The Evaluation Essay
The Essentials of an Evaluation Essay
You write an evaluation essay when you want to present your take on a topic with the hope of possibly getting others to accept your point of view. It is similar to an argumentative essay; however it should be impartial, balanced writing- you’re not out to win an argument. With this type of essay you state your thesis and the subsequent paragraphs are to support this thesis.
What is a thesis? A thesis is your viewpoint or proposal, presented for discussion. The discussion is the evidence you supply that gets the reader thinking about the subject matter at hand. As a reader reads your supporting paragraphs they examine their beliefs, ideas, values, and views on a subject.
They look to see where their views and such match yours or where they are different from yours. This helps them decide whether they agree or disagree with your evaluation overall. An Evaluation Essay encourages readers to consider a different angle and maybe modify their opinion.
An essay or report of this type can evaluate a person. For example, an employer can write out an evaluation of an employee. He or she considers the employee in an objective manner, analyzing many aspects of the employees work performance and their interaction with other workers. In their report they present their thesis – their statement or view of this employee. Their report then sets forth their reasons for this view.
One can evaluate a work process or method, or a business proposal. One can also evaluate an initiative or program that an organization undertakes. In essence, a report created after evaluating any of these is a type of business essay intended to educate and inform.
You may decide to write an Evaluation Essay about a book, movie or a music performance. To do so effectively you must actually read the book, see the movie, or listen to or attend a musical performance. This gives you the credibility to write intelligently on your reading, viewing, or listening experience. You’re providing first-hand knowledge, not opinions based on what others told you.
Consider the following when writing your Evaluation Essay:
Describe Your Subject Sufficiently
Your essay will only be as effective as your description of the subject. A reader won’t understand your evaluation of a concert if they have no background information on said concert. They must know who the musicians were who took part in the concert and their music credentials.
They must have some idea of their place and stature in the music industry, and some of their past recording and performing history. They must know when and where the concert took place. All of this helps your reader understand the subject you are covering. This allows them to follow your reasoning as you present your evaluation.
Present Your Judgment Clearly (Your Thesis)
Here you make your statement about the subject at the outset. You may state, using our above examples, that the employee you’re evaluating deserves a promotion based on your evaluation. You present evidence for this statement. You may state that the concert you witnessed was a sub-standard performance for a group of musicians of this calibre. You proceed to give your reasons for this view.
Have Enough Paragraphs to Thoroughly Support Your Judgment
You can’t state your thesis and then provide little evidence to support it. You must logically present paragraphs that contain important statistics, facts, and data. You may also want to include quotes, testimonies, examples, anecdotes, and descriptions.
It’s also helpful sometimes to compare your subject to something else. For example, you can compare that concert to a previous concert by the same group of musicians. Here, you highlight in what ways this concert was better, and in what ways it was worse. This is a reference point you can use to help your readers understand your evaluation better.
A good Evaluation Essay gives different opinions of the subject being discussed. You give your view, supported with what you deem essential. However, you present other opinions and views and why others feel this way.
In this way, your readers get a well-rounded take on the subject. They respect your taking into consideration other views and opinions. This presents you as an evaluator who considers all angles and this encourages your reader to trust your essay. You show that you have confidence in your thesis statement, so much so that you’re not afraid to inform your readers about differing opinions.
Use the Evaluation Essay to examine a subject thoroughly. Clearly present your views with accurate supporting evidence. Let your readers take your well presented information and form their own opinions. Remember, you’re not arguing with an evaluation essay, you’re thoroughly explaining why you hold the opinion you do, to help others establish reasoned opinions of their own.
| Count | |
| Words: | 796 |
| Paragraphs: | 19 |
| Sentences: | 57 |
| Readability | |
| Average sentences per paragraph: | 3.00 |
| Average words per sentence: | 13.96 |
| Flesch Reading Ease: | 54.71 |
| Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: | 9.00 |
| Automated Readability Index: | 10.00 |