumerate memorable details
• Try to interpret the movie message in your way
• Search for the proof of your ideas (quotes from the film)
• Make comments on the plot, settings, and characters
• Draw parallels between the movie you are reviewing and some other movies

Making a Film Analysis Essay Outline

Once you have watched and possibly re-watched your assigned or chosen movie from an analytical point of view, you will need to create a movie analysis essay outline . The task is pretty straightforward: the outline can look just as if you were working on a literary analysis or an article analysis.

• Introduction : This includes the basics of the movie, including the title, director, and the date of release. You should also present the central theme or ideas in the movie and your thesis statement .
• Summary : This is where you take the time to present an overview of the primary concepts in the movie, including the five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why)—don’t forget how!—as well as anything you wish to discuss that relates to the point of view, style, and structure.
• Analysis : This is the body of the essay and includes your critical analysis of the movie, why you did or did not like it, and any supporting material from the film to support your views. It would help if you also discussed whether the director and writer of the movie achieved the goal they set out to achieve.
• Conclusion: This is where you can state your thesis again and provide a summary of the primary concepts in a new and more convincing manner, making a case for your analysis. You can also include a call-to-action that will invite the reader to watch the movie or avoid it entirely.

You can find a great critical analysis template at Thompson Rivers University website. In case you need more guidance on how to write an analytical paper, check out our article .

Writing & Editing Your Film Analysis Essay

We have already mentioned that there are differences between literary analysis and film analysis. They become especially important when one starts writing their film analysis essay.

First of all, the evidence you include to support the arguments is not the same. Instead of quoting the text, you might need to describe the audiovisual elements.

However, the practice of describing the events is similar in both types. You should always introduce a particular sequence in the present tense. If you want to use a piece of a dialogue between more than two film characters, you can use block quotes. However, since there are different ways to do it, confirm with your supervisor.

For your convenience, you might as well use the format of the script, for which you don’t have to use quotation marks:

ELSA: But she won’t remember I have powers?

KING: It’s for the best.

Finally, to show off your proficiency in the subject, look at the big picture. Instead of just presenting the main elements in your analysis, point out their significance. Describe the effect they make on the overall impression form the film. Moreover, you can dig deeper and suggest the reasons why such elements were used in a particular scene to show your expertise.

Stuck writing a film analysis essay? Worry not! Use our template to structure your movie analysis properly.

Introduction

• The title of the film is… [title]
• The director is… [director’s name] He/she is known for… [movies, style, etc.]
• The movie was released on… [release date]
• The themes of the movie are… [state the film’s central ideas]
• The film was made because… [state the reasons]
• The movie is… because… [your thesis statement].
• The main characters are… [characters’ names]
• The events take place in… [location]
• The movie is set in… [time period]
• The movie is about… [state what happens in the film and why]
• The movie left a… [bad, unforgettable, lasting, etc.] impression in me.
• The script has… [a logical sequence of events, interesting scenes, strong dialogues, character development, etc.]
• The actors portray their characters… [convincingly, with intensity, with varying degree of success, in a manner that feels unnatural, etc.]
• The soundtrack is [distracting, fitting, memorable, etc.]
• Visual elements such as… [costumes, special effects, etc.] make the film [impressive, more authentic, atmospheric, etc.]
• The film succeeds/doesn’t succeed in engaging the target audience because it… [tells a compelling story, features strong performances, is relevant, lacks focus, is unauthentic, etc.]
• Cultural and societal aspects make the film… [thought-provoking, relevant, insightful, problematic, polarizing, etc.]
• The director and writer achieved their goal because… [state the reasons]
• Overall, the film is… [state your opinion]
• I would/wouldn’t recommend watching the movie because… [state the reasons]
• Analysis of the film Inception by Christopher Nolan .
• Examine the rhetoric in the film The Red Balloon .
• Analyze the visual effects of Zhang Yimou’s movie Hero .
• Basic concepts of the film Interstellar by Christopher Nolan.
• The characteristic features of Federico Fellini’s movies.
• Analysis of the movie The Joker .
• The depiction of ethical issues in Damaged Care .
• Analyze the plot of the film Moneyball .
• Explore the persuasive techniques used in Henry V .
• Analyze the movie Killing Kennedy .
• Discuss the themes of the film Secret Window .
• Describe the role of audio and video effects in conveying the message of the documentary Life in Renaissance .
• Compare and analyze the films Midnight Cowboy and McCabe and Mrs. Miller .
• Analysis of the movie Rear Window .
• The message behind the film Split .
• Analyze the techniques used by Tim Burton in his movie Sleepy Hollow .
• The topic of children’s abuse and importance of trust in Joseph Sargent’s Sybil .
• Examine the themes and motives of the film Return to Paradise by Joseph Ruben.
• The issues of gender and traditions in the drama The Whale Rider.
• Analysis of the film Not Easily Broken by Duke Bill.
• The symbolism in R. Scott’s movie Thelma and Louise .
• The meaning of audiovisual effects in Citizen Kane .
• Analyze the main characters of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo .
• Discuss the historical accuracy of the documentary The Civil War .
• Analysis of the movie Through a Glass Darkly .
• Explore the core idea of the comedy Get Out .
• The problem of artificial intelligence and human nature in Ex Machina .
• Three principles of suspense used in the drama The Fugitive .
• Examine the ideas Michael Bay promotes in Armageddon .
• Analyze the visual techniques used in Tenet by Christopher Nolan.
• Analysis of the movie The Green Mile .
• Discrimination and exclusion in the film The Higher Learning .
• The hidden meaning of the scenes in Blade Runner .
• Compare the social messages of the films West Side Story and Romeo + Juliet .
• Highlighting the problem of children’s mental health in the documentary Kids in Crisis .
• Discuss the ways Paul Haggis establishes the issue of racial biases in his movie Crash .
• Analyze the problem of moral choice in the film Gone Baby Gone .
• Analysis of the historical film Hacksaw Ridge .
• Explore the main themes of the film Mean Girls by Mark Walters .
• The importance of communication in the movie Juno .
• Describe the techniques the authors use to highlight the problems of society in Queen and Slim .
• Examine the significance of visual scenes in My Family/ Mi Familia .
• Analysis of the thriller Salt by Phillip Noyce.
• Analyze the message of Greg Berlanti’s film Love, Simon .
• Interpret the symbols of the film The Wizard of Oz (1939).
• Discuss the modern issues depicted in the film The Corporation .
• Moral lessons of Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond .
• Analysis of the documentary Solitary Nation .
• Describe the audiovisual elements of the film Pride and Prejudice (2005) .
• The problem of toxic relationships in Malcolm and Marie .

📄 Film Analysis Examples

Below you’ll find two film analysis essay examples. Note that the full versions are downloadable for free!

Film Analysis Example #1: The Intouchables

Raising acute social problems in modern cinema is a common approach to draw the public’s attention to the specific issues and challenges of people facing crucial obstacles. As a film for review, The Intouchables by Oliver Nakache and Éric Toledano will be analyzed, and one of the themes raised in this movie is the daily struggle of the person with severe disabilities. This movie is a biographical drama with comedy elements. The Intouchables describes the routine life of a French millionaire who is confined to a wheelchair and forced to receive help from his servants. The acquaintance of the disabled person with a young and daring man from Parisian slums changes the lives of both radically. The film shows that for a person with disabilities, recognition as a full member of society is more important than sympathy and compassion, and this message expressed comically raises an essential problem of human loneliness.

Movie Analysis Example #2: Parasite

Parasite is a 2019 South Korean black comedy thriller movie directed by Bong Joon-ho and is the first film with a non-English script to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020. With its overwhelming plot and acting, this motion picture retains a long-lasting effect and some kind of shock. The class serves as a backbone and a primary objective of social commentary within the South Korean comedy/thriller (Kench, 2020). Every single element and detail in the movie, including the student’s stone, the contrasting architecture, family names, and characters’ behavior, contribute to the central topic of the universal problem of classism and wealth disparity. The 2020 Oscar-winning movie Parasite (2019) is a phenomenal cinematic portrayal and a critical message to modern society regarding the severe outcomes of the long-established inequalities within capitalism.

Want more examples? Check out this bonus list of 10 film analysis samples. They will help you gain even more inspiration.

• “Miss Representation” Documentary Film Analysis
• “The Patriot”: Historical Film Analysis
• “The Morning Guy” Film Analysis
• 2012′ by Roland Emmerich Film Analysis
• “The Crucible” (1996) Film Analysis
• The Aviator’ by Martin Scorsese Film Analysis
• The “Lions for Lambs” Film Analysis
• Bill Monroe – Father of Bluegrass Music Film Analysis
• Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Harry Potter’ Film Analysis
• Red Tails by George Lucas Film Analysis

Film Analysis Essay FAQ

• Watch the movie or read a detailed plot summary.
• Read others’ film reviews paying attention to details like key characters, movie scenes, background facts.
• Compose a list of ideas about what you’ve learned.
• Organize the selected ideas to create a body of the essay.
• Write an appropriate introduction and conclusion.

The benefits of analyzing a movie are numerous . You get a deeper understanding of the plot and its subtle aspects. You can also get emotional and aesthetic satisfaction. Film analysis enables one to feel like a movie connoisseur.

Here is a possible step by step scenario:

• Think about the general idea that the author probably wanted to convey.
• Consider how the idea was put across: what characters, movie scenes, and details helped in it.
• Study the broader context: the author’s other works, genre essentials, etc.

The definition might be: the process of interpreting a movie’s aspects. The movie is reviewed in terms of details creating the artistic value. A film analysis essay is a paper presenting such a review in a logically structured way.

• Film Analysis – UNC Writing Center
• Film Writing: Sample Analysis // Purdue Writing Lab
• Yale Film Analysis – Yale University
• Film Terms And Topics For Film Analysis And Writing
• Questions for Film Analysis (Washington University)
• Resources on Film Analysis – Cinema Studies (University of Toronto)
• Does Film Analysis Take the Magic out of Movies?
• Film Analysis Research Papers – Academia.edu
• What’s In a Film Analysis Essay? Medium
• Analysis of Film – SAGE Research Methods
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The Evaluation Essay

Key features of a well-written paper about an evaluative essay about a film, a concise description of the subject.

You should include just enough information to help readers who may not be familiar with your subject understand it. Remember, the goal is to evaluate, not summarize.

For instance, if writing about a movie, you’d want to describe the main plot points, only providing what readers need to understand the context of your evaluation. While you are evaluating the movie, you want to try to avoid retelling the story of it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that depending on your topic and medium, some of this descriptive information may be in visual or audio form.

Clearly Defined Criteria

Since you are evaluating the subject, you will need to determine clear criteria as the basis for your judgment. In reviews or other evaluations written for a broad audience, you can integrate the criteria into the discussion as reasons for your assessment. In more formal evaluations, you may need to announce your criteria explicitly.

For instance, you could evaluate a film based on the stars’ performances, the complexity of their characters, and the film’s coherence. There are lots of other criteria to choose from, depending on your film choice.

A few things to keep in mind when coming up with your criteria:

• Don’t try to have too many things to evaluate. Using three to four elements to evaluate should be enough criteria to support an overall evaluation of the subject.
• Pick things relevant to evaluating your subject. For instance, if you are specifically reviewing a movie, you don’t want to include criteria evaluating the popcorn at the movie theater.
• Remember, you’re going to have to define the criteria for your evaluation, so make sure you pick things you either know about or that you can learn about.

A Knowledgeable Discussion of the Subject

To evaluate something credibly, you need to show that you know it yourself and that you understand its context. Cite many examples showing your knowledge of the film. Some evaluations require that you research what other authoritative sources have said about your subject. You are welcome to refer to other film reviews to show you have researched other views, but your evaluation should be your own.

A Balanced and Fair Assessment

An evaluation is centered on a judgment. You can point out both its weaknesses and strengths. It is important that any judgment be balanced and fair. This is why it’s important to select your criteria before starting your evaluation. Seldom is something all good or all bad, and your audience knows this. If only presenting the positive or negative, your audience may feel you aren’t that credible of a source. While it may feel weird to include less-than-positive comments about something you enjoy, a fair evaluation acknowledges both strengths and weaknesses.

Well-Supported Reasons

You need to argue for your judgment, providing reasons and evidence that might include visual and audio as well as verbal material. Support your reasons with several specific examples from the film. This is also a good place to use knowledge of other movies, movie terminology, and other references to not only support your argument (aka your evaluation) but also show your ethos of the subject.

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

For this assignment, you will choose a film you have watched that was meaningful enough to evaluate. It can be one that was meaningful because it changed your perspective, for instance. You are also welcome to choose a film that was critically acclaimed, but you have objections to it. Choose something that strikes you as a film worth analyzing and discussing.

Things to consider while making this selection:

• What is the purpose of your evaluation? Are you writing to affect your audience’s opinion of a film?
• Who is your audience? To whom are you writing? What will your audience already know about the film? What will they expect to learn from your evaluation of it? Are they likely to agree with you or not?
• What is your stance? What is your attitude toward the subject, and how will you show that you have evaluated it fairly and appropriately? Think about the tone you want to use should it be reasonable? Passionate? Critical?

What film are you going to evaluate in this essay? Make sure it is accessible to you (accessible as in you own it, you have checked it out from the library, or it’s available through a subscription you have like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, etc.). You will need to watch it and take detailed notes so that you have specifics, dialogue, etc., to include. So, what film will you evaluate?

Step 2: Generating Ideas and Text

Now that you know the film you want to evaluate, it’s time to watch it. Make sure you take extensive notes as it needs to be clear that you have taken the time to watch and study your film and that you have thought through not only the criteria that you want to talk about but also specific examples of those criteria.

Explore what you already know. Freewrite to answer the following questions:

• What do you know about this subject?
• What are your initial or gut feelings, and why do you feel as you do?
• How does this film reflect or affect your basic values or beliefs?
• How have others evaluated subjects like this?

Now, it’s time to identify criteria. Make a list of criteria you think should be used to evaluate your film. Consider which criteria will likely be important to your audience.

Here are ideas for specific criteria:

• Evaluate your subject. Study your film closely to determine to what extent it meets each of your criteria.
• You may want to list your criteria and take notes related to each one as you watch the film.
• You may develop a rating scale for each criterion to help stay focused on it.
• Come up with a tentative judgment. Choose 3-4 criteria to discuss in your essay.
• Compare your subject with others. Often, evaluating something involves comparing and contrasting it with similar things. We judge movies in comparison with other movies we’ve seen in a similar genre.
• State your judgment as a tentative thesis statement. Your thesis statement should address both pros and cons. “Hawaii Five-O is fun to watch despite its stilted dialogue.” “Of the five sport utility vehicles tested, the Toyota 4 Runner emerged as the best in comfort, power, and durability, though not in styling or cargo capacity.” Both of these examples offer a judgment but qualify it according to the writer’s criteria. Experiment with thesis statements and highlight one you want to use.
• Anticipate other opinions. I think Will Ferrell is a comic genius whose movies are first-rate. You think Will Ferrell is a terrible actor who makes awful movies. How can I write a review of his latest film that you will at least consider? One way is by acknowledging other opinions–and refuting those opinions as best I can. I may not persuade you to see Ferrell’s next film, but I can at least demonstrate that by certain criteria he should be appreciated. You may need to research how others have evaluated your subject.
• Identify and support your reasons. Write out all the reasons you can think of that will convince your audience to accept your judgment. Review your list to identify the most convincing or important reasons. Then, review how well your subject meets your criteria and decide how best to support your reasons through examples, authoritative opinions, statistics, visual or audio evidence, or something else.

Step 3: Organization of the Evaluation Essay

The following provides two ways to organize your document:

Step 4: Drafting

Now that you’ve watched the thing, written the notes, and collected your thoughts, it’s time to draft. Use the organizational scheme you created in Step 3 to help you create your evaluation.

Step 5: Get Feedback

Step 6: revising.

Once you’ve received feedback, if possible, read through it and then walk away from the work for a little while. This will allow your brain time to process the feedback you received making it much easier to sit back down to make adjustments. While revising, try to avoid messing with punctuation or fixing any grammatical issues. Revision is when you focus on your ideas and make sure they are presented properly, so make sure you’ve set aside plenty of time or scheduled multiple times to go through your project.

Once you’re finished with revision—everything is well defined, claims justified, and conclusions given—it’s time to edit. This is when you correct punctuation and adjust grammatical issues. During this stage, try to only focus on one or two issues at a time. Work all the way through your project looking for these two things, and then start again with the next couple of issues you may need to smooth.

Hopefully, you’ve finished all of these steps before the deadline. If you are running behind, make sure you reach out to your instructor to let them know; they may have some tips to help get you through the final push.

ATTRIBUTIONS AND LICENSE

“ The Evaluation Essay ” by Rachael Reynolds is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License  and adapted work from the source below:

Adapted from “ Writing the Evaluation Essay ” by Sara Layton and is used according to CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

UNM Core Writing OER Collection Copyright © 2023 by University of New Mexico is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How To Write a Movie Review Essay

By: Henrique Bertulino

Movie or book review writing , whether for a magazine or a school assignment, can present a unique challenge. It can be difficult to put one’s feelings about a visual form of media down in words, and more difficult still to figure out how to structure and format such a piece of work.

What Is a Movie Review Essay?

The film review essay format, movie reviews structure, film review outline, before you start writing, 🎓 example introduction: midsommar (2019), 🎓 example introduction: the lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring (2001), ✍️ example review: princess mononoke (1997), what is the format of a movie review, what are the 7 steps to writing a movie review, what should i write about in a movie essay, what makes a good movie review, how to start a movie review essay.

In this article, we’ll talk you through what exactly a film review essay is, what format and structure you should adopt while writing one, and how you can write a gripping introduction. We’ll also give you some examples of film reviews to help you generate some ideas for essays of your own.

Whether you’re wondering how to write a movie review for college or want to dazzle your high school teacher, this article will help you craft your perfect essay .

A movie review essay is a critical piece of writing that aims to give a well-rounded assessment and analysis of a film. Good assignments will consider the film from all angles, looking at everything from the writing and acting, to the direction and editing.

How are movies written in an essay ? When answering “what is a movie review,” consider that these essays should be seen as far more than a summary of the film. Reviews can be works of art in and of themselves. They should entertain, educate, and persuade, and your written thesis should be original and compelling without necessarily spoiling the movie.

A good rule of thumb for such essays is that they should be a marriage of personal opinion and objective analysis. The most popular critics have their distinctive voice and style, and even different ideas of what makes a movie good, or even great; but they also have an understanding of film theory, and have a solid grasp of the fundamentals of cinematic technique.

So, now you understand what this kind of essay is; but how to write a movie review essay that is compelling? In the next section, we’ll consider the importance of format.

Your movie review essay format depends on the audience you are writing for. Are you a high school student working on an assignment ? A university student completing a piece of coursework ? A writer for a cultural arts magazine? A movie review format for students might look quite different from the format of a magazine article.

Generally speaking, however, all movie reviews will have a similar format. Here are a couple of ideas as to what your paper might look like:

• Length. Movie reviews are not typically very long. On average, they range between 600-1200 words. If you’re writing this for university, you may be expected to produce a longer piece of work.
• Paragraphs. Film reviews should always be split up into paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a clear point and direction and should work to develop your central argument in an informative way.

Regardless of the intended audience, a good film review will always stick to a rough structure. If you’re unsure of how to write a movie in a paper and especially how to structure a film review, check out these pointers:

• Introduction As with any essay, your review should begin with an introduction . This should include the title, date of release, and any relevant background information on the movie. If it’s based on a book, you might want to mention that, too. You should also make sure that you are clear from the get-go about your feelings on the film, opening your piece with a strong, compelling opinion. That way, your audience knows what to expect.
• Summary. Next, include a brief summary of the film. Your readers are here for your review, not a synopsis, so you don’t need to include every minute detail or plot twist. It’s enough just to outline the main elements of the story, making sure that you’re telling your readers enough that they won’t get lost.
• Description. The summary will give your audience a good idea of the content of the film, but your description should give a more detailed description of your personal experience of the movie. In this section, you should focus on the parts of the film that stand out in your mind; what did they look and sound like, and how did they make you feel?
• Analysis. Your essay analysis should form the bulk of the paper. In this section, you should deliver a critical interpretation of the movie, backing up your points with examples of scenes from the film. It might be helpful to refer back to your introduction while you’re writing, to make sure that you are supporting the opinion you laid out in the opening paragraph of your essay. You should analyze all aspects of the film, from direction and acting to setting and cinematography, highlighting the most interesting decisions. Also, consider the themes of the film and how the formal techniques highlight them.
• Conclusion. Your conclusion should recap your feelings on the film, reminding the reader of your overall impression. If you like, you could also say whether or not you recommend watching the film; whether you leave that explicit or implicit is up to you.

If you follow our advice on movie review structure, you’re sure to have a striking, thought-out essay. However, if you still find yourself unsure why not look up one of our movie review templates for college students?

Before you start writing the film review, it’s a good idea to put together a movie review outline. Having a strong outline means that you’ll be able to go into writing with a sense of direction. It is also useful to be able to refer back to a plan as you’re composing your essay. Doing so means that you won’t find yourself drifting off-topic, or going on meandering digressions.

Here are some tips for writing a good movie review essay outline:

• Brainstorm. Start by pooling together all of your ideas about the film and your review. You’ll think about what to include in a movie review. Don’t worry if some don’t seem relevant right now; just focus on getting it all down on the page.
• Decide on your thesis statement. If you haven’t already, try to decide on a central argument for your review. A good movie review paper doesn’t simply say “this film is bad,” or “this film is good.” Rather, a skillfully written review will try to prove a wider point about the movie. What is the point you would like to make? It’s alright if you don’t have a perfectly polished sentence ready to go, but you should at least have a solid idea. This will make planning your essay so much easier.
• Filter. Now that you’ve decided on a thesis statement , it’s time to go back through your brainstorming notes. With your thesis in mind, decide which points are most relevant to your paper and discard the ones that aren’t. If you’re not sure whether a note is relevant, ask yourself how it backs up your thesis statement; if you’re able to give a clear, insightful answer, then you know it should be included.

If you’ve chosen a film to write on, you’ve already completed the first step of writing a film review. But there are several other things you should do before you even begin writing your essay:

• Watch and re-watch the film. Ideally, you should view the film multiple times before sitting down to write your review. Take notes while you watch, writing down any parts of the movie that stand out to you, or any questions you have while watching the film that you might want to research later.
• Research. At the very least, you will need to include a title, release date, and the names of the director, screenwriter, and perhaps even important actors in your review. However, you should also provide some additional context for your readers. It’s important, then, that you take the time to research the movie and its history. It may be worth checking out other reviews that have been written on the film as well. You don’t want to parrot the ideas of other critics, but reading what they have to say may help you generate a few ideas of your own.
• Outline. Before you sit down to write, it’s a good idea to put together a movie review essay outline. Include the key points you’re going to make in your essay and make note of what scenes from the film you’re going to use to back those points up.

Once you’ve followed these steps, you’re ready to start writing!

What to Include in a Movie Review Introduction

How to start a movie review essay? Well, as we’ve already talked about, your introduction should include some key elements. In any essay, your introduction should serve to draw in the readers. It should display your voice as a writer while showing that you have original, interesting ideas about the film you’re reviewing. Review essays should be not only informative but entertaining as well.

What to write in a movie review introduction?

• Title, release date, and important figures. Provide the title and release date, and the names of the director, screenwriter, and major actors.
• Context. You don’t need to trace the film’s entire history while movie review writing, but your audience will appreciate a little bit of context.
• Hook. In your introduction, you should include a fact or quote to grab your reader’s attention.
• Opinion. Make it clear exactly what your opinion is of the film. and introduce the central thesis of your essay.

If you include these central elements, you’re bound to write a memorable introduction—one that’s sure to grab the attention of your readers and stick with them long after they’ve finished reading your piece.

Want more info on how to write an introduction for a movie review? We’ve got you covered! Just check out these movie review introduction examples below.

« Ari Aster’s latest film, Midsommar, is the director’s second feature film—and, as it happens, his second feature film about cults. Released in 2019 by independent entertainment company A24, this gore-fest was met with mixed reviews. Given the polarizing nature of its subject matter, perhaps this is not altogether surprising. Despite a cast of shallowly written characters, powered by at best flimsy psychology, the film may be worth a watch if only for its dazzling cinematography, and Bobby Krlic’s eerie soundscape. »

« The first installment of Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring makes for a promising start. The film’s release in 2001 was a smashing success, and it’s not difficult to see why. A sweeping score and fantastical setting help bring J. R. R. Tolkien’s masterwork of fantasy fiction to life, while masterful performances from actors such as Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen help carry the emotional weight of this epic. »

Examples of Film Reviews

One of the best ways to see how to write a review essay on a movie is to read them for yourself. Below, you can find an example of a review of Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke , a Japanese animated historical fantasy film released in 1997.

They are usually fairly short. Since you have limited space to make your argument , each paragraph in your review should carry your thesis statement forward.

There are 7 key steps to writing a good movie review.

• Watch the film more than once .
• Do your research .
• Come up with a thesis statement .
• Outline your essay.
• Be aware of your audience .
• Discuss multiple techniques .
• Be analytical in your approach.

In a movie essay, you should provide a thorough analysis of the film in question. Don’t just list things you did or didn’t like about the film. Rather, consider how they impact the film’s themes as a whole, and talk about why they were or were not effective.

A good movie essay is informative and educational, but also entertaining to read in its own right. It should be analytical and knowledgeable, while also retaining a personal edge. To see for yourself, look up movie review examples for college students.

Start a movie essay by giving some basic information about the film, such as its title, date of release, and the names of any important figures involved in its release. Make sure that in your introduction you also introduce your thesis statement.

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I really cannot wait to turn in my next movie review to my professor after reading through this writing. I'm sure once I apply what was said about formatting, my writing will improve. I'll be sure to keep the guidelines in this writing in my thoughts for every text I write in my next movie review.

Many things are put into the creation of a great movie, from the casting to costumes and the scenery. I guess that explains why it can be really time-consuming to make a proper evaluation. As a very tired college student, any papers that are given as assignments involving movie reviews are instantly outsourced (please do not judge me). I honestly would rather pay someone who offers a writing service than spend hours watching the movie. However, I've read this, and very nice points were made. Maybe I'll try writing my next assignment myself😉

Now I know how to relay the storyline while I compose a review. The end result of following the guidelines in this writing will be a review that is professional in nature. I believe one can adopt this style while reviewing a documentary as well. I've gained knowledge about the standard word count for this type of writing as well. My main takeaway is on how to describe in a more detailed manner.

For blog/magazine writers to make or explain their critique on paper, they need to notice the plot, theme, and character interaction for a well-rounded review.

Going by everything the writer made mention of in this writing, this is exactly how films should be reviewed. Now I know I don't have to include every single plot twist and do away with some events that unfolded. I'm aware of the details that need to be highlighted in a review and I can edit the things that need to fall out.

This was a cool step-by-step guide on how to write a film review, and I like their formatting style. Major key point: a review tells readers if some movies are worth watching or not.

Of all the writings about a motion picture that I've come across, this one takes the cake. I've gained knowledge on how to use my writing skills to create a comprehensive plot summary which will improve the quality of my final draft.

David O'Brien

Oh wow! I never really considered the technicalities and writing process behind writing a great movie review. Film criticism can be somewhat confusing, but I think this write-up strongly shows the difference between writing a professional movie review and a mediocre one. I'll happily take the pointers and include them the next time I have to write anything regarding a movie. Thanks!

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Quick Guide on How to Write a Movie Review Essay

What Is a Movie Review

The internet has revolutionized the realm of film criticism. No matter a movie's level of quality, it is always worth analyzing. Despite the growing number of individuals attempting to write about movies, few are successful. Most people do not provide insightful analysis, instead simply state how much they liked or disliked the film.

A movie criticism, usually composed by a professional in film studies, takes a comprehensive look at the film from a historical, social, political, or theoretical standpoint. This is unlike the opinion or suggestion given in a movie review, which is shorter and more concise.

A remarkable aspect of a good film review is that it doesn't just rate the movie but provides explicit views that form the critique's basis. This form of writing, like crafting essays, research papers, and term papers, should be insightful and draw the reader in quickly. It's important to discuss the reputation of the lead actors and directors and to write about what you expected and if they were met. The reviewer must explain a story's development without recalling major plot points and endings. The review must be concise, engaging, and should involve metaphors, specific words, analogies, etc.

Movie Review Purpose

Most film reviews are intended to guide readers in deciding whether to view, rent, or purchase the film. They should provide the necessary information to aid readers in deciding without divulging any fundamental details, such as the storyline or any surprises. This paper is common in schools because the lecturer wants to evaluate the student's ability to think critically and report the event easily for others to understand.

Movie reviews typically present a brief summary of the film's storyline. They provide readers with an overview of the characters, relationships, and scenarios but do not convey the complete narrative. Perusing the review should be different from seeing the movie. Nonetheless, feel free to highlight the essential moments or pivotal points that make the film worthwhile viewing.

Our college essay writing service has put together some advice on composing a movie review essay like a real critic, so let's explore the article further!

How to Write a Movie Review: Movie Review Outline

The structure is key when it comes to the quality of your paper. Don't neglect the power of a good outline, no matter what paper you're writing. Outlines help you stay on track and make sure your paper flows well.

Taking the time to arrange your ideas before starting to write is an effective way to save time further down the line. With a well-structured plan already in place, you won't have to worry about other elements. This will also make the writing process less stressful. Here is a guide on how to organize your movie review outline:

How Do You Start a Movie Review Essay: Introduction

The introductory paragraph is the first obvious step in crafting a movie review essay outline. Here, you want to quickly captivate the reader. Deliver your viewpoint instantly and make it unambiguous. Don't leave the audience wondering whether you enjoyed the film. Tell them right off the bat so you have time to justify your assessment throughout the remainder of the process.

In the introduction movie review should also describe your thesis. Develop the main concept for your essay that you can support using your perceptions of the movie's various aspects. The reader should be able to tell from this statement if you thought the film was fantastic, awful, or simply alright. By including a thesis statement, you may move your analysis beyond the plot synopsis phase into the movie critique category, which is considered a separate creative process.

Crafting Your Essay Movie Review Analysis

According to our research paper service , film analysis is similar to building a case. You're attempting to influence the reader to follow your recommendation to watch or disregard the film. So, you must ensure your essay movie review will be convincing. Giving instances that demonstrate the validity of your personal opinion is the only method to do this. If you find any dialogue in the movie that you think best exemplifies whether the work is strong or not, utilize quotes. This also applies to all of the movie's artistic decisions. But, just because a movie's narrative isn't strong or engaging doesn't indicate the rest of the film is worthless. Carefully highlight how some factors might undermine the movie in your explanation.

The movie's plot is only one component and shouldn't dominate the overall piece. The following are the important aspects to include in your movie review structure:

Cinematography - Cinematography covers much more than simply camera angles. It includes how the picture is lit, how it moves, appears, and what lenses are used. Here you can try the following analysis: 'Warm, gentle colors are used throughout the film, combined with soothing whites and grays, to simultaneously create and gradually tear away the characters' romantic sentiments for one another. There is a painting-like quality to each image.'

Editing - The editing is arguably the absolute star of what creates a good movie review example. It affects both the duration and the flow of a movie. Without effective editing, there would be uncomfortable gaps between pictures and many errors.

Costuming - The clothing the characters wear is called a costume, but there are a number of things to consider while evaluating movie costumes. You should be able to decide if the outfits suit the characters and the movie's atmosphere.

Casting and Acting - Finding the ideal performers to bring characters to life is the goal of casting. This sometimes entails seeing performers portray both familiar personas and figures who are entirely at odds with who they are. Casting, therefore, involves more than just finding talented performers. You can assess the acting in the following way: 'Even though he excels while on the go, his stoic behaviorism causes him to fall short of his co-star during calm scenes where he keeps a blank look on his face.'

Once you have finished analyzing the acting, directing, cinematography, setting, etc., wrap up with concise, stimulating wording to sustain readers' attention. Don't forget to provide a few examples to support your statements about the film.

Concluding Your Essay Movie Review

Finalize your review by coming full circle. Close the review by returning to your introductory fact or thesis. Give your readers a refresher on the movie's most intriguing aspects. It's important to remember that before choosing a movie, viewers check reviews. Finish with a statement indicating whether it is worthwhile for them to view. Be specific about who this movie will be more fascinating to and why in your suggestions. Remember that your ending is your last shot at influencing your audience, so use it wisely.

No matter the kind of movie review you have to complete, our professional specialists are willing to help you. Directly forward your needs to our research paper service and get it done quickly.

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Short Movie Review Form

If you are currently working on a new or old movie review, reading our suggestions should be sufficient to help you earn an A. So what if you'll be writing many reviews in the future? In this situation, we advise you to develop a uniform movie review template, which will enable you to save time and complete your upcoming projects successfully.

So, how to write a movie review template, you may ask? Well, our essay helper prepared a simple yet great movie review template you may use as a foundation for your own writing if you need some help getting started:

Example Papers

Once you know how to review a movie and learn the most valuable tips to handle this assignment, it is time to look at some movie review examples to get you on the right track.

Check out the following pieces to see which of these movie review essay examples you might want to keep at hand when working on your own assignment:

Helpful Tips on Writing Movie Reviews

Here are some extra helpful tips to keep in mind when unsure how to write a movie review essay:

• Add Your Own Personal Feel to Your Movie Critique - You might not have much spare time for your pastime of reviewing. You won't be able to write a movie review, though, if you just wing it without reading what others have said. Make a note of the things that intrigued you, alarmed you, made you uncomfortable, or caused you to pause and consider something, and then use that list as the basis for your research.
• Develop a Distinctive Writing Style - Have an idol—it's good for you. You must be careful not to just paraphrase and duplicate what they say without adding your own original viewpoint. Instead, in order to stand out from the throng, you must discover your own voice. When writing movie reviews, you should also have a distinct writing style.
• Include Extensive Information -Mention the film's photographer, special effects designer, and director. Your review might be significantly impacted by this. Then you may list all the memorable movie moments that also stuck with you.
• Voice Your Views and Back Up Your Criticism - Give your own assessment of the film. Make sure you have evidence to support your criticisms. Use the movie's details that most shocked or humiliated you. Review genuine information rather than merely expressing your opinions without supporting details.

Final Thoughts

Composing a good movie review essay sample is easy if you follow this article's main steps and techniques. Furthermore, we strongly believe that this guide will assist you in achieving remarkable outcomes and ease your writing process. The staff at EssayPro is always available to provide a helping hand if you need a little additional push with movie review examples or even if it's simply coming up with a catchy essay title .

Order an essay and await excellent results! Contact our expert writers and ask them to ' write my essay for me ' – and they will ensure your academic success!

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FAQs on Writing an Essay Movie Review

Here are the most frequently asked questions on how to write a movie review. We provided extra details on movie analysis to simplify writing film reviews.

What are the 6 Important Things to Include in a Film Review?

How long should a movie review be, what are the 5 c's in film.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Jun 29, 2023

Evaluation Essay Examples: Master the Art of Critical Assessment with Examples and Techniques

Want to turn good evaluation essays into great ones? We've got you covered with the guidance and insights you need. Join us as we delve into the art of critical assessment!

An evaluation paper's main purpose is to assess entities like a book, movie, restaurant, or product and provide constructive criticism. This writing style can be approached with serious objectivity or with humor and sarcasm. Reviewing is a common form of academic writing that serves to assess something and is often used in various fields as a research method. For example, research papers might include literature reviews or case studies, using evaluation as an analytical tool.

Evaluation reports can also take the form of analyses and critiques. A critique of a scientific study would look at its methodology and findings, while an analysis of a novel would focus on its themes, characters, and writing style. It's essential to consider your audience and your purpose before starting an evaluation document.

Evaluation papers are a versatile and meaningful writing form that can both educate and entertain audiences. Regardless of whether the tone is serious or humorous, objective or subjective, a well-written review can engage and educate.

To understand everything about evaluation essays, from their definition and purpose to potential topics and writing tips, read on.

What are Evaluation Essays?

An evaluation essay allows the author to make a claim and offer a verdict on a topic. This essay type can be used to identify the best option among several alternatives, or to analyze a specific method, product, or situation. It is a common academic task across all levels. Evaluation essays come in different forms, from online product reviews to business cases prepared by management professionals.

In contrast to a descriptive essay, an evaluation essay aims to express the author's judgment. However, this essay type is defined by an objective tone. The author's judgment should be based on careful examination of the available evidence. This differs from a persuasive essay, which seeks to convince the reader to adopt the author's point of view. An evaluation essay starts with the facts and forms conclusions based on these facts.

How to Write an Evaluation Essay?

To write an effective evaluation essay, follow these essential writing tips:

1. Select a Topic

The essay topic is crucial. It should be both educational and interesting, providing enough information to fill an entire essay.

2. Draft an Evaluation Essay Outline

Professional writers always advise creating an evaluation essay outline before writing the essay itself. This aids in writing and ensures content coherence. An outline is also easier to modify than a complete essay. Think about what should be included and excluded when designing your essay's outline. However, skipping this step and diving straight into the essay writing can create extra work later, as it can mean editing and revising the entire piece.

The general components of an evaluation essay outline include:

a. Introduction

The introduction is vital as it forms the readers' first impression. It should engage readers and arouse their interest in the topic. The aspects to consider when writing the introduction are as follows:

Begin with a compelling hook statement to capture the reader's interest.

Provide background information on the topic for better understanding.

Formulate a clear and concise thesis statement, outlining the main objective of the evaluation.

b. Body Section

The body of the essay consists of three paragraphs. Each paragraph should deliver several related ideas and flow seamlessly from start to finish. The key ideas to cover in the body paragraphs include:

Start with a sentence that presents your view on the topic.

Provide arguments that support the topic sentence and your stance.

Present a well-rounded argument to show impartiality.

Compare the subject to a different topic to showcase its strengths and weaknesses.

Present the evaluation from various angles, applying both approving and critical thinking.

c. Conclusion

This is your final chance to convince the reader of your viewpoint. The conclusion should summarize the essay and present the overall evaluation and final assessment. When composing an evaluation essay's conclusion, keep the following points in mind:

Restate your main points and arguments from the essay body.

Present evidence to support your thesis.

Conclude your argument convincingly, ultimately persuading the reader of your assessment.

3. Review, Edit, and Proofread

The final steps after writing the essay are editing and proofreading. Carefully reading your essay will help identify and correct any unintentional errors. If necessary, review your draft multiple times to ensure no mistakes are present.

Structure of an Evaluation Essay

An evaluation essay, like any good piece of writing, follows a basic structure: an introduction, body, and conclusion. But to make your evaluation essay standout, it's crucial to distinctly outline every segment and explain the process that led you to your final verdict. Here's how to do it:

Introduction

Start strong. Your introduction needs to captivate your readers and compel them to read further. To accomplish this, begin with a clear declaration of purpose. Provide a brief background of the work being evaluated to showcase your expertise on the topic.

Next, rephrase the essay prompt, stating the purpose of your piece. For example, "This essay will critically assess X, utilizing Y standards, and analyzing its pros and cons." This presents your comprehension of the task at hand.

Wrap up your introduction with a thesis statement that clearly outlines the topics to be discussed in the body. This way, you set the stage for the essay's content and direction, sparking curiosity for the main body of the work.

Body of the Essay

Dive deep, but not without preparation. Before delving into the assessment, offer an unbiased overview of the topic being evaluated. This reaffirms your understanding and familiarity with the subject.

Each paragraph of the body should focus on one evaluation criterion, presenting either support or criticism for the point. This structured approach ensures clarity while presenting evidence to substantiate each point. For instance, discussing the benefits of a product, you can outline each advantage and back it up with supporting evidence like customer reviews or scientific studies.

Ensure a smooth flow of thoughts by linking paragraphs with transitional phrases like "in addition," "moreover," and "furthermore." Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, explanation, and supporting evidence or examples for easy understanding.

Your conclusion is where you make your final, compelling argument. It should focus on summarizing the points made according to your evaluation criteria. This isn't the place for new information but rather a concise summary of your work.

To conclude effectively, revisit your thesis and check whether it holds up or falls short based on your analysis. This completes the narrative arc and provides a solid stance on the topic. A thoughtful conclusion should consider the potential impact and outcomes of your evaluation, illustrating that your findings are based on the available data and recognizing the potential need for further exploration.

Evaluation Essay Examples

Now that we've covered the structure, let's take a look at some examples. Remember, an evaluation essay is just one type of essay that can be generated using tools like Jenni.ai. This AI-powered software can produce high-quality essays on any topic at impressive speeds. Here are some ideas to kickstart your assessment essay writing journey.

Evaluation Essay: Online Teaching vs. On-campus Teaching

In the face of technological evolution, education has seen a shift in teaching styles, with online learning platforms providing an alternative to traditional on-campus teaching. This essay will evaluate and compare the effectiveness of these two teaching styles, delving into various factors that contribute to their strengths and weaknesses.

The landscape of education has transformed significantly with the advent of online learning. This essay will scrutinize and juxtapose the effectiveness of online teaching against traditional on-campus teaching. The evaluation will take into account numerous factors that contribute to the success of each teaching style, focusing on their individual benefits and drawbacks.

On-campus Teaching

On-campus teaching, the time-tested method of education, has proven its effectiveness repeatedly. The physical classroom setting provides students direct access to their teachers, promoting immediate feedback and real-time interaction. Moreover, the hands-on learning, group discussions, and collaborative projects intrinsic to on-campus teaching cultivate crucial soft skills like communication and teamwork.

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that students attending on-campus classes show higher academic performance and are more likely to complete their degrees compared to those in online classes (Bettinger & Loeb, 2017). However, on-campus teaching isn't without its challenges. It offers limited flexibility in scheduling and requires physical attendance, which can be inconvenient for students residing far from campus or those with mobility constraints.

Online Teaching

Online teaching, propelled by technological advancements and digital learning platforms, offers a compelling alternative. The most significant benefit of online teaching is its scheduling flexibility. Students can access classes and course materials from anywhere, at any time, providing a superior balance for work, family, and other commitments.

Online teaching democratizes education by enabling access for students in remote areas or with mobility challenges. The use of innovative teaching methods like interactive multimedia and gamification enhances engagement and enjoyment in learning.

Despite its numerous advantages, online teaching presents its own set of challenges. A major drawback is the lack of direct interaction with teachers and peers, potentially leading to delayed feedback and feelings of isolation. Furthermore, online classes demand a higher degree of self-motivation and discipline, which may be challenging for some students.

Both online teaching and on-campus teaching present their unique benefits and drawbacks. While on-campus teaching fosters direct interaction and immediate feedback, online teaching provides unmatched flexibility and accessibility. The choice between the two often depends on factors such as the course content, learning objectives, and student preferences.

A study by the University of Massachusetts reports that the academic performance of students in online classes is on par with those attending on-campus classes (Allen & Seaman, 2017). Furthermore, online classes are more cost-effective, eliminating the need for physical classrooms and related resources.

In conclusion, while both teaching styles have their merits, the effectiveness of each is heavily dependent on the subject matter, learning objectives, and the individual needs and preferences of students.

Citations: Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2017). Digital learning compass: Distance education enrollment report 2017. Babson Survey Research Group. Bettinger, E., & Loeb, S. (2017). Promises and pitfalls of online education. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Spring 2017, 347-384.

Evaluation essay: Analyze how the roles of females and males changed in recent romantic movies

Romantic movies have long been a popular genre, offering a glimpse into the complex and varied world of relationships. Over the years, the portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies has evolved significantly. This essay aims to evaluate and analyze how the roles of females and males have changed in recent romantic movies.

Historical Context of Gender Roles in Romantic Movies:

Gender roles have played a significant role in shaping the portrayal of romantic relationships in movies. In the past, traditional gender roles were often reinforced, with women playing the role of the damsel in distress, and men playing the role of the protector and provider.

However, over the years, the feminist movement and other social changes have led to a more nuanced portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies. Women are no longer just passive objects of desire, and men are not just dominant figures. Instead, both genders are portrayed as complex and multifaceted individuals with their desires, needs, and struggles.

Analysis of Recent Romantic Movies:

In recent years, romantic movies have become more diverse and inclusive, featuring a wider range of gender identities, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds. As a result, the portrayal of gender roles in these movies has also become more nuanced and complex.

One significant trend in recent romantic movies is the portrayal of female characters as strong, independent, and empowered. Female characters are no longer just passive objects of desire, waiting for the male lead to sweep them off their feet. Instead, they are shown to be capable of taking charge of their own lives, pursuing their goals, and making their own decisions.

For example, in the movie "Crazy Rich Asians," the female lead, Rachel, is portrayed as a strong and independent woman who stands up for herself and refuses to be intimidated by the wealthy and powerful people around her. Similarly, in the movie "The Shape of Water," the female lead, Elisa, is portrayed as a determined and resourceful woman who takes action to rescue the creature she has fallen in love with.

Another trend in recent romantic movies is the portrayal of male characters as vulnerable and emotionally expressive. Male characters are no longer just stoic and unemotional but are shown to have their insecurities, fears, and vulnerabilities.

For example, in the movie "Call Me By Your Name," the male lead, Elio, is shown to be sensitive and emotional, struggling with his feelings for another man. Similarly, in the movie "Moonlight," the male lead, Chiron, is shown to be vulnerable and emotionally expressive, struggling with his identity and his relationships with those around him.

However, while there have been significant changes in the portrayal of gender roles in recent romantic movies, there are still some aspects that remain problematic. For example, female characters are still often portrayed as objects of desire, with their value determined by their physical appearance and sexual appeal. Male characters are still often portrayed as dominant and aggressive, with their masculinity tied to their ability to assert control over others.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the portrayal of gender roles in recent romantic movies has evolved significantly, with female characters being portrayed as strong, independent, and empowered, and male characters being portrayed as vulnerable and emotionally expressive. These changes reflect the shifting social norms and values of our society and offer a more nuanced and complex portrayal of romantic relationships.

However, there are still some problematic aspects of the portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies, such as the objectification of female characters and the perpetuation of toxic masculinity. Filmmakers and audiences need to continue to push for greater diversity, inclusivity, and nuance in the portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies so that everyone can see themselves reflected in these stories.

"Crazy Rich Asians" Directed by Jon M. Chu, performances by Constance Wu, Henry Golding, and Michelle

Final Thoughts

The step-by-step guide and examples provided should have equipped you with the skills necessary to write a successful evaluation essay. However, crafting the perfect essay isn't a simple task; it demands practice, patience, and experience.

Incorporate Jenni.ai into your academic journey to revolutionize your writing experience. This advanced AI writing tool is designed to assist with a range of academic writing projects. With Jenni.ai, you can confidently tackle essays on any topic, easing your writing tasks considerably. Don't hesitate to register with Jenni.ai today ! Discover a world of writing opportunities and take your essay writing skills to new heights!

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Writing the Evaluation Essay

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In this tutorial, you will walk through instruction and writing steps that will lead you to an Evaluation Essay.  Please make a copy of this document (File>Make Copy) and complete all of the steps below:

Sometimes it’s nice to know how your paper will be graded before you start writing. Here are the key features of a well-written paper about a film of your choosing.

From  Norton Field Guide chapter 16

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

For this assignment, you will choose a film you have watched that was meaningful enough to evaluate. It can be one that was meaningful because it changed your perspective, for instance. You are also welcome to choose a film that was critically acclaimed, but you have objections to. Choose something that strikes you as a film worth analyzing and discussing.

Step 4- Draft

Use this MLA formatted writing template linked  HERE  to draft out your 3 page (750 word) essay by making a copy and adding your own information.  Add a link to your paper in the box below. Make sure it is set so that “Anyone with a link CAN COMMENT” Do this by clicking SHARE in the top right corner. Then click “change” under the “get link” box, and use the down arrow to change so that anyone at MHA can edit.

Step 5: Get Feedback

Step 6- Peer Editing

Go back to the course and submit your draft for peer editing. You will post your own draft, then edit two of your peers’ drafts. Read the directions carefully in the Peer Editing Forum.

Step 7: Final Paper

Once you have revised your draft, you will submit your final draft to your teacher in the course. You may also paste the draft below. Make sure it is shared so that anyone from MHA with a link can edit:

Writing the Film Evaluation: An Exercise in Critical Thinking

Johnie Scott

Associate Professor of Pan African Studies

California State University , Northridge

Background:

As noted by Ronald Lunsford, “Writing an evaluation will require you to judge whether the topic of your essay is good or bad, effective or ineffective, beneficial or detrimental, important or unimportant, and so on.” (369) This noted writing authority goes on to say, “As an evaluator, you’ll need to impress your reader with your fairness, and with the thoroughness with which you consider your topic. Because you’ll present your opinion about the topic, you cannot avoid your biases, but you must take care not to let any preconceived ideas about your topic go unsupported.” (369)

Within those statements, Lunsford is making the point that if you’re evaluating a film by one of your favorite directors, actors or actresses, you might make the assumption or claim that this film will be just as good if not better than previous films by this same star. That may be true; on the other hand, it may not be. It is your task to evaluate the new film as fairly and completely as possible, to move on ahead as a fan of the particular artist, but to be open-minded and willing to criticize if that proves necessary. To convince your readers that your evaluation is worth considering, you must demonstrate that you have given serious thought to the topic.

When writing evaluations, whether of a film, documentary, CD, concert, photograph or painting, the reader expects for you to have established some sort of criteria. As Lunsford states, “Sometimes criteria are referred to as the standards against which you’ll judge your topic…Criteria are the standards used in evaluating something, and if you don’t establish criteria for your evaluation, then you’ll present a statement of personal taste rather than evaluation.” (370-371) What this means is that in writing evaluations, you are consciously and constantly exploring the topic. While doing this, you must establish criteria by which to evaluate. Expect to be called upon to justify that criteria, to defend that criteria as appropriate and effective in evaluating your topic. Student writers often make the mistake, for example, of thinking that documentary films are expected to have the same entertainment value as feature films and this is certainly not so.

One would not, for example, expect a videotaped documentary that an interested director has done with writer Alice Walker to carry the same “entertainment values” of her book The Color Purple or the film based upon that work. And yet, I often receive evaluations of documentaries from students asserting they were not “entertained” when the purpose of the film was clearly to inform and educate. As I say to my students, “It is not my job to entertain you or be your friend. It is not my mission to win a ‘Most Popular Teacher’ Award. That would be nice, but for me it is not important. What is important, however, is that I be your Professor, that you see and regard, respect me as that individual who is there to teach first and last.” The point being made here is that you need to think through and establish what would be relevant criteria for the particular film that you are looking at and evaluating. You don’t want to make the mistake of comparing apples with oranges.

It might be helpful for you, at this point, to list the traits or characteristics of two or three of the following film genres: suspense thrillers, action-adventure and youth-oriented. After making your list, name two or three films that exemplify the traits in each category.

The next point to be made is that your film evaluation “should present a value judgment about the worthiness of your topic. Once you’ve made this judgment, it is your job to marshal support for it. The criteria you established for evaluating your topic can guide you here, because you can state the criteria as reasons, and reasons must be supported.” (374) That value judgment is your thesis, what you see as the central theme, message or concern of the film. To support your evaluation, you are expected to provide details that develop and support the criteria you’re chosen. Those details are framed as “statements,” and it would be expected in a film evaluation that you would list specific scenes, dialogue and action to support and develop those statements.

It is always a good idea to state your evaluation in a thesis sentence near the beginning of your essay. The body of your essay may be structured by the criteria you use in evaluating your topic. Accordingly, as noted by Lunsford, “in an evaluation of a movie, a paragraph (or a block of paragraphs) might be given to acting, a paragraph (or block) to cinematography, and a paragraph (or block) to special effects. Your conclusion may make clear once again what your evaluation is and briefly summarize the evidence you have offered that makes you think your reader should share that evaluation (i.e., your opinion about the film).” (378)

When doing film evaluations, I typically ask my students to take the following approach:

• Describe what stands out as the single most compelling scene or incident in the film. Use very visual details for the reader;
• Identify what you see as the major premise or idea in the film and then discuss what you see as the three primary ways in which that idea is developed. For this, you want to cite specific details, examples and illustrations from the film; and
• Lastly, state what you see as the importance or relevance of the film. What do we learn, or fail to learn, from watching this film? I always ask my students to develop a rating scale to conclude their film evaluations (one they explain to the readers like a 5-Star system) because they are, in fact, film critics.

In submitting the film evaluations to me via email, students are to follow these guidelines:

ü       Under the Subject heading, write “Film Evaluation #” followed by the actual title of the film. When it arrives to my email inbox, I am able to look and immediately see who the email is from, that it is a film evaluation, what number the film evaluation is, and the title of the particular film. Right away, I know this is business;

ü       If students are sending those evaluations to me as attachments, then I insist upon those attachments being in MICROSOFT WORD and no other program. To send an attachment in any program is to run the risk of my not being able to open, evaluate and send you a grade. It also costs me valuable time in trying to download an item that is impossible or time-consuming for me to do so. When sending me attachments, ALWAYS USE MICROSOFT WORD!!!

ü       On the other hand, it is not necessary to send an attachment. You can simply write your evaluation within the MESSAGE portion of the email. In either event, I always ask for the student to give their name, course and ticket number. In today’s world, so many students have mail nicknames and addresses that do not identify who they are at all (e.g., [email protected] , [email protected] , etcetera). Please identify yourself whenever sending me communication via email. To do otherwise is to run the risk of not receiving proper credit for your work;

ü       Always keep copies of those transmissions to me. Backup copy everything that you do. Work sometimes gets lost or accidentally deleted. You want to always have a copy in case that request is given to you; and

ü       Lastly, take pride in your work! When using a program such as MICROSOFT WORD, always run spellcheck to pickup those misspelled words. Run grammar check for awkward phrasing and problems with grammar and mechanics including sentence fragments, run-on sentences and the like. Never use abbreviations. Never assume – it is your responsibility to write as though your reader is not familiar with the film. This doesn’t mean you repeat scene by scene, word for word everything that happened in the film (just think of those times you tried to watch a film with someone, then had to tell that person to be quiet and let you see the film rather than listen to tell you everything that was taking place! They are insulting your intelligence when doing so.) And definitely, make certain that you use fully-developed, 5-sentence paragraphs when writing!

One thing I can assure you after teaching in the University now for 18 years, those students who stick to the program outlined above invariably see great improvements in their writing skills by the end of the semester. Think of that as a “perk” while you’re taking this course.

Works Cited

Lunsford, Ronald and Bridges, Bill, The Longwood Guide to Writing/Second Edition , Pearson Education, Inc., New York, NY/2002.

Revised 9/10/02

Secrets of Writing an Excellent Evaluation Essay

05 July, 2020

14 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

Many people prefer to check reviews on the movie or book before watching or reading it. The summary information and honest point of view on the subject matter are usually included in an evaluation essay. You just need to analyze both sides of the chosen criterion through thorough research, analysis of your thesis, and examination of your own values. To write a good evaluation essay, you should forget about your feelings and create an objective overview of the topic. That way, you will reveal the truth about the real worth of the particular subject matter.

So, what is an evaluation essay? The answer to this question you will find out in this post.

What Is an Evaluation Essay?

An evaluation paper is a kind of essay in which you express your argumentative point of view on various topics. As a form of literary thinking, it is based on much more than just a quick judgment about a person, place, or object. The common standards of evaluation writing, such as clearance, objectivity, and coherence, are to be followed throughout the text. These standards help identify how well a subject meets up or falls short of the ideal. No wonder this kind of essay is widely used for scientific purposes when the comparison of two inventions or technologies is required. In an evaluation essay, all the arguments are delivered objectively, while your personal opinion is stated at the very end as a summary.

On the Internet, you can find lots of reviews with one sentence only: “This essay is fine.” Does it look informative to you? Can you rely on this kind of feedback? Let’s be honest, such a review can hardly provide you with a clear understanding of whether the subject is worth your attention or not. The main feature of an evaluation essay is that it contains details and evidence to support your point of view. Instead of discussing every observation, you just need to underpin your point of view with examples that will make your paper look convincing.

CJE guidelines

How to start an evaluation essay? What needs to be preconsidered? Every evaluation essay consists of three structural elements – criteria, judgement, and evidence. Let’s get deeper into details.

The criteria that you choose should evaluate a person or subject through the prism of their ideal version. What can their best features be? For instance, you would expect an interesting plot and professional acting from a movie. Once you have specific benchmarks in mind, they can be used to evaluate these points.

The judgement aspect is used to estimate whether or not the benchmarks have been met. For instance, you can start a movie evaluation from judging whether it aligns with the specific benchmark. Does it offer the quality acting you expect? Does it have gaps in the plot? These are only some of the possible options to consider.

Remember that you must develop clues to advocate your judgements. For instance, if you make the judgement that the movie quality does not meet your expectations, you should be ready to provide evidence. Without eligible evidence, your evaluation essay won’t look convincing.

When structuring your evaluation essay, it is crucial to address a different criterion in each paragraph. In that paragraph, you should reflect on each criterion, make the relevant judgements and provide supporting proofs.

How to Write an Evaluation Essay?

With this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to write an evaluation essay. Here are the major steps to be taken:

• Choose your topic. Whatever kind of essay you are writing, you will have to take this step. Your topic can be offered by your instructor, as the case may be. But if you have to choose it yourself, you should consider a subject that you are familiar with. Thus, it will be easier for you to take an in-depth look at the subject and make a judgement on its value.
• Create a thesis statement. This is an important element of your essay as it contains the general purpose of the evaluation. In the thesis, you need to reflect on the criteria being used to judge the subject matter and state its value. Your statement should look apparent and to the point. In the process of writing, you may revise it as your essay gets shaped.
• Identify the criteria to be used for accessing the subject matter. Determine the benchmarks in your essay in order to make it interesting and engaging. The criteria you choose will depend on the subject of your evaluation. For instance, a movie will be judged using different points of reference than a book.
• Find supporting evidence . Don’t forget that an essay is not just about your opinion. You will need to find some supporting information from trustworthy sources while making each judgement. Don’t think that stating the movie or book title is enough. Use some questions to find out answers that can help you collect more information. How can you evaluate the subject? What kind of readers are you focused on? Will you focus on good or bad sides of the subject?
• Write a draft of your essay . All you need to do is to continue writing. As soon as you have something written on paper, you will rewrite or restructure it unless you are totally happy with the result.

Review, revise and rewrite. When a draft is completed, you will read over your work and make some changes if needed. You should be ready to rewrite your paper several times to get it just right.

Evaluation Essay Example

Here, you will find a well-written evaluation essay example that you can use for yourself:

• https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/evaluation/standardized-tests.html
• https://www.examples.com/education/evaluation-essay-examples.html

Evaluation Essay VS Review

An evaluation essay is widely associated with a review paper. This is a common mistake many students make. Although the two types of paper have some similarities, there are more differences that set them apart. You can take a look at those differences in the table below.

Tips on Writing an Evaluation Essay from Our Experts

Following the quick tips below, you will find it easier to write an effective evaluation argument essay:

• Provide the right amount of details: Make sure you explain your thoughts clearly and provide sufficient information to convince the reader in the correctness of your judgment.
• Thesis sentence should reveal your actual opinion. If you want to build up the basis for your body, you can include the main reasons for your evaluation in the thesis sentence.
• Know your target audience. By knowing your reader, you can adjust the plot to their specific needs. Whether you write for college students or professors, you will have to apply a bit different approach in the language choice.
• Make some notes. By using a three-column note-taking method, you can organize your thoughts. The columns of criteria, evidence, and judgment will contain the relevant information which will not let you forget or mix facts.
• Be opinionated . By sounding passionate in your evaluation essay, you will increase your chances of catching readers’ attention. The use of vivid nouns and engaging verbs will strengthen the effect produced by your paper. You should have a strong judgment of how the particular subject is either better or worse than other subjects of the same type.
• Back up every judgement you make. Every time you make a judgment, you should be ready to use specific, interesting, and convincing reasons to make it up. For evidence, you can describe the subject, use funny stories, or compare and contrast some notions with a similar subject.
• Provide counter-arguments. When you disagree with what most people think about the particular subject, it makes sense to provide some counter-arguments. This will make the narration more engaging for readers.

List of 50 Evaluation Topics

Since there are many people and objects you are able to assess, an evaluation essay can be written on a wide range of topics. To evaluate something, you will need to compare it with an example within a subject you have chosen. Some possible evaluation essay topics can be found below:

• Analyze the dissimilarity between seeing a sporting event live and watching it on ITV.
• Create a comparative assessment of watching a sporting event in a cafe and watching it without leaving the comfort of your home.
• Evaluate the experience of watching a sporting event on your own and with other people.
• Evaluate how a recent drama movie portrays the tragedies of real life.
• Evaluate a classic criminal movie and what it states about the real crime rates in the modern society.
• Evaluate your favorite Chinese restaurant.
• Compare two popular Chinese restaurants in your city.
• Appraise football or basketball from the perspective of a contestant or that of a watcher.
• Analyze the way in which football or basketball has advanced over the last decade.
• Discuss the influence of ESPN on sporting events.
• Evaluate the coverage of the latest Eurovision Song Contest.
• Evaluate a fancy restaurant for how it makes the customer feel after having the meal
• Analyze the way in which a popular horror movie depicts people’s fears.
• Assess a classic action movie and talk about its ideas regarding the functions of men and women.
• Explore the change that occurred in recent war movies if compared to classic war movies.
• How do drama books affect readers?
• Evaluate a book about war and analyze whether it addresses current concerns associated with war and peace.
• Evaluate the effects of online educational programs on students’ performance.
• Do historical movies encourage history learning?
• Evaluate an Italian cafe located in your city. What is the difference between the Italian and local food?
• What makes a traditional Italian meal great?
• Can hamburgers be healthy? Mention some details and provide relevant arguments.
• How mental health issues affect students’ academic performance?
• Analyze teachers’ responsibilities in terms of elementary students’ needs.
• Evaluate the power of verbal encouragement as a motivational factor in the educational process.
• Critically reflect on education services provided to children experiencing difficulties in learning.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of German secondary education.
• Evaluate teaching methods used at the American universities.
• Ways in which online libraries affect the students’ academic performance.
• How well the film “BraveHeart” portrays historical events?
• Analyze a movie produced in a foreign country and discuss how it reveals its national characteristics.
• Assess Kate Winslet’s play in “Titanic” and discuss which means this actor applies to adapt to this role.
• Make a comparison between modern and classic drama movies.
• Assess the distinct approaches used to transfer data from a smartphone to a PC.
• Make comparisons between various phone plans and determine which provider has the best deals for travelers.
• Assess current information security methods. Which one is the most efficient?
• Assess the key characteristics of WhatsApp.
• Compare the use of several cloud systems that can be implemented by the movie hub website.
• Estimate the chances of Facebook as a marketing resource.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of online advertising.
• Assess the existing approaches to using the Internet in colleges.
• Analyze the consequences of cultural shock.
• Assess the negative sides of overwhelming cultural diversity in the United States.
• Discuss the development path of rap and hip-hop music.
• What is the impact of Buddhism on Indian culture?
• Compare two popular social media platforms in terms of their  users, features, and benefits.
• Evaluate the latest version of your favorite smartphone and estimate the positive or negative changes that will affect the industry.
• Compare an educational approach in the military, Christian, or classical school.
• Evaluate the SAT versus the ACT tests.
• Compare the foreign policies established by a few states in the US.

Note that our company provides academic writing help. You can buy an essay written from scratch by our  essay writer .

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Film Analysis

What this handout is about.

This handout introduces film analysis and and offers strategies and resources for approaching film analysis assignments.

Writing the film analysis essay

Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece. Film analysis goes beyond the analysis of the film as literature to include camera angles, lighting, set design, sound elements, costume choices, editing, etc. in making an argument. The first step to analyzing the film is to watch it with a plan.

Watching the film

First it’s important to watch the film carefully with a critical eye. Consider why you’ve been assigned to watch a film and write an analysis. How does this activity fit into the course? Why have you been assigned this particular film? What are you looking for in connection to the course content? Let’s practice with this clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). Here are some tips on how to watch the clip critically, just as you would an entire film:

• Give the clip your undivided attention at least once. Pay close attention to details and make observations that might start leading to bigger questions.
• Watch the clip a second time. For this viewing, you will want to focus specifically on those elements of film analysis that your class has focused on, so review your course notes. For example, from whose perspective is this clip shot? What choices help convey that perspective? What is the overall tone, theme, or effect of this clip?
• Take notes while you watch for the second time. Notes will help you keep track of what you noticed and when, if you include timestamps in your notes. Timestamps are vital for citing scenes from a film!

For more information on watching a film, check out the Learning Center’s handout on watching film analytically . For more resources on researching film, including glossaries of film terms, see UNC Library’s research guide on film & cinema .

Brainstorming ideas

Once you’ve watched the film twice, it’s time to brainstorm some ideas based on your notes. Brainstorming is a major step that helps develop and explore ideas. As you brainstorm, you may want to cluster your ideas around central topics or themes that emerge as you review your notes. Did you ask several questions about color? Were you curious about repeated images? Perhaps these are directions you can pursue.

If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you can use the connections that you develop while brainstorming to draft a thesis statement . Consider the assignment and prompt when formulating a thesis, as well as what kind of evidence you will present to support your claims. Your evidence could be dialogue, sound edits, cinematography decisions, etc. Much of how you make these decisions will depend on the type of film analysis you are conducting, an important decision covered in the next section.

After brainstorming, you can draft an outline of your film analysis using the same strategies that you would for other writing assignments. Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you prepare for this stage of the assignment:

• Make sure you understand the prompt and what you are being asked to do. Remember that this is ultimately an assignment, so your thesis should answer what the prompt asks. Check with your professor if you are unsure.
• In most cases, the director’s name is used to talk about the film as a whole, for instance, “Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo .” However, some writers may want to include the names of other persons who helped to create the film, including the actors, the cinematographer, and the sound editor, among others.
• When describing a sequence in a film, use the literary present. An example could be, “In Vertigo , Hitchcock employs techniques of observation to dramatize the act of detection.”
• Finding a screenplay/script of the movie may be helpful and save you time when compiling citations. But keep in mind that there may be differences between the screenplay and the actual product (and these differences might be a topic of discussion!).
• Go beyond describing basic film elements by articulating the significance of these elements in support of your particular position. For example, you may have an interpretation of the striking color green in Vertigo , but you would only mention this if it was relevant to your argument. For more help on using evidence effectively, see the section on “using evidence” in our evidence handout .

Also be sure to avoid confusing the terms shot, scene, and sequence. Remember, a shot ends every time the camera cuts; a scene can be composed of several related shots; and a sequence is a set of related scenes.

Different types of film analysis

As you consider your notes, outline, and general thesis about a film, the majority of your assignment will depend on what type of film analysis you are conducting. This section explores some of the different types of film analyses you may have been assigned to write.

Semiotic analysis

Semiotic analysis is the interpretation of signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors and analogies to both inanimate objects and characters within a film. Because symbols have several meanings, writers often need to determine what a particular symbol means in the film and in a broader cultural or historical context.

For instance, a writer could explore the symbolism of the flowers in Vertigo by connecting the images of them falling apart to the vulnerability of the heroine.

Here are a few other questions to consider for this type of analysis:

• What objects or images are repeated throughout the film?
• How does the director associate a character with small signs, such as certain colors, clothing, food, or language use?
• How does a symbol or object relate to other symbols and objects, that is, what is the relationship between the film’s signs?

Many films are rich with symbolism, and it can be easy to get lost in the details. Remember to bring a semiotic analysis back around to answering the question “So what?” in your thesis.

Narrative analysis

Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. This type of analysis considers the entirety of the film and the story it seeks to tell.

For example, you could take the same object from the previous example—the flowers—which meant one thing in a semiotic analysis, and ask instead about their narrative role. That is, you might analyze how Hitchcock introduces the flowers at the beginning of the film in order to return to them later to draw out the completion of the heroine’s character arc.

To create this type of analysis, you could consider questions like:

• How does the film correspond to the Three-Act Structure: Act One: Setup; Act Two: Confrontation; and Act Three: Resolution?
• What is the plot of the film? How does this plot differ from the narrative, that is, how the story is told? For example, are events presented out of order and to what effect?
• Does the plot revolve around one character? Does the plot revolve around multiple characters? How do these characters develop across the film?

When writing a narrative analysis, take care not to spend too time on summarizing at the expense of your argument. See our handout on summarizing for more tips on making summary serve analysis.

Cultural/historical analysis

One of the most common types of analysis is the examination of a film’s relationship to its broader cultural, historical, or theoretical contexts. Whether films intentionally comment on their context or not, they are always a product of the culture or period in which they were created. By placing the film in a particular context, this type of analysis asks how the film models, challenges, or subverts different types of relations, whether historical, social, or even theoretical.

For example, the clip from Vertigo depicts a man observing a woman without her knowing it. You could examine how this aspect of the film addresses a midcentury social concern about observation, such as the sexual policing of women, or a political one, such as Cold War-era McCarthyism.

A few of the many questions you could ask in this vein include:

• How does the film comment on, reinforce, or even critique social and political issues at the time it was released, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality?
• How might a biographical understanding of the film’s creators and their historical moment affect the way you view the film?
• How might a specific film theory, such as Queer Theory, Structuralist Theory, or Marxist Film Theory, provide a language or set of terms for articulating the attributes of the film?

Take advantage of class resources to explore possible approaches to cultural/historical film analyses, and find out whether you will be expected to do additional research into the film’s context.

Mise-en-scène analysis

A mise-en-scène analysis attends to how the filmmakers have arranged compositional elements in a film and specifically within a scene or even a single shot. This type of analysis organizes the individual elements of a scene to explore how they come together to produce meaning. You may focus on anything that adds meaning to the formal effect produced by a given scene, including: blocking, lighting, design, color, costume, as well as how these attributes work in conjunction with decisions related to sound, cinematography, and editing. For example, in the clip from Vertigo , a mise-en-scène analysis might ask how numerous elements, from lighting to camera angles, work together to present the viewer with the perspective of Jimmy Stewart’s character.

To conduct this type of analysis, you could ask:

• What effects are created in a scene, and what is their purpose?
• How does this scene represent the theme of the movie?
• How does a scene work to express a broader point to the film’s plot?

This detailed approach to analyzing the formal elements of film can help you come up with concrete evidence for more general film analysis assignments.

Reviewing your draft

Once you have a draft, it’s helpful to get feedback on what you’ve written to see if your analysis holds together and you’ve conveyed your point. You may not necessarily need to find someone who has seen the film! Ask a writing coach, roommate, or family member to read over your draft and share key takeaways from what you have written so far.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Aumont, Jacques, and Michel Marie. 1988. L’analyse Des Films . Paris: Nathan.

Media & Design Center. n.d. “Film and Cinema Research.” UNC University Libraries. Last updated February 10, 2021. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/filmresearch .

Oxford Royale Academy. n.d. “7 Ways to Watch Film.” Oxford Royale Academy. Accessed April 2021. https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/7-ways-watch-films-critically/ .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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7 Steps for How to Write an Evaluation Essay (Example & Template)

In this ultimate guide, I will explain to you exactly how to write an evaluation essay.

1. What is an Evaluation Essay?

An evaluation essay should provide a critical analysis of something.

You’re literally ‘evaluating’ the thing you’re looking up.

Here’s a couple of quick definitions of what we mean by ‘evaluate’:

• Merriam-Webster defines evaluation as: “to determine the significance, worth, or condition of usually by careful appraisal and study”
• Collins Dictionary says: “If you evaluate something or someone, you consider them in order to make a judgment about them, for example about how good or bad they are.”

Here’s some synonyms for ‘evaluate’:

So, we could say that an evaluation essay should carefully examine the ‘thing’ and provide an overall judgement of it.

Here’s some common things you may be asked to write an evaluation essay on:

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Really, you can evaluate just about anything!

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2. How to write an Evaluation Essay

There are two secrets to writing a strong evaluation essay. The first is to aim for objective analysis before forming an opinion. The second is to use an evaluation criteria.

Aim to Appear Objective before giving an Evaluation Argument

Your evaluation will eventually need an argument.

The evaluation argument will show your reader what you have decided is the final value of the ‘thing’ you’re evaluating.

But in order to convince your reader that your evaluative argument is sound, you need to do some leg work.

The aim will be to show that you have provided a balanced and fair assessment before coming to your conclusion.

In order to appear balanced you should:

• Discuss both the pros and cons of the thing
• Discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of the thing
• Look at the thing from multiple different perspectives
• Be both positive and critical. Don’t make it look like you’re biased towards one perspective.

In other words, give every perspective a fair hearing.

You don’t want to sound like a propagandist. You want to be seen as a fair and balanced adjudicator.

Use an Evaluation Criteria

One way to appear balanced is to use an evaluation criteria.

An evaluation criteria helps to show that you have assessed the ‘thing’ based on an objective measure.

Here’s some examples of evaluation criteria:

• Strength under pressure
• Longevity (ability to survive for a long time)
• Ease of use
• Ability to get the job done
• Friendliness
• Punctuality
• Ability to predict my needs
• Calmness under pressure
• Attentiveness

A Bed and Breakfast

• Breakfast options
• Taste of food
• Comfort of bed
• Local attractions
• Service from owner
• Cleanliness

We can use evaluation criteria to frame out ability to conduct the analysis fairly.

This is especially true for if you have to evaluate multiple different ‘things’. For example, if you’re evaluating three novels, you want to be able to show that you applied the same ‘test’ on all three books!

This will show that you gave each ‘thing’ a fair chance and looked at the same elements for each.

3. How to come up with an Evaluation Argument

After you have:

• Looked at both good and bad elements of the ‘thing’, and
• Used an evaluation criteria

You’ll then need to develop an evaluative argument. This argument shows your own overall perspective on the ‘thing’.

Remember, you will need to show your final evaluative argument is backed by objective analysis. You need to do it in order!

Analyze first. Evaluate second.

Here’s an example.

Let’s say you’re evaluating the quality of a meal.

You might say:

• A strength of the meal was its presentation. It was well presented and looked enticing to eat.
• A weakness of the meal was that it was overcooked. This decreased its flavor.
• The meal was given a low rating on ‘cost’ because it was more expensive than the other comparative meals on the menu.
• The meal was given a high rating on ‘creativity’. It was a meal that involved a thoughtful and inventive mix of ingredients.

Now that you’ve looked at some pros and cons and measured the meal based on a few criteria points (like cost and creativity), you’ll be able to come up with a final argument:

• Overall, the meal was good enough for a middle-tier restaurant but would not be considered a high-class meal. There is a lot of room for improvement if the chef wants to win any local cooking awards.

Evaluative terms that you might want to use for this final evaluation argument might include:

• All things considered
• With all key points in mind

4. Evaluation Essay Outline (with Examples)

Okay, so now you know what to do, let’s have a go at creating an outline for your evaluation essay!

Here’s what I recommend:

4.1 How to Write your Introduction

In the introduction, feel free to use my 5-Step INTRO method . It’ll be an introduction just like any other essay introduction .

And yes, feel free to explain what the final evaluation will be.

So, here it is laid out nice and simple.

Write one sentence for each point to make a 5-sentence introduction:

• Interest: Make a statement about the ‘thing’ you’re evaluating that you think will be of interest to the reader. Make it a catchy, engaging point that draws the reader in!
• Notify: Notify the reader of any background info on the thing you’re evaluating. This is your chance to show your depth of knowledge. What is a historical fact about the ‘thing’?
• Translate: Re-state the essay question. For an evaluative essay, you can re-state it something like: “This essay evaluates the book/ product/ article/ etc. by looking at its strengths and weaknesses and compares it against a marking criteria”.
• Report: Say what your final evaluation will be. For example you can say “While there are some weaknesses in this book, overall this evaluative essay will show that it helps progress knowledge about Dinosaurs.”
• Outline: Simply give a clear overview of what will be discussed. For example, you can say: “Firstly, the essay will evaluate the product based on an objective criteria. This criteria will include its value for money, fit for purpose and ease of use. Next, the essay will show the main strengths and weaknesses of the product. Lastly, the essay will provide a final evaluative statement about the product’s overall value and worth.”

If you want more depth on how to use the INTRO method, you’ll need to go and check out our blog post on writing quality introductions.

4.2 Example Introduction

This example introduction is for the essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society.

“Facebook is the third most visited website in the world. It was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his college dorm. This essay evaluates the impact of Facebook on society and makes an objective judgement on its value. The essay will argue that Facebook has changed the world both for the better and worse. Firstly, it will give an overview of what Facebook is and its history. Then, it will examine Facebook on the criteria of: impact on social interactions, impact on the media landscape, and impact on politics.”

You’ll notice that each sentence in this introduction follows my 5-Step INTRO formula to create a clear, coherent 5-Step introduction.

4.3 How to Write your Body Paragraphs

The first body paragraph should give an overview of the ‘thing’ being evaluated.

Then, you should evaluate the pros and cons of the ‘thing’ being evaluated based upon the criteria you have developed for evaluating it.

Let’s take a look below.

4.4 First Body Paragraph: Overview of your Subject

This first paragraph should provide objective overview of your subject’s properties and history. You should not be doing any evaluating just yet.

The goal for this first paragraph is to ensure your reader knows what it is you’re evaluating. Secondarily, it should show your marker that you have developed some good knowledge about it.

If you need to use more than one paragraph to give an overview of the subject, that’s fine.

Similarly, if your essay word length needs to be quite long, feel free to spend several paragraphs exploring the subject’s background and objective details to show off your depth of knowledge for the marker.

4.5 First Body Paragraph Example

Sticking with the essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society , this might be your paragraph:

“Facebook has been one of the most successful websites of all time. It is the website that dominated the ‘Web 2.0’ revolution, which was characterized by user two-way interaction with the web. Facebook allowed users to create their own personal profiles and invite their friends to follow along. Since 2004, Facebook has attracted more than one billion people to create profiles in order to share their opinions and keep in touch with their friends.”

Notice here that I haven’t yet made any evaluations of Facebook’s merits?

This first paragraph (or, if need be, several of them) should be all about showing the reader exactly what your subject is – no more, no less.

4.6 Evaluation Paragraphs: Second, Third, Forth and Fifth Body Paragraphs

Once you’re confident your reader will know what the subject that you’re evaluating is, you’ll need to move on to the actual evaluation.

For this step, you’ll need to dig up that evaluation criteria we talked about in Point 2.

For example, let’s say you’re evaluating a President of the United States.

Your evaluation criteria might be:

• Impact on world history
• Ability to pass legislation
• Popularity with voters
• Morals and ethics
• Ability to change lives for the better

Really, you could make up any evaluation criteria you want!

Once you’ve made up the evaluation criteria, you’ve got your evaluation paragraph ideas!

Simply turn each point in your evaluation criteria into a full paragraph.

How do you do this?

Well, start with a topic sentence.

For the criteria point ‘Impact on world history’ you can say something like: “Barack Obama’s impact on world history is mixed.”

This topic sentence will show that you’ll evaluate both pros and cons of Obama’s impact on world history in the paragraph.

Then, follow it up with explanations.

“While Obama campaigned to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, he was unable to completely achieve this objective. This is an obvious negative for his impact on the world. However, as the first black man to lead the most powerful nation on earth, he will forever be remembered as a living milestone for civil rights and progress.”

Keep going, turning each evaluation criteria into a full paragraph.

4.7 Evaluation Paragraph Example

Let’s go back to our essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society .

I’ve decided to use the evaluation criteria below:

• impact on social interactions;
• impact on the media landscape;
• impact on politics

Naturally, I’m going to write one paragraph for each point.

If you’re expected to write a longer piece, you could write two paragraphs on each point (one for pros and one for cons).

Here’s what my first evaluation paragraph might look like:

“Facebook has had a profound impact on social interactions. It has helped people to stay in touch with one another from long distances and after they have left school and college. This is obviously a great positive. However, it can also be seen as having a negative impact. For example, people may be less likely to interact face-to-face because they are ‘hanging out’ online instead. This can have negative impact on genuine one-to-one relationships.”

You might notice that this paragraph has a topic sentence, explanations and examples. It follows my perfect paragraph formula which you’re more than welcome to check out!

4.8 How to write your Conclusion

To conclude, you’ll need to come up with one final evaluative argument.

This evaluation argument provides an overall assessment. You can start with “Overall, Facebook has been…” and continue by saying that (all things considered) he was a good or bad president!

Remember, you can only come up with an overall evaluation after you’ve looked at the subject’s pros and cons based upon your evaluation criteria.

In the example below, I’m going to use my 5 C’s conclusion paragraph method . This will make sure my conclusion covers all the things a good conclusion should cover!

Like the INTRO method, the 5 C’s conclusion method should have one sentence for each point to create a 5 sentence conclusion paragraph.

The 5 C’s conclusion method is:

• Close the loop: Return to a statement you made in the introduction.
• Conclude: Show what your final position is.
• Clarify: Clarify how your final position is relevant to the Essay Question.
• Concern: Explain who should be concerned by your findings.
• Consequences: End by noting in one final, engaging sentence why this topic is of such importance. The ‘concern’ and ‘consequences’ sentences can be combined

4.9 Concluding Argument Example Paragraph

Here’s a possible concluding argument for our essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society .

“The introduction of this essay highlighted that Facebook has had a profound impact on society. This evaluation essay has shown that this impact has been both positive and negative. Thus, it is too soon to say whether Facebook has been an overall positive or negative for society. However, people should pay close attention to this issue because it is possible that Facebook is contributing to the undermining of truth in media and positive interpersonal relationships.”

Note here that I’ve followed the 5 C’s conclusion method for my concluding evaluative argument paragraph.

5. Evaluation Essay Example Template

Below is a template you can use for your evaluation essay , based upon the advice I gave in Section 4:

6. 23+ Good Evaluation Essay Topics

Okay now that you know how to write an evaluation essay, let’s look at a few examples.

For each example I’m going to give you an evaluation essay title idea, plus a list of criteria you might want to use in your evaluation essay.

6.1 Evaluation of Impact

• Evaluate the impact of global warming on the great barrier reef. Recommended evaluation criteria: Level of bleaching; Impact on tourism; Economic impact; Impact on lifestyles; Impact on sealife
• Evaluate the impact of the Global Financial Crisis on poverty. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on jobs; Impact on childhood poverty; Impact on mental health rates; Impact on economic growth; Impact on the wealthy; Global impact
• Evaluate the impact of having children on your lifestyle. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on spare time; Impact on finances; Impact on happiness; Impact on sense of wellbeing
• Evaluate the impact of the internet on the world. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on connectedness; Impact on dating; Impact on business integration; Impact on globalization; Impact on media
• Evaluate the impact of public transportation on cities. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on cost of living; Impact on congestion; Impact on quality of life; Impact on health; Impact on economy
• Evaluate the impact of universal healthcare on quality of life. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on reducing disease rates; Impact on the poorest in society; Impact on life expectancy; Impact on happiness
• Evaluate the impact of getting a college degree on a person’s life. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on debt levels; Impact on career prospects; Impact on life perspectives; Impact on relationships

6.2 Evaluation of a Scholarly Text or Theory

• Evaluate a Textbook. Recommended evaluation criteria: clarity of explanations; relevance to a course; value for money; practical advice; depth and detail; breadth of information
• Evaluate a Lecture Series, Podcast or Guest Lecture. Recommended evaluation criteria: clarity of speaker; engagement of attendees; appropriateness of content; value for monet
• Evaluate a journal article. Recommended evaluation criteria: length; clarity; quality of methodology; quality of literature review ; relevance of findings for real life
• Evaluate a Famous Scientists. Recommended evaluation criteria: contribution to scientific knowledge; impact on health and prosperity of humankind; controversies and disagreements with other scientists.
• Evaluate a Theory. Recommended evaluation criteria: contribution to knowledge; reliability or accuracy; impact on the lives of ordinary people; controversies and contradictions with other theories.

6.3 Evaluation of Art and Literature

• Evaluate a Novel. Recommended evaluation criteria: plot complexity; moral or social value of the message; character development; relevance to modern life
• Evaluate a Play. Recommended evaluation criteria: plot complexity; quality of acting; moral or social value of the message; character development; relevance to modern life
• Evaluate a Film. Recommended evaluation criteria: plot complexity; quality of acting; moral or social value of the message; character development; relevance to modern life
• Evaluate an Artwork. Recommended evaluation criteria: impact on art theory; moral or social message; complexity or quality of composition

6.4 Evaluation of a Product or Service

• Evaluate a Hotel or Bed and Breakfast. Recommended evaluation criteria: quality of service; flexibility of check-in and check-out times; cleanliness; location; value for money; wi-fi strength; noise levels at night; quality of meals; value for money
• Evaluate a Restaurant. Recommended evaluation criteria: quality of service; menu choices; cleanliness; atmosphere; taste; value for money.
• Evaluate a Car. Recommended evaluation criteria: fuel efficiency; value for money; build quality; likelihood to break down; comfort.
• Evaluate a House. Recommended evaluation criteria: value for money; build quality; roominess; location; access to public transport; quality of neighbourhood
• Evaluate a Doctor. Recommended evaluation criteria: Quality of service; knowledge; quality of equipment; reputation; value for money.
• Evaluate a Course. Recommended evaluation criteria: value for money; practical advice; quality of teaching; quality of resources provided.

7. Concluding Advice

Evaluation essays are common in high school, college and university.

The trick for getting good marks in an evaluation essay is to show you have looked at both the pros and cons before making a final evaluation analysis statement.

You don’t want to look biased.

That’s why it’s a good idea to use an objective evaluation criteria, and to be generous in looking at both positives and negatives of your subject.

Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay

I recommend you use the evaluation template provided in this post to write your evaluation essay. However, if your teacher has given you a template, of course use theirs instead! You always want to follow your teacher’s advice because they’re the person who will be marking your work.

Good luck with your evaluation essay!

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Montessori's 4 Planes of Development, Explained!
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2 thoughts on “7 Steps for How to Write an Evaluation Essay (Example & Template)”

What an amazing article. I am returning to studying after several years and was struggling with how to present an evaluative essay. This article has simplified the process and provided me with the confidence to tackle my subject (theoretical approaches to development and management of teams).

I just wanted to ask whether the evaluation criteria has to be supported by evidence or can it just be a list of criteria that you think of yourself to objectively measure?

Many many thanks for writing this!

Usually we would want to see evidence, but ask your teacher for what they’re looking for as they may allow you, depending on the situation.

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Unlocking the Art of Evaluation Essays: A Comprehensive Guide

Writing an evaluation essay is an opportunity to express your critical thinking skills and provide an informed judgment on a specific subject or topic. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the concept of evaluation essays , understand what evaluation means within this context, delve into the essential components of an evaluation essay outline, and learn how to write a compelling evaluation essay that meets the necessary requirements.

What is an Evaluation Essay?

An evaluation essay is a type of academic writing where the writer assesses and analyzes a particular subject, product, service, or idea. The primary objective is to form a well-founded opinion and provide evidence-based reasoning to support the evaluation. In essence, an evaluation essay seeks to answer the question: “Is this good or bad, effective or ineffective, successful or unsuccessful?”

What Does Evaluation Mean in an Essay?

In the context of an essay, evaluation refers to the process of critically analyzing and assessing the chosen subject matter. It requires the writer to present a balanced judgment based on specific criteria, evidence, and supporting details. The evaluation should be objective, fair, and grounded in solid evidence to make the argument convincing to the reader.

Evaluation Essay Outline: How to Structure Your Essay

Creating a well-organized evaluation essay is essential for presenting a coherent and persuasive argument. Here is a typical outline structure:

I. Introduction:

• Introduce the subject or item being evaluated.
•  Provide background information and context.
•  Present a clear thesis statement that includes your judgment and criteria.

II. Criteria for Evaluation:

•  Identify the specific criteria on which you will base your evaluation.
• Explain why these criteria are relevant and important in assessing the subject.

III. Evaluation Body Paragraphs:

• Devote each body paragraph to one criterion.
• Provide evidence and examples to support your judgment for each criterion.
• Use facts, data, and expert opinions to strengthen your argument.

IV. Counterarguments (Optional):

•  Address potential counterarguments to your evaluation.
•  Refute or acknowledge opposing viewpoints with persuasive reasoning.

V. Conclusion:

• Summarize your evaluation and restate your overall judgment.
• Emphasize the significance of your evaluation and its implications.

How to Write a Good Evaluation Essay: Requirements

Writing a compelling evaluation essay requires adherence to specific requirements to ensure a well-structured and well-reasoned piece. Consider the following key requirements:

• Choose a Relevant Topic: Select a subject that is timely, relevant, and interests both you and your readers. Make sure there is enough material available for evaluation.
• Be Objective and Fair: Present a balanced evaluation by considering both the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. Avoid personal biases and base your judgment on credible evidence.
• Use Concrete Evidence: Support your evaluation with concrete evidence, such as statistics, expert opinions, examples, and real-life situations. Reliable evidence adds credibility to your essay.
• Follow a Logical Structure: Organize your essay using a clear and logical structure. Use a well-defined introduction, body paragraphs, and a strong conclusion to ensure coherence.

How Do You Write an Evaluation Essay?

Writing an evaluation essay can be simplified into the following steps:

• Choose a Subject: Select a subject that you can assess objectively and for which you can establish clear criteria for evaluation.
• Develop Criteria: Identify the specific standards or criteria on which you will base your evaluation. These criteria will form the backbone of your essay.
•  Gather Evidence:Conduct thorough research to gather evidence that supports your evaluation. Use reliable sources to back up your claims.
• Create an Outline: Organize your essay using the evaluation essay outline mentioned earlier. This will help maintain a coherent structure throughout your writing.
• Write the Introduction: Introduce the subject, provide context, and present your thesis statement with the criteria you will use for evaluation.
• Body Paragraphs: Devote each body paragraph to one criterion. Present evidence and examples to support your judgment for each criterion.
• Address Counterarguments (Optional): If applicable, address potential counterarguments and provide strong rebuttals to strengthen your evaluation.
• Write the Conclusion: Summarize your evaluation, restate your judgment, and emphasize the significance of your assessment.

Common Mistakes in an Evaluation Argument Essay

Avoid these common pitfalls when writing an evaluation essay:

• Biased Evaluation. Providing a one-sided evaluation based on personal preferences or opinions without sufficient evidence.
• Lack of Evidence. Failing to support your evaluation with concrete evidence and examples.
• Weak Structure. Lacking a clear and logical structure, leading to a confusing and disorganized essay.
• Overgeneralization. Making sweeping judgments without considering specific details or criteria.

Evaluation Essay Example

To better understand the elements of an evaluation essay, consider this example:

Topic: Movie Review – “The Great Gatsby”

• Introduction. “The Great Gatsby,” directed by Baz Luhrmann, is a film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel. This evaluation essay aims to assess the movie’s fidelity to the source material, the effectiveness of its cinematography, and the portrayal of characters.
• Criteria 1: Fidelity to Source Material. The movie largely stays true to the essence of Fitzgerald’s novel, maintaining the main plot and character arcs. However, certain key details are altered or omitted, detracting from the depth of the narrative.
• Criteria 2: Cinematography and Visuals. Luhrmann’s extravagant and visually captivating style is evident throughout the film, creating a mesmerizing and immersive experience. The opulent sets and elaborate costumes add to the movie’s allure, but at times, the visual spectacle overshadows the storytelling.
• Criteria 3: Character Portrayals. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a standout performance as Jay Gatsby, capturing the character’s enigmatic charm. However, some supporting roles lack the depth and development needed to enhance the overall story.
• Conclusion. “The Great Gatsby” is a visually stunning adaptation that captures the essence of the classic novel. While its extravagance may overshadow the storytelling, DiCaprio’s compelling portrayal of Gatsby remains a highlight.

Evaluation Essay Topics

Here are some thought-provoking evaluation essay topics to spark your creativity:

• Evaluate the impact of social media on modern relationships.
• Assess the effectiveness of online learning versus traditional classroom education.
• Evaluate the environmental policies of a specific country or government.
• Assess the influence of technology on the entertainment industry.
• Evaluate the health benefits of a vegan diet compared to a traditional omnivorous diet.
• Assess the impact of a specific book on contemporary literature.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a recent blockbuster movie.
• Assess the efficiency of a popular productivity app.
• Evaluate the impact of a particular video game on youth behavior.
• Assess the success of a recent marketing campaign by a famous brand.

 FAQ about Evaluation Essay Writing

• Q1: Can I use first-person pronouns in an evaluation essay? A: Yes, the use of first-person pronouns is acceptable in an evaluation essay, as it allows the writer to share personal insights and experiences related to the evaluation process.
• Q2: How do I ensure objectivity in my evaluation essay? A: To maintain objectivity, rely on credible evidence and avoid personal biases. Use a balanced approach when presenting strengths and weaknesses, and support your claims with factual information.
• Q3: How long should an evaluation essay be? A: The length of an evaluation essay can vary depending on the assignment or guidelines. However, a typical evaluation essay is usually around 500 to 1,000 words.

Sources Used in Guide Preparation Process

The information presented in this comprehensive guide is thoroughly researched and collected from reputable sources, including academic journals, writing manuals, and educational websites. All sources have been meticulously evaluated for credibility and relevance to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided.

In conclusion, mastering the art of writing an evaluation essay opens the door to developing critical thinking skills and effectively presenting well-informed judgments. By following the outlined steps and adhering to the essential requirements, aspiring writers can craft compelling and persuasive evaluation essays that resonate with their readers. So, go forth and embrace the power of evaluation essays to convey your insights and opinions with clarity and conviction. Happy writing!

Note: Please ensure that you cite the appropriate sources as per your academic requirements when using information from this guide. The sources mentioned here are used as examples and may not be suitable for direct citation.

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Key Outlining Tips for Movie Review Essays

Table of Contents

Watching movies is one thing. But it takes a whole other level of commitment and focus to write an evaluation essay about them.

You’ll need to map out your essay in a way that makes it easily understandable and compelling to readers. The good news is that you can make your writing process much more manageable with the help of a proper  movie evaluation essay outline .

Essay outlines are like the blueprints of your essay. They direct what goes into your writing, how it flows and how you will build your argument. And we’re here to guide you in making that blueprint.

Check out the key tips we’ve got for you in this article!

What’s a Movie Evaluation Essay?

Movie evaluations are critical pieces of writing that aim to provide a well-rounded assessment and analysis of a film. It requires you to look at the film from all angles, from writing and acting to direction and editing. Not only that, but you need to become intimately familiar with the film’s story, characters and themes.

These evaluations can be magnificent in and of themselves. They should entertain, educate, and persuade your readers. It’s essential that your writing should be original and compelling without spoiling the movie’s plot. A rule of thumb for such essays is to combine personal opinion with objective analysis.

Some of the things you should include in your essay are:

• Title, release date, and important figures:  Include the title and release date, as well as the names of the director, screenwriter, and major actors.
• Context:  There’s no need to trace the film’s entire history. But providing your audience with a little context about the film in question is important.
• Hook:  In your introduction, you should include a fact or quote to grab your reader’s attention.
• Evaluation/Opinion:  You should clarify your opinion of the film and then introduce the central thesis.

Main Parts of a Movie Evaluation Essay

Movie evaluation essays consist of four main parts: Introduction, Summary, Analysis, and Conclusion. All of these work together to reinforce the central idea of the movie’s plot and ultimately prove your original point.

Introduction

Your introduction needs to include the basic facts about the movie, including its title, director, and date of release. It may also mention aspects of the film that you especially liked so that the reader knows what to expect in the review. Consider adding the central theme or ideas of the movie to your thesis statement.

Here, you give an overview of the main concepts in the movie, including the five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why). Also, don’t forget to talk about the How of the movie. This pertains to the movie’s point of view, style, and structure.

This is part of the body of your essay, which includes your critique of the movie. Talk about why you liked it and any supporting material from the film to support your views. Also, let your readers know your insights on whether the movie was able to achieve the goal it set out to achieve.

The conclusion of an essay should leave readers with a few key takeaways or a call to action that applies to the content. It can include the significance of the analysis, a summary of your discussion, or a response to the central claims made in the introduction. You can also state your thesis again and present evidence for your analysis to make it more convincing.

Key Tips for Writing a Movie Evaluation Essay Outline

Now that you know the main parts your essay should contain, it’s time to look at some key tips for making your outline. These will help you structure your thoughts and organize your material into a coherent essay .

Write your review and all your ideas about the film on your rough draft. Think back to what you should include in your evaluation, like the context, title, important figures, and so on. You don’t have to worry if some don’t seem relevant; focus on getting everything down.

Decide on Your Thesis Statement.

Get some ideas for your thesis statement or central argument for your review if you haven’t yet. Effective movie reviews do not simply say, “this film is bad” or “this movie is good.” An effective review will make a wider argument about the film.

Do you have any pointers that would be helpful? If you don’t have a polished statement ready to go, it’s okay. But try to have at least a solid idea of your argument. This will make planning your essay much easier.

Filter Through the Information You’ve Gathered

Now that you have decided on a thesis statement, it is time to go back through your brainstorming notes. Remove anything that may not be relevant to your thesis.

To help you determine which data are relevant, ask yourself how it supports your thesis statement. If you can provide a clear answer, then you should include it.

Movie Evaluation Example

Try looking at the example below to help you better visualize what a movie evaluation should look like. This is a brief evaluation of the hit South Korean Movie, Parasite.

Parasite: a Gasp-Inducing Masterpiece

The movie Parasite is a South Korean dark comedy thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho. It is the first non-English script to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020. This motion picture retains a long-lasting and shocking effect with its overly simplistic plots and acting.

The premise of this movie serves as a backbone of social commentary within the South Korean comedy/thriller (Kench, 2020). Every element in the film, including the student’s stone and the contrasting architecture, contribute to the central theme of classism and wealth disparity.

Parasite (2019) is an Oscar-winning film that is a cinematic portrayal of capitalism’s long-established inequality and a critical message to society today.

Wrapping Up

A movie evaluation essay outline is an integral part of your work. It acts as a backbone for your assignment. This is where you will arrange and organize all your data to use later in your essay. It’s an essential part of the pre-writing phase, and once you pull off a good outline, half of your task is complete.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Dead Poets Society — Review Of The Film Dead Poet Society

Dead Poets Society: Film Review and Analysis

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Evaluation Essay Definition, Example & Parts

Juliann Urban has taught high school English and has previously held the positions of English tutor for at-risk high school students and lead teacher at a private K-12 tutoring center. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in secondary education from Governors State University, an associate in arts degree from Moraine Valley Community College, and a professional educator license with senior high and middle school language arts endorsements.

Kelly earned her Master of Mass Communication from Arizona State and has taught consumer behavior and communication courses at the undergraduate level.

Can you use "I" in an evaluation essay?

Whether or not words like "I," "me," and "you" can be used in an evaluation essay may differ across assignments. Typically, pronouns such as these should not be used in a essay in order to maintain a formal, objective tone.

What is a good topic for an evaluation essay?

Good topics for evaluation essays are those about which the writer cares and already knows something. Some possible topics are a movie, play, restaurant, museum, book, car, vacation, or festival.

How do you write an evaluation essay?

An evaluation essay is written by first making an overall judgment about the topic in the introduction and previewing the main points. The body of the essay lists the criteria that led to the overall judgment and provides evidence to support the writer's opinion. The conclusion restates the overall opinion and reviews the main points.

What is an example of an evaluative thesis?

An evaluative thesis should make an overall judgment about the topic and preview the criteria or main points of the essay. Here is an example: The Washington Park Zoo is a wonderful attraction to visit because of its affordability, close proximity the the beach, and easy accessibility.

What is an evaluative essay?

An evaluative or evaluation essay offers an opinion or gives a review of something. It is similar to the review of a new movie in a newspaper or a new car in a magazine.

Table of Contents

What is an evaluation essay, parts of the evaluation essay, evaluation essay example, lesson summary.

"To evaluate" means to judge the quality of something, but what is an evaluation essay? An evaluation essay , or evaluation argument essay, offers an opinion or a review of something.

There are many possible topics for an evaluation essay. Here are some possibilities:

• A movie or other performance (concert, play, dance, etc.)
• A restaurant or other place (store, museum, park, etc.)
• A book or other product (car, phone, guitar, etc.)
• A vacation or other experience (festival, tour, cooking class, etc.)

Judgement, Criteria, and Evidence

Evaluative writing has three key elements: judgment, criteria, and evidence.

• The judgment is the writer's opinion on the topic.
• The criteria are the reasons for the writer's judgment.
• The evidence is proof or information that provides support for the criteria.

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• 1:15 Judgement, Criteria & Evidence
• 1:56 Intro & Background
• 4:15 Criteria
• 5:14 Tools for Effective Evidence
• 6:00 Conclusion
• 6:33 Lesson Summary

There are three main parts to an evaluation essay: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The three key elements (judgment, criteria, evidence) each appear within the parts of the essay.

The first paragraph of an essay is called the introduction . An introduction typically introduces the reader to the essay's topic. An important component of the introduction in evaluative writing is background information. Background helps to establish the purpose of the essay by giving a brief summary of the essay's topic. For instance, if a book is being evaluated in the essay, providing a brief summary of the book would be helpful to the reader. The background information should be provided in the beginning of the introduction, before the essay's thesis.

Evaluative Thesis

The introduction also contains the essay's thesis statement . The thesis statement is the main idea or the main argument of the essay.

In an evaluation essay, the evaluative thesis statement contains the first key element: the overall judgment . One may recall that the judgment is the writer's overall opinion of the topic being evaluated in the essay. The thesis should state the writer's overall judgment of the essay's topic.

The thesis should also preview the second key element, the criteria ; one may recall that the criteria are the reasons for the judgment.

Providing the overall judgment and criteria in the essay's thesis statement helps to define the focus of the essay.

As previously stated, the criteria are the reasons for the writer's overall judgment. The criteria should be briefly mentioned in the thesis statement, but these reasons will be expanded upon in the body , or main part, of the essay. One good method of organization is to cover one criterion per body paragraph. Therefore, a five paragraph essay would contain an introduction, three criterion discussed in three separate body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

An important thing to keep in mind is that each body paragraph should also contain the three elements: judgment, criteria, and evidence. To compose each body paragraph, the writer would begin by introducing one of the criteria. The next step would be to give a judgment or opinion on this criterion that caused the writer to arrive at the overall judgment. Lastly, the writer should provide evidence to support the judgment.

Tools for Effective Evidence

One method of providing supporting evidence in an evaluation argument essay is through comparing or contrasting the criterion to other examples. For instance, if one of the criterion is the limited menu at a particular restaurant, the writer could contrast the restaurant's menu with another restaurant's menu that provides more options. This would be effective evidence to support the judgment that the restaurant being evaluated does not provide enough menu choices.

Another method for incorporating supporting evidence is presenting counterarguments . Counterarguments are arguments that are against or opposed to one's argument. Providing counterarguments can be helpful in situations in which the essay presents a controversial viewpoint. By presenting a known counterargument, the writer can acknowledge that the counterargument exists and then use evidence to dismantle it or explain why it is invalid. This is a powerful persuasive technique .

The conclusion is the last paragraph of an essay. The conclusion should drive home the main points of the essay. This is done by restating the essay's overall judgment and reviewing the criteria for the overall judgment.

Below is an example of the parts of an evaluation essay. One should note how the three key elements are incorporated into the three main parts of the essay.

Indianapolis hosts many amazing restaurants serving a variety of cuisine for a variety of palettes. Big Catch, located in the center of downtown, is Indy's newest seafood restaurant. The restaurant's grand opening this past August was surrounded with much excitement from locals. Unfortunately, Big Catch does not live up to the hype. Big Catch's menu, decor, and service designate it as a second-rate establishment.

• This introduction to an evaluative essay contains the required elements. First, it begins by giving the reader background information on the restaurant so that even a reader who is not familiar with the restaurant can follow the essay. Second, the introduction ends with a thesis statement . The evaluative thesis in this example provides the writer's overall judgment that the restaurant is second-rate. Finally, the thesis previews the main points, or criteria , that will be evaluated in the body of the essay: menu, decor, and service.

To begin with, Big Catch's menu is limited and unimaginative. The menu includes conventional seafood options that one can get at most any restaurant, let alone seafood restaurants. Seafood lovers can choose from grilled or breaded shrimp, crab legs, lobster tail, lake perch, or salmon. Diners who do not want or cannot eat seafood have even less choices. The menu lists grilled chicken, a burger, and fettuccine alfredo as the only non-seafood options. Children will have an even harder time picking an entree as there is no children's menu.

• This evaluative essay body paragraph follows the methods outlined above. It discusses one of the criteria mentioned in the thesis statement, the menu. Secondly, it provides a judgment on the criteria: the menu is limited and unimaginative. Thirdly, it provides evidence to support the judgment by listing and discussing the menu's options.

All in all, Big Catch is a mediocre seafood restaurant that is not worth experiencing. The limited and unimaginative menu, the stark decor, and the poor service place it beneath the surrounding restaurants in the heart of downtown Indy. Although Indianapolis has never been known for its seafood, Big Catch's seafood sets a poor precedent.

• This evaluative essay conclusion does the two main things that a conclusion should do: it restates the essay's thesis statement and it reviews the main points, or criteria , of the essay.

Tips for Evaluative Writing

• The writer should choose a topic about which they feel strongly and already know something.
• Before drafting the essay, the writer should create an organized outline with an overall judgment, criteria that led to the overall judgment, judgments of the criteria, and evidence for the criteria.
• The essay should have an overall judgment of the topic that is stated in the thesis statement of the introduction.
• The criteria, or reasons, for the overall judgment should be discussed in the body paragraphs. Discussing one criterion per body paragraph is recommended.
• Each criterion, or reason, should also include a judgment. For example, if one criterion is the musical score of a movie, the writer should make a judgment about the music that is related to his or her overall judgment about the movie.
• Each criterion must include evidence to prove or explain how the writer arrived at the judgment. For example, if the criterion is the multiple points of view of a book, and the judgment is that it is confusing, the writer must provide evidence from the novel that shows or explains how or why the points of view are confusing.
• The overall judgment should be restated and the criteria should be summarized in the conclusion.

An evaluation essay offers an opinion or a review of something. Evaluative writing has three key elements: judgment, criteria, and evidence. The judgment is the writer's opinion on the topic. The criteria are the reasons for the writer's judgment. The evidence is proof or information that provides support for the criteria.

An evaluative essay should contain an introduction, body, and a conclusion. The introduction of the essay should contain background information on the topic to establish the purpose of the evaluation. The introduction should also contain a thesis statement that makes an overall judgment about the essay's topic and previews the criteria that will be discussed in the essay. Doing these two things in the introduction helps to focus the critique.

The criteria should be discussed within separate paragraphs in the body , or main part, of the essay. Each body paragraph should also provide a judgment about each criterion as well as evidence that supports the judgment.

One method to effectively provide evidence is through comparing and contrasting the subject to other similar subjects. Another method is to provide counterarguments , or arguments against one's opinion, and then provide evidence that disproves the counterargument.

The essay's conclusion should restate the thesis and review the main points, namely the criteria.

Video Transcript

Defining an evaluative essay.

It's Friday night and you and your best friend, Gina, have plans to see a new movie. The only thing is, you can't decide between two that just came out: Love, Specifically , a lighthearted, romantic comedy, or The Mountains Have Ears , a new, artsy independent film thriller.

You're kind of in the mood to laugh, but Gina thinks a scary movie would be fun. Since you two can't seem to come to an agreement, you call your friend Samantha, a movie buff who's already seen both of them. Samantha tells you she thought Love, Specifically was good and you should go see that one. Gina, still wanting a good scare, asks her what was so much better about Love, Specifically compared to The Mountains Have Ears . 'I dunno, I just liked it more, I guess,' she answers.

Samantha's response would be frustrating to most people. If only she'd learned the essential components to an evaluative essay - then she'd be able to give a better explanation of why Love, Specifically was her favorite. You see, an evaluative essay is basically a review of something. As the name suggests, the evaluative essay presents a value judgment based on a set of criteria.

Judgment, Criteria, and Evidence

There are three key parts to an evaluative essay:

• The judgment , or your overall opinion
• The criteria , or reasons why you've made your opinion
• And last, evidence to support it

Think about all those times you asked your mom why you couldn't do something that you wanted to do, and she simply responded, 'Because I'm your mother, that's why!' or 'Because I said so!' Remember how frustrating that was? When writing an evaluative essay, 'because I said so' is not a good enough argument. Neither is Samantha's answer, 'I dunno, I just liked it more, I guess.' You have to have specific reasons and evidence to support your judgment.

Parts of the Evaluative Essay: Intro and Background

So, how do we put these three elements to work to make an evaluative essay that says more than 'Because I said so'? For starters, you will want to include four main components: your introduction , some background information , your criteria , and your conclusion . The introduction has a pivotal role in this paper: it gives your overall judgment in the form of a thesis statement. This is where, if you were Samantha, you'd say, 'The engaging plot, relatable characters and believable storyline made Love, Specifically a must see.' Sounds a lot better than, 'I just liked it more, I guess,' doesn't it?

You'll notice in Samantha's new thesis, she not only tells you whether or not she thought it was a good movie, which was her overall judgment, she gives you some specific reasons, or criteria, why she thought it was a good movie. This is key to the evaluative essay; it helps to focus your review. Being as specific as possible helps you formulate an effective evaluation because you're not trying to cover it all: just a few key parts that come together to make your overall judgment.

After establishing your overall judgment and defining your focus, you'll move on to the next key component: background . Before you start giving your opinion on something, people need to have some kind of idea of what you are talking about. In the case of a movie or book review, you'd include a brief summary. For a restaurant review, you'd talk about what kind of food is served and the style of dining.

The background's purpose is twofold: first, it helps the reader get on the same page and understand exactly what you are reviewing. Second, it helps establish the purpose of whatever it is you are evaluating and justify your criteria. Think about it, romantic comedies are generally geared toward a different audience than artsy, independent films. They often have different goals, too. While a romantic comedy may be made purely for entertainment purposes, the independent film might try to present some sort of commentary on everyday life or make you consider a new idea or viewpoint.

Or, in the case of a restaurant review, Bob's Burger Stand, a casual, walk-up burger joint would be evaluated using completely different criteria than Merlot Burger, a gourmet, sit-down restaurant that serves Kobe beef burgers marinated in fine wines.

Parts of the Evaluative Essay: Criteria

Once you've set the focus and given your background, you'll move on to your criteria . In your essay, you should devote at least one paragraph to each criterion. This way, you have plenty of room to discuss what the criterion is, give your judgment, and present your supporting evidence. That's right, those three key elements need to live in each paragraph as well as your essay as a whole.

So, for Samantha's evaluative essay, each criterion she mentioned in her thesis would have it's own paragraph: the plot, characters, and storyline. For each paragraph, she'd go on to give her judgment and evidence. Samantha's paragraph on the plot might sound something like this:

'The plotline in Love, Specifically was especially engaging.' She establishes her criterion and judgment. 'As the movie progressed, the situational humor in almost every scene left you waiting to see what would happen next and how it would play out in this long-distance love story.' She backs up her judgment of the criterion with evidence.

Now that you see how the criteria should be set up, let's talk about a couple of tools that can help make your evidence most effective. One way to present evidence is to use comparison or contrast. So, when talking about the characters in the movie, Samantha could compare them to common figures we run into in real life, like the high school jock or girl next door. She could also contrast them to characters in other movies in the same genre.

Another tactic is to play your own devil's advocate. This is especially helpful if you are presenting an opinion that might be controversial. If it turns out the majority of people thought Love, Specifically was an absolute flop, you might list the common reasons why people said the movie fell short and present a counterargument to each one.

Parts of the Evaluative Essay: Conclusion

In her most effective evaluative essay, Samantha would go on to talk about the other criteria, mixing in the tools we just talked about to make a very convincing argument to go see Love, Specifically . After discussing each of the criteria, she'd present a nice conclusion that restated her overall judgment and gave a quick recap of her reasoning.

Ideally, Samantha's essay would be well-organized so that it arrives naturally at this point, and she wouldn't have to start her conclusion with a phrase like, 'In conclusion.'

So, to review, an evaluative essay contains three key elements: judgment , criteria and evidence . These elements are presented using four key essay components: it starts with an introduction that houses a thesis, which gives your overall opinion and focuses your evaluation. Next, background information is included to help your reader understand what it is you are evaluating. Then, paragraphs discuss each of your criteria and present evidence to support your reasoning. Last, a conclusion wraps up your evaluation and provides closure for your reader.

Learning Outcomes

Following this lesson, you will be able to:

• Identify the three key elements of an evaluative essay
• Describe the four components of an evaluative essay
• Explain how to tie the key elements into the four components to draft an effective evaluative essay

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