Critical Response Paragraphs
UWF WRITING LAB
WRITING CRITICAL RESPONSE PARAGRAPHS
By Chris Yow
Quoted material is taken from the autobiography
The True History and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson
Many instructors assign daily critical response paragraphs to ensure students are reading the assigned texts and to help students think critically about the texts they are reading. Critical response paragraphs do not simply summarize the text or evaluate whether or not you like the text; they are a 7- to 10-sentence persuasive and focused analysis, argument, or interpretation about the text. They not only help you think critically about the texts you read but also help you formulate ideas that can be expanded into longer essays. There are four parts to a critical response paragraph:1) an argumentative topic sentence, 2) evidence in the form of quotations or paraphrases for the argument you are making, 3) interpretation of your evidence in relation to the argument, and 4) a strong concluding statement. Follow the guidelines under each part to help you write a critical response paragraph. Do not write a plot summary. Engage the text.
1. The Argumentative Topic Sentence
You can think of your critical response paragraph as a mini-essay; your paragraph’s topic sentence (usually the first sentence) must act as both the thesis and the introduction. You should include the author’s name and the title of the text you are writing about, and you must state precisely and concisely what you are going to argue, prove, or analyze about the text. Creating a strong argumentative topic sentence is perhaps the most crucial step in writing a critical response paragraph. A strong topic sentence gives you something to say; it helps ensure that the paragraph you write proves, argues, illustrates, interprets, or explains something. The most common mistakes students make when writing a