ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC

AND PROFESSIONAL
PURPOSES
Week 3-5

Lesson 3 Summarizing Techniques

EXPECTATIONS
In this module, you will have to use various techniques in summarizing a
variety of academic texts. Specifically, this module will help you to:
● use specific techniques in summarizing academic texts; and
● summarize academic texts for better understanding and learning of
academic texts.

LOOKING BACK TO YOUR LESSON

Direction: Recall your previous lesson. Identify the concept being defined or
described in each number by choosing the answer from the word pool below.
Write the letter of the correct answer in the blanks provided.
1. It presents a step-by-step procedure.____________
2. It describes A in the first part and then describes B in the second
part._______
3. It appeals to the reader’s five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and
hearing.
4. It identifies the conflict and appropriate measures to solve the conflict.
5. It consists of a term to be defined, class/genus, and its distinguishing
characteristics. _______________
6. It is the assignment of meaning to a word or phrase in order to
distinguish it from other words or phrases.
7. It is putting together one class and its subclasses, including its
characteristics, as different from the other classes.
8. It explains the two occurrences or phenomena by identifying which one is
the reason and which is the result.
9. It refers to the organizational patterns in a text.
10. These are words or phrases used to show relationships of ideas in a
text.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION
One of the challenges that you face as a student is how to
understand academic texts especially the longer ones. It is always
emphasized by your teachers that reading is a lifelong skill which every
person must develop. However, there are times when reading an academic
text seems challenging. And thus affect your writing interest. One reason is
the number of points being explained in it.

Right? Do not worry because your concern is normal to all. So, let us
begin facing your concern together.
There are several strategies like taking notes, using graphic
organizers, videoing or recording and the like that can be employed in order
to comply with your research report, assignment and performance tasks.
But summarizing an academic text is another story. So in this module, we
are to focus on the use of summarizing techniques. Let’s begin.
Summary
❖ is an academic paper that contains a thesis statement/main idea and
summarized subordinating points of a text.
❖ presents the most essential pieces of information in paragraphs
following the I-B-C format (Introduction, Body and Conclusion) for
academic papers like research abstract, precis, report, synopsis and
others.
❖ outlines the most essential pieces of information for academic paper
like resume.
In short, summary is a concise statement or account of
the main points of a text.
Summarizing
❖ is defined as a strategy used to identify the thesis statement/ main
idea and to write a summarized form of subordinating points.
❖ uses a precise and specific language.
Summarizing Techniques :

Technique 1 :Using of TITLE, AUTHOR, OBJECTIVE, THEME,

FINDINGS and IMPLICATION/S or CONCLUSION. These pieces of
information are commonly found in what we call research abstract.
Technique 2 : Using of WHAT, WHO, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW
information of a text. These pieces of information are found in summarizing
articles like news articles, reports and others.
Technique 3 : Using of orders, steps or procedures and with the help of
TRANSITIONAL SIGNALS like, first, second, then and etc.

In order to write an effective and concise summary, another skill

is required and that is paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is employed when borrowing other’s idea or text in

writing your own paper without directly quoting the source.
Here are important reminders in using paraphrasing:
● Identify and do NOT alter the main idea/ thesis statement/
primary message of a text.
● Restate other’s main idea and subordinating points in a
different form using your own words.
● Cite the source of the text using the prescribed citation format.
 In the current COVID-19 pandemic, you have probably listened
to the briefings or reports of various resource persons or appointed
committee spokespersons reporting the gist or important information
regarding their areas of concerns. To be able to report effectively indicates a
skill in summarizing the ideas from their meetings.

Note: You can perform the following activities through collaborating

with a partner. You can first answer the activities individually then
just communicate your results after.

ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: Identifying the Parts of An Abstract
Directions. Read the given academic text. Identify the basic parts of an
abstract or summary by answering the guide questions in the grid below.

The relationship between boredom proneness and health-symptom

reporting was examined. Undergraduate students (N=200) completed the
Boredom Proneness Scale and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist. A multiple
analysis of covariate indicated that individuals with high boredom-
proneness total scores reported significantly higher ratings on all five
subscales of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (ObsessiveCompulsive,
Somatization, Anxiety, Interpersonal Sensitivity, and Depression). The
results suggest that boredom proneness may be an important element to
consider when assessing symptom reporting. Implications for determining
the effects of boredom proneness on psychological- and physical- health
symptoms, as well as the application in clinical settings, are discussed.
-Jennifer Sommers and Stephen J. Vodanovich,“ Boredom Proneness”
Source: Bullock, R., Brody, M., and Weinberg, F. ( 2014). The little seagull handbook. W.W. Norton & Company,
Inc. 2nd e

AUTHOR/S: Who wrote the

article?

TOPIC: What is the topic all

about?

OBJECTIVE: What is the

purpose of the text

USED METHOD: What is the

method used?

RESULT/S: What is/are the

 finding/s?

IMPLICATION/S: What is/are

the impacts of the results?

Criteria for Evaluation: Correctness of Information (1 point); Mechanics

(1point)

Activity 2: Summarizing The Text Directions.

Read the given excerpt carefully. Identify the main idea from each paragraph
and paraphrase them. After, write a summary of the whole excerpt. Use the
spaces for your answers.

…Some diseases, such as various types of heart

diseases and arthritis are caused by malfunctions
of the immune system. Like other systems in the
body, the immune system can malfunction or
even break breakdown altogether. Such a Summary:
breakdown is called an immune disease or Do It Your Way
Main Idea
disorder. There are three basic types of immune

An allergy is a condition in which the immune

system reacts to a normally harmless foreign
Main Idea
substance, such as pollen or certain foods. In an
allergic reaction, the immune system produces
antibodies that attack the foreign substance,
causing variety of symptoms: runny nose,
sneezing, red and watery eyes, swelling, rashes,
and so on. In a few cases, severe allergic
reactions can be fatal.

Source: Odell, L., Vacca, R., Hobbs, R., and Irvin, J. (2001). Elements of language:
First course. A Harcourt Classroom Education Company.
Criteria for Evaluation: Accuracy of Content (10points ); Mechanics
(10points)-

REMEMBER
What is summary?
 A summary…states the main ideas in source concisely
and in your own words.
 is a restatement of someone else's words in your own
words.
 is a brief overview of an entire discussion or argument
expressed in your own words.
 can be a sentence, paragraph or more to present the
main ideas of a whole book or text.
 may just be 10%-25% of the original text.
BUT a summary…
× does not present the entire details.
× does not include supporting details.
× does not include a lengthy detail of the topic
When and why summarize?
 to highlight the main points or ideas.
 to present the overviews of the whole text for busy people.
 to be more economical or to save the time of the readers.
 to incorporate only the main ideas when other details are
unimportant.
How to summarize?
1. Think about why and with whom you are writing the

CHECKING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Directions. Read the following text. Then, using the guidelines, write a
summary.

…Ready or Not, parents must be provided with the capacity building to

Say It Your
assume their integral roles in the learning process of their children. Former Way!
U.S. President Barrack Obama (2011) said “And so the question is whether
all of us – as citizens, as parents – are willing to do what’s necessary to
give every child a chance to succeed. That responsibility begins in our
homes and communities. It’s family that first instills the love of learning in
a child.” Largely, parental involvement in schools has always been
encouraged and consistently strengthened for years. This, to educator,
emphasizes the chief role of parents for academic achievement of their
children. In fact, Dr. Ned Hallowell stresses the child’s need to engage
with adults, peers, neighbourhood and community in order to invade their
worlds (Levine 2005). He believes that children learned most about
growing up with their elders. Furthermore, he illustrates that each adult can
serve as a short textbook chapter for a kid. These most pragmatic
realizations try to awaken all parents now their most significant part in the
education of their children. This is the most negligible idea or role among
the many families belonging to the high poverty status or very low
economic status. So, will there be “No Child Left Behind” as the policy
envisions?
Doms Caballero, “Parents at the Frontlines of Education”

What I Need to Know

This module is designed and written to help you acquire knowledge of
appropriate reading strategies for a better understanding of academic texts.
At the end of this module, you will be able to produce a detailed abstract of
information gathered from the various academic texts read by:
1. Stating the thesis statement of an academic texts (CS_EN11/12A-
EAPP-Iac-6).
 What I Know
List down the five qualities of a good thesis statement using this Word Search
Puzzle.

L I A F G H E R T C R N

A I E D X S D B F V E I

E M M T O E D U C O S N

R A A I E C T H Z K E T

R M C T T I B J F J A E

T K A T L E K E S H R R

M E C N M O D S O A C E

U J E F A C T U A L H S

I H O E Y G M Y I X A T

U G P F T A E X A I B I

A T L E I V H A C B L N

S F A H E R Y U B C E G

D R B R W C V E E L G H

L P O I E H G F T U E U

Five Qualities of a Good Thesis Statement

1. _____________________________
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
4. _____________________________
5. _____________________________
Lesson 4 Thesis Statement
Thesis statement occurs at the end of the introduction, after the
background information on the topic. The thesis statement relates to the
background information through a transition, which could be a full
sentence, or a simple transition word, such as therefore, because, but etc.

What’s In
Read each paragraph intensively and underline the thesis statement.
The first paragraph is done for you.

Competition and Cooperation

(1) Explanations of the interrelation between competition and
cooperation have evolved over the time. Early research into competition and
cooperation defined each of them in terms of the distribution of rewards
related to each. Competition was defined as a situation in which rewards are
distributed unequally on the basis of performance, cooperation on the other
hand, was defined as a situation in which rewards are distributed equally on
the basis of mutual interactive behaviour among individuals. By this
definition, a competitive situation requires at least on competitor to fail for
each competitor that wins, while a cooperative situation offers a reward only
if all members of the group receive it.

(2) Researchers have found definitions of competition and

cooperation based upon rewards inadequate primarily because definitions of
these two concepts based upon rewards depict them as opposite. In current
understanding, competition is not viewed as opposite of cooperation,
instead, cooperation is viewed as integral component of competition.
Cooperation is necessary among team members, perhaps in a sporting event
or in a political race, in order to win the competition, it is equally 6
important to understand that cooperation is of great importance between
teams in that same sporting event or ground rules of the game or election in
order to compete.

(3) Interestingly, the word competition is derived from a Latin verb

which means “to seek together.” An understanding of the derivation of the
word competition supports the understanding that cooperation, rather than
evoking a characteristic at the opposite extreme of human nature from
competition, is in reality a necessary factor in competition, it is equally
important to understand that cooperation is of great importance between
teams in that same sporting event or ground rules of the game or election in
order to compete.

What is It

The thesis statement is called the “heart of the essay.” The idea of an
essay without a thesis statement is akin to a body without its heart. It also
is called the “central point” or the “core” of an essay. It is comprised of
evidences that the writer uses to elaborate on his topic further. Each of
these evidences is then elaborated and discussed in the body paragraphs.
Qualities of a Good Thesis Statement
1. It should be factual. A strong thesis statement requires solid evidence to
support and develop it because without evidence, a claim is merely an
unsubstantiated idea or opinion.
2. It should be interesting. Avoid generic arguments and formula
statements. They work well to get a rough draft started, but will easily bore
a reader. Keep revising until the thesis reflects your real ideas.
3. It should be limited. The thesis statement should be limited to what can
be accomplished in the specified number of pages. Being specific will be
much more successful than writing about general things that do not say
much.
4. It should be manageable. Similar to the specificity guideline, a good thesis
statement must also be manageable. Manageability will vary according to
the length of the paper you are writing.
5. It should be researchable.
 Assessment

From the Autopsy Surgeon’s Report

Death occurred from the effects of asphyxia,

cerebral anemia, and shock. The victim’s hair was
used for the constriction ligature. Local marks of
the ligature were readily discernible: there were
some abrasion and a slight ecchymosis in the skin.
But I found no obvious lesion in the blood vessels
of the neck.
Cyanosis of the head was very slight and
there were no pronounced hemorrhages in the
galea of the scalp. I should judge that very great
compression was affected almost immediately, with
compression of the arteries as well as of the vein,
and that the superior laryngeal nerve was
traumatized in the effect of throwing the victim
into profound shock…
The lungs revealed cyanosis, congestion, over
aeration, and sub pleural petechial
haemorrhages….

Based on the selection, given below is a

concept map. Your task is to list all the thesis
statements and supporting details inside the box.
Be guided by the assessment rubric given.
RUBRIC
Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) Score
Content Your output shows Your output shows Your output Your output
understanding of few shows a lack of shows no
the topic’s concept. misunderstandings understanding understanding
of concept. of many of the topic’s
concepts. concepts.
Organization Your output is Your output is Your output is Your output
well-organized. All thoughtfully mainly lacked
key words are organized. Most key organized. organization.
used. words are used. Many keywords Many
are used. keywords are
missing.

Links among Identifies all the Identifies important Identifies Fails to

Concepts important concepts concepts but makes important identify
and shows an some incorrect concepts but important
 understanding of connections. makes many concepts and
the relationships incorrect appropriate
among them. connections. connection

Total:
 Additional Activities

Use the following graphic organizer to help you group the ideas
inside the box that relate with one another based on “From the
Autopsy Surgeon’s Report.” Evaluate your output based on the given
rubric.

Causes of Death

Example: Asphyxia

Evidence

Example: Discernible Local

Marks of Ligature
 RUBR
IC
Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) Score
Content Your output Your output Your Your
shows shows output output
understandin few shows a shows no
g of lack of
the topic’s misunderstan understand understan
concept. dings ing ding
of concept. of many of the
topic’s
concepts. concepts.
Organizati Your output Your output is Your Your
on is well- thoughtfully output is output
organized. mainly lacked
All
key words are organized. organized. organizati
Most key on.
used. words are Many Many
used. keywords
are used. keywords
are
missing.
Links Identifies allIdentifies Identifies Fails to
among the important
Concepts important concepts but important identify
concepts makes
and shows an some incorrect concepts important
but
understandin connections. makes concepts
g of many and
the incorrect appropriat
relationships e
among them. connection connectio
s. n

Total:
*Note: Add 3 points to your to
 What I Need to Know

This module is designed and written to help you acquire

knowledge of appropriate reading strategies for a better
understanding of academic texts.
At the end of this module, you will be able to produce a
detailed abstract of information gathered from the various academic
texts read by:
1. Outlining reading texts in various disciplines. (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-
Ia-c-8)

What I Know

Arrange the following Steps in Outlining in chronological

order, using 1 for the first step and 5 for the last step. Write your
answer on the line provided before each number.

Write a clear thesis statement.

Create an outline.

Read and comprehend the text.

Adjust outline as needed.

Organize the outline using the supporting details.

 Lesson
Outlining Reading Texts
5

An outline is a map of your essay. It shows what information

each section or paragraph will contain and in what order. Most
outlines use numbers and/or bullet points to arrange information
and convey points.

What’s In

Using the Johari’s Window, list down at least your 5 traits for
each area.

Known to Self Not Known to Self

Known
to
Other
s
(Open) (Blind Spot)

Not Known to
Others (Hidden) (Unknown)
Open Area

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Hidden Area

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Blind Spot Area

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Unknown Area

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
 What is It

Outlining is a tool used in the writing process to help organize

your ideas, visualize your paper’s potential structure and to further
flesh out and develop points. It allows you to understand how you are
to connect information to support the thesis statement and the
claims of the paper. An outline provides you with a space to consider
ideas easily without needing to write complete paragraphs or
sentences.

Two Main Types of Outlines

a. Topic Outline
A topic outline provides an overview of the topics to be included in

an essay. Example:
b. Sentence Outline
In a sentence outline, the thesis and topic sentence of each
supporting paragraph are fully written out. The sentence outline
forces part of the essay to be written out in sentences before the first
draft.

Example:

Five Steps in Outlining a Text

1. Read and comprehend the text.

2. Write a clear thesis statement.
3. Create an outline.
4. Organize the outline using the supporting details.
5. Adjust your outline as needed.

What’s More

Five Key Elements of a Story

1. Setting

A story's setting refers not only to the physical location, but

also the time the action takes place. It is the where and the when of
a story.
2. Character
Depending on the nature of the story, characters are most
often people or animals. Writers use characters to perform the
actions and speak the dialogue of a story. They move a story’s
plot forward. They are the who of a story.

Two Most Essential Characters in a Story

a. Protagonist is the main character or principal character or

group of characters in a story.

Writers use the protagonist to drive the story forward—the

protagonist’s goals reflect the overall story goals, the plot moves
forward based on the protagonist’s decisions, and their character
arc is what the readers follow throughout the story.

b. Antagonist is the opposer or combatant working against the

protagonist’s or leading characters’ goal (“antagonizing”) and
creating the main conflict.

3. Plot
The plot relates to the events that happen in a story. It
is the what of the story. Plot usually begins with a problem
and ends in the story’s resolution.

Five Parts of Plot

Exposition

The exposition is the beginning of the story and prepares the

way for upcoming events. In the exposition, the author introduces
the major characters, establishes the setting and reveals major
conflicts in the story. The author often discusses the characters'
backstory, so readers gain insight as to why characters act or
respond as they do. For example, the exposition in "The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain centers on the
introduction of Huckleberry Finn, an adolescent who's unhappy
living with a strict widow, and has a shallow relationship with his
greedy, unfit father. The setting is the mid-1800s in a small river
town along the Mississippi River; the conflict revolves around
Huck's desire to experience adventure, and his running away. The
exposition sets the stage for his tumultuous, life-changing journey
 on a riverboat.

Rising Action

The rising action occurs when the main problem or conflict

is addressed with a form of action. The rising action always leads
up to the climax. During the rising action, the protagonist often
encounters some sort of crisis that creates tension. For example,
in "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner, the rising action occurs
when Thomas -- the protagonist -- enters the maze to try to
escape his prison-like existence and save his friends.

Climax

The climax is the pivotal point in the story when the

protagonist deals with the culmination of events. The climax often
centers on the protagonist's most difficult challenge or bleakest
moment, according to Pasadena City College. For example, in "The
Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, the climax occurs when
Katniss and Peeta
-- the primary protagonists -- decide to eat poisonous berries and
commit double suicide, rather than kill one another. The climax is
the most exciting part of the story and initiates a turning point in
the characters' lives.

Falling Action

The falling action occurs immediately after the climax and

details the consequences -- good or bad -- that the characters
must deal with after the turning point of events. It leads up to the
resolution and sets the stage for the final chapter of the story. For
example, in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, the falling
action occurs when the antagonist, Bob Ewell, assaults two of the
primary protagonists -- Scout and Jem Finch -- and the town
recluse saves the children by killing Ewell. The altercation is a
direct result of the climax -- Ewell wants revenge after the
children's father, an attorney, defends an innocent black man and
rebukes Ewell for lying about the case and mistreating his own
daughter.

Resolution
 The resolution tells us what happens to the characters after
the conflict is resolved. All the loose ends are tied up, unless the
author plans to write a sequel and purposely leaves room for
further plot developments. Some stories have happy endings;
others have sad endings. The resolution leaves readers with a
sense of closure, so they understand the fate of the protagonists
and antagonists.

Conflict

Every good story requires conflict. This conflict can be

thought of as a challenge or problem that drives the action of the
story. No conflict, no story. Setting up a series of cause and effect
events, conflict gives these events their why.

Two Types of Conflict:

2. Internal conflict is when a character struggles with their

own opposing desires or beliefs. It happens within them,
and it drives their development as a character.

3. External conflict sets a character against something or

someone beyond their control. External forces stand in the
way of a character’s motivations and create tension as the
character tries to reach their goals.

Theme A little more abstract than the previous elements, the

theme refers to the underlying insight, the moral or idea that the writer is
expressing through the story. It is often thought of as the ‘message’ of the
story.

More Advanced Story Elements

a. Point of View: To identify the POV in a story, students

must ask “who is telling the story?” Is it a first, third, or
even second (rare!) person narrator? Are they omniscient or
limited in their perspective? Does the perspective shift
between different characters?
b. Tone: A writing’s tone is established through word choices, use of
literary
devices, grammar, rhythm, and rhyme etc. Tone is the
overall ‘flavour’ of the story that is created by using all of
these techniques combined. It is the attitude the writer
displays towards their subject or theme.
 c. Style: Related to tone in many regards, style is the
individual author’s unique voice and it is again evidenced in
their word choices, plot patterns, sentence structures etc.
The writer’s personal style is a strong contributor to a
writing’s tone.
d. Mood: This is about the effect the writer creates in the
reader and how they evoke it through their use of language.

Why Are Story Elements Important?

Knowing how to identify the elements of the story deepens

your level of comprehension and enhances your appreciation of
the story. Understanding how it is organized is necessary for you
to access the highest levels of comprehension of that story. It also
provides you with a frame of reference that greatly assists with
recall.

After familiarizing the five key elements of a story, complete the outline
with
the details from the poem “Porphyria’s Lover”.
I. Setting
A. Time :
B. Place :
II. Character
A. Protagonist :
B. Antagonist :

III. Plot

A. Introduction:

B. Rising Action

A. Climax:
 B. Falling Action:

C. Resolution:

IV. Conflict

V. Themes

Assessment

The Sob Sister’s Story

The dead girl, beautiful and peaceful in death, her scarlet
lips slightly parted as though whispering a caress to her lover, her
blue eyes gentle and unquestioning as a baby’s, lay in the
murderer’s arms like a child who has been rocked to sleep. Her
golden hair falling in profusion about her shoulder all but
concealed the cruel welt of red about her throat. The murderer,
clutching is still burden to him, like a mother holding an infant,
appeared dazed. As the police came in, he rose to meet them, still
carrying his precious burden in his arms. The officers had almost
to force him to relinquish her. He could not answer questions-
could merely clutch the closer to his breast all that remained of
the girl he loved better than life, and mutter, “ I love her, I love
her,” like a man in a dream. A few hours later when I saw him in
the sordid surroundings of the 10th Precinct Station House, so
different from the cozy cottage which had been the abode of a
tragic love, he was still dry-eyed, though his face wore a ghastly
pallor. But when tried to question him, I became aware of terrific
strain under which he suffered, and he showed all signs of a man
on the verge of hysteria. When I tried to draw from him the motive
for the pitiful tragedy, he could only rely, his pale boyish face like
a mask: “I killed her, but God didn’t say a word, a word.”

At last he managed pitifully to say: “I killed her so that she

would be mine alone for always!”

And this is the irony of fate! The very greatness of his love
made him strangle her. Separated as they were wealth, social
position, and all that implies, it was only in death that they could
be united.

Who are we to pass judgment on such love?

Complete the outline based on “The Sob Sister’s Story” selection.

I. Setting
A. Time :
B. Place :
II. Character
C. Protagonist :
D. Antagonist :

III. Plot
F. Introduction:

G. Rising Action:

H. Climax:
 I. Falling Action:

J. Resolution:

IV. Conflict

V. Themes

What I Need to Know

This module is designed and written to help you understand the principles and uses of
a reaction paper, review paper and critique paper
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Use appropriate critical approaches in writing a critique such as formalism, feminism,
etc. (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Ia-c-16).
 Lesson Critique Writing
6
What is Critique Writing?

A critique is a genre of academic writing that summarizes and critically

evaluates a work or concept. Critiques can be used to carefully analyze a
variety of works such as:

a. Creative works – novels, exhibits, film, images, poetry

b. Research – monographs, journal articles, systematic reviews, theories
c. Media – news reports, feature articles

How to write a critique?

Before you start writing, it is important to do the following:

a. Study the work under discussion.

b. Make notes on key parts of the work.
c. Develop an understanding of the main argument or purpose being
expressed in the work.

Consider how the work relates to a broader issue or context.

Four Main Parts of a Critique Paper

1. Introduction

This part includes the name of the writer or creator of the work, the
name of the work being reviewed, the date it was written or created and its
purpose. This also includes the explanation of the context in which the work
was created. It also has a concluding sentence that signposts what the
evaluation of the work will be. For instance, it may indicate whether it is a
positive, negative, or mixed evaluation.

2. Body (Summary and Critical Evaluation)

Summary
This part includes the summary of the important points the main
points and the description on how the writer or creator portrays their work
by using techniques, styles, media, characters or symbols. This is usually
shorter than the evaluation because it should not be focus on giving a
critique.

Critical Evaluation
This section gives a systematic and detailed assessment of the
different elements of the work.

In writing a critique, you have to group your ideas into paragraph

starting from the broad to specific details of the technical elements. For
shorter critiques, you may discuss the strengths of the works, and then the
weaknesses. In longer critiques, you may wish to discuss the positive and
negative of each key critical question in individual paragraphs.

To support the evaluation, provide evidence from the work itself, such
as a quote or example, and you should also cite evidence from related
sources. Explain how this evidence supports your evaluation of the work.

3. Conclusion
This is a brief paragraph that includes a statement indicating your
overall impression of the evaluated work, a summary of the key reasons,
identified during the critical evaluation, why this evaluation was formed and
in some circumstances, your recommendations for improvement on the
work.
 What’s In

Search an article or an excerpt that focuses on a very timely issue in our country and
criticize its content by writing a 300-word essay. Evaluate your answer based on the given
rubric.
 RUBRIC
Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) Score
Content Your response Your response Your response Your
(Response to directly directly did not response
the addressed the addressed the directly did not
question/s) question/s. question/s. address the address the
You used a You used a question/s question/s.
thesis thesis but you
statement and statement. provided some
relevant relevant
supporting information
details. that indirectly
addressed the
question/s.
Organization Your output is Your output is Your output is Your output
(Flow of well- organized. You mainly lacked
Thoughts) organized. often organized. organizatio
You connected connected the You seldom n.
all the ideas ideas connected the
smoothly. smoothly. ideas.
Mechanics You observed You somehow You barely You did not
(Output proper output observed observed observe
Format) format. proper output proper output proper
format. format. output
format.

Total:
*Note: Add 3 points to your total scores

What’s New

Guernica, 1937 by Pablo Picasso

Probably Picasso's most famous work, Guernica is certainly the his most powerful
political statement, painted as an immediate reaction to the Nazi's devastating casual
bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during Spanish Civil War.

Guernica shows the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals,
particularly innocent civilians. This work has gained a monumental status, becoming a
perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war, an anti-war symbol, and an embodiment of
peace. On completion Guernica was displayed around the world in a brief tour, becoming
famous and widely acclaimed. This tour helped bring the Spanish Civil War to the world's
attention.

This work is seen as an amalgamation of pastoral and epic styles. The discarding of
color intensifies the drama, producing a reportage quality as in a photographic record.
Guernica is blue, black and white, 3.5 metre (11 ft) tall and 7.8 metre (25.6 ft) wide, a mural-
size canvas painted in oil. This painting can be seen in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid.

Interpretations of Guernica vary widely and contradict one another. This extends, for
example, to the mural's two dominant elements: the bull and the horse. Art historian Patricia
Failing said, "The bull and the horse are important characters in Spanish culture. Picasso
himself certainly used these characters to play many different roles over time. This has made
the task of interpreting the specific meaning of the bull and the horse very tough.
Their relationship is a kind of ballet that was conceived in a variety of ways
throughout Picasso's career."

Some critics warn against trusting the political message in Guernica.

For instance, the rampaging bull, a major motif of destruction here, has
previous figured, whether as a bull or Minotaur, as Picasso' ego. However, in
this instance the bull probably represents the onslaught of Fascism. Picasso
said it meant brutality and darkness, presumably reminiscent of his
prophetic. He also stated that the horse represented the people of Guernica.

Historical Context of the Masterpiece

Guernica is a town in the province of Biscay in Basque Country.
During the Spanish Civil War, it was regarded as the northern bastion of the
Republican resistance movement and the epicenter of Basque culture,
adding to its significance as a target.

The Republican forces were made up of assorted factions

(Communists, Socialists, Anarchists, to name a few) with wildly differing
approaches to government and eventual aims, but a common opposition to
the Nationalists. The Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco, were
also factionalized but to a lesser extent. They sought a return to the golden
days of Spain, based on law, order, and traditional Catholic family values.

At about 16:30 on Monday, 26 April 1937, warplanes of the German

Condor Legion, commanded by Colonel Wolfram von Richthofen, bombed
Guernica for about two hours. Germany, at this time led by Hitler, had lent
material support to the Nationalists and were using the war as an
opportunity to test out new weapons and tactics. Later, intense aerial
bombardment became a crucial preliminary step in the Blitzkrieg tactic.

Guernica is an icon of modern art, the Mona Lisa for our time. As
Leonardo da Vinci evoked a Renaissance ideal of serenity and self-control,
Guernica should be seen as Picasso's comment on what art can actually
contribute towards the self- assertion that liberates every human being and
protects the individual against overwhelming forces such as political crime,
war, and death.

10 Facts of Guernica

1. Guernica, Picasso's most important political painting, has

remained relevant as a work of art and as a symbol of protest, and it kept
the memory of the Basque town's nightmare alive. While Picasso was living
in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II, one German officer allegedly
asked him, upon seeing a photo of Guernica in his apartment, "Did you do
that?" Picasso responded, "No, you did."

2. Guernica was a commissioned painting. After the bombing of

Guernica, Picasso was made aware of what had gone on in his country of
origin. At the time, he was working on a mural for the Paris Exhibition to be
held in the summer of 1937, commissioned by the Spanish Republican
 government. He deserted his original idea and on 1 May 1937, began on
Guernica. This captivated his imagination unlike his previous idea, on which
he had been working somewhat dispassionately, for a couple of months. It is
interesting to note, however, that at its unveiling at the Paris Exhibition that
summer, it garnered little attention. It would later attain its power as such a
potent symbol of the destruction of war on innocent lives.

3. Perhaps because Picasso learned about the Guernica bombing by

reading an article in newspaper, the suggestion of torn newsprint appears in
the painting. It doubles as the horse's chain mail.
4. Picasso's patriotism and sense of justice outweighed physical
location. He had not been to Spain, the country of his birth, for several years
when the Nazis bombed the Spanish town of Guernica in 1937. He was
living in Paris at the time, and never returned to his birthplace to live.
Nevertheless, the attack, which killed mainly women and children, shook
the artist to the core.

5. In 1974, an antiwar activist and artist, Tony Shafrazi, would deface

the mural with red spray paint as a protest statement. It was on display at
New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art at the time. Curators immediately
cleaned the painting, and Shafrazi went to jail, charged with criminal
mischief.

6. Picasso was adamant that Guernica remain at the Met until Spain
re- established a democratic republic. It would not be until 1981, after both
the artist's

and Franco's deaths, that Spanish negotiators were finally able to bring the
mural home.

1. During his creation of "Guernica," Picasso allowed a photographer to

chronicle its progress. Historians believe that the resulting black and white
photos inspired the artist to revise his earlier colored versions of the artwork
to a starker, more impactful palette.

2. Not only did the artist use lack of color to express the starkness of
the aftermath of the bombing, he also specially ordered house paint that had
a minimum amount of gloss. The matte finish, in addition to the shades of
grey, white and blue- black, set an outspoken yet unadorned tone for the
artwork.

3. The mural contains some hidden images. One of them is a skull,

which is superimposed over the horse's body. Another is a bull formed from
the horse's bent leg. Three daggers replace tongues in the mouths of the
horse, the bull and the screaming woman.

4. Two of the artist's signature images, the Minotaur and the

Harlequin, figure in Guernica. The Minotaur, which symbolizes irrational
power, dominates the left side of the work. The harlequin, a partially hidden
component just off-center to the left, cries a diamond-shaped tear. The
harlequin traditionally symbolizes duality. In the iconography of Picasso's
art, it is a mystical symbol with power over life and death. Perhaps the artist
inserted the harlequin to counterbalance the deaths he depicted in the
mural.

What is It

Critical Approaches to the Literature

1. Formalist Criticism
This approach regards literature as "a unique form of human
knowledge that needs to be examined on its own terms." A primary goal for
formalist critics is to determine how such elements work together with the
text's content to shape its effects upon readers.

2. Biographical Criticism
This approach "begins with the simple but central insight that
literature is written by actual people and that understanding an author's life
can help readers more thoroughly comprehend the work. The biographical
critic "focuses on explicating the literary work by using the insight provided
by knowledge of the author’s life. Biographical data should amplify the
meaning of the text, not drown it out with irrelevant material."

3. Historical Criticism
This approach "seeks to understand a literary work by investigating
the social, cultural, and intellectual context that produced it-a context that
necessarily includes the artist's biography and milieu." A key goal for
historical critics is to understand the effect of a literary work upon its
original readers.

4. Gender Criticism
This approach "examines how sexual identity influences the creation
and reception of literary works." Originally an offshoot of feminist
movements, gender criticism today includes a number of approaches,
including the so-called "masculinist" approach recently advocated by poet
Robert Bly. The bulk of gender criticism, however, is feminist and takes as a
central precept that the patriarchal attitudes that have dominated western
thought have resulted, consciously or unconsciously, in literature "full of
unexamined 'male-produced' assumptions." Other goals of feminist critics
include "analysing how sexual identity influences the reader of a text" and
"examining how the images of men and women in imaginative literature
reflect or reject the social forces that have historically kept the sexes from
achieving total equality."
5. Psychological Criticism
This approach reflects the effect that modern psychology has had
upon both literature and literary criticism. Psychological criticism has a
number of approaches, but in general, it usually employs one (or more) of
three approaches:

1. An investigation of "the creative process of the artist: what is the

nature of literary genius and how does it relate to normal mental functions?"
2. The psychological study of a particular artist, usually noting how
an author's biographical circumstances affect or influence their motivations
and/or behaviours.
3. The analysis of fictional characters using the language and
methods of psychology.

6. Sociological Criticism
This approach "examines literature in the cultural, economic and
political context in which it is written or received," exploring the
relationships between the artist and society. Sometimes it examines the
artist's society to better understand the author's literary works; other times,
it may examine the representation of such societal elements within the
literature itself.

7. Mythological Criticism
This approach emphasizes "the recurrently universal patterns
underlying most literary works." Combining the insights from anthropology,
psychology, history, and comparative religion, mythological criticism
"explores the artist's common humanity by tracing how the individual
imagination uses myths and symbols common to different cultures.

8. Reader-Response Criticism
This approach takes as a fundamental tenet that "literature" exists not as
an artifact upon a printed page but as a transaction between the physical text
and the mind of a reader. It attempts "to describe what happens in the reader's
mind while interpreting a text" and reflects that reading, like writing, is a
creative process. According to reader-response critics, literary texts do not
"contain" a meaning; meanings derive only from the act of individual readings.

9. Deconstructionist Criticism
This approach "rejects the traditional assumption that language can
accurately represent reality." Deconstructionist critics regard language as a
fundamentally unstable medium-the words "tree" or "dog," for instance,
undoubtedly conjure up different mental images for different people-and
therefore, because literature is made up of words, literature possesses no
fixed, single meaning. Other goals of deconstructionists include (1)
challenging the notion of authors' "ownership" of texts they create (and their
ability to control the meaning of their texts) and (2) focusing on how
language is used to achieve power, as when they try to understand how a
some interpretations of a literary work come to be regarded as "truth."

What’s More

Spoliarium, 1884 by Juan Luna

Research on the background of the world-acclaimed Filipino painting

of Juan Luna’s Spoliarium, at the National Museum and answer these
critical questions:

a. Who is the creator? Is the work presented objectively or subjectively?

a. What are the goals of the work? Were the goals achieved?
 b. What techniques, styles and media were used in the work? Are
they effective in portraying the purpose?

______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

b. What assumptions underlie the work? Do they affect its validity?

c. What types of evidence or persuasion are used? Has evidence been

interpreted fairly?

d. How is the work structured? Does it favor an interpretation or point

of view? Is it effective?
 What I Have Learned

Answer the following questions briefly but sensibly. Evaluate your

answer based on the given rubric.

1. What is your own essential understanding about critique writing?

2. What is your own ultimate reason why critique writing is very important?

3. Are the major parts of a critique paper helpful to you? Why?

4. How do approaches improve your writing a critique paper?

5. What were significant insights about the lesson?

 RUBRIC
Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) Score
Content Your response Your response Your response Your
(Response to directly directly did not response
the addressed the addressed the directly did not
question/s) question/s. question/s. address the address the
You used a You used a question/s question/s.
thesis thesis but you
statement and statement. provided some
relevant relevant
supporting information
details. that indirectly
addressed the
question/s.
Organization Your output is Your output is Your output is Your output
(Flow of well- organized. You mainly lacked
Thoughts) organized. often organized. organizatio
You connected connected the You seldom n.
all the ideas ideas connected the
smoothly. smoothly. ideas.
Mechanics You observed You somehow You barely You did not
(Output proper output observed observed observe
Format) format. proper output proper output proper
format. format. output
format.
Total:

Assessment

Answer this checklist for your five-paragraph critique paper of Juan

Luna’s Spoliarium.
YES NO
1. Have I mentioned the name of the work?
2. Have I mentioned the date when the work was created?
3. Have I mentioned the name of the artist?
4. Have I accurately summarized the work being critiqued?
5. Have I mainly focused on the critical evaluation of the work?
6. Have I systematically outlined an evaluation of each element
of the
work to achieve the overall purpose?
7. Have I used evidence, from the work itself as well as other
sources,
to back and illustrate my assessment of elements of the work?
8. Have I formed an overall evaluation of the work, based on
critical
reading?
9. Have I used a well-structured introduction, body and
conclusion?
10.Have I used a correct grammar, spelling and punctuation;
clear
presentation; and appropriate referencing style?