Evaluation means considering something carefully and making a judgment about its value, quality, or effectiveness. We evaluate choices whenever we compare products, services, or experiences according to criteria that matter to us.
Evaluation skills also support academic work. Writers need to locate and assess sources before using them in a paper or presentation. Students may evaluate courses or give feedback on a peer’s writing to help that person revise. In professional settings, people may evaluate possible solutions, employees they supervise, or their own performance.
All flashcards
What is evaluation?
The process of judging the value, quality, or effectiveness of something, often against relevant criteria.
What is the central outcome of a review?
A judgment about the subject being reviewed, such as whether to recommend it.
Why is “I liked it” not enough for a useful review?
It gives readers little basis for understanding or assessing the reviewer’s judgment.
Who are critics?
Professional writers who review creative works and may analyze their meaning or cultural significance.
What can critics examine to place a creative work in context?
Its genre, contribution to that genre, intended audience or culture, and historical period.
Quiz questions
How can evaluating choices in everyday life help people?Answer: It can help them make informed decisions by comparing options against relevant criteria.
What is a limitation of a review that gives only a star rating?Answer: It communicates an overall assessment but usually does not explain the reasons for it.
Which activity is an example of evaluation in academic work?Answer: Deciding whether a source is suitable for a paper or presentation.
What distinguishes a review from genres such as rhetorical or textual analysis?Answer: A review brings evaluation and judgment to the foreground, often alongside analysis.
How can evaluating a peer’s writing help in an academic setting?Answer: It can provide feedback that helps the writer revise the work.
Based on Writing Guide with Handbook by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, featuring Toby Fulwiler (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.