evaluative language essay

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Tips for crafting an effective evaluative essay that stands out.

Writing an evaluative essay can be a challenging yet rewarding task. It requires a critical analysis of a subject, such as a piece of literature, a movie, or a restaurant, and a thoughtful evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of writing an evaluative essay step by step, providing you with valuable tips and techniques to help you craft a well-structured and insightful piece of writing.

Before you begin writing your evaluative essay, it is essential to understand the purpose of the assignment. An evaluative essay aims to assess the quality, value, or significance of a subject based on specific criteria. Your goal is to provide a reasoned judgment, supported by evidence and examples, to persuade your audience of your perspective on the subject. By following our step-by-step guide, you will learn how to effectively analyze the subject, develop your arguments, and present your evaluation in a clear and convincing manner.

The key to writing a successful evaluative essay lies in your ability to balance critical analysis with a fair and objective assessment. You should strive to provide a nuanced evaluation that considers multiple perspectives and avoids bias. Throughout this guide, we will discuss strategies for conducting research, selecting criteria for evaluation, organizing your essay, and revising your work to ensure that your writing is coherent and persuasive. By following these tips and techniques, you will be well-equipped to write an evaluative essay that demonstrates your analytical skills and critical thinking abilities.

Understanding the Evaluative Essay

An evaluative essay is a type of writing that aims to provide an analysis or judgment of a particular subject based on specific criteria. In this form of essay, the writer evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of a subject, such as a book, movie, restaurant, or performance, and provides their opinion on its quality, relevance, or value.

The evaluative essay requires the writer to critically assess the subject, offering arguments supported by evidence, examples, and reasoning. It goes beyond simple description and requires the writer to make judgments and draw conclusions based on their evaluation.

When writing an evaluative essay, it is crucial to establish clear criteria for evaluation, provide evidence to support each evaluation, and present a balanced analysis that considers both positive and negative aspects of the subject. The goal is not only to express personal opinions but also to provide a thoughtful and well-supported evaluation that can be informative to the reader.

Exploring the Essay’s Purpose

An evaluative essay serves the important purpose of analyzing, judging, and critiquing a particular subject matter or topic. The main goal of this type of essay is to provide a thoughtful evaluation and assessment of the chosen subject, offering insights, arguments, and recommendations based on careful analysis and critical thinking.

Through an evaluative essay, the writer aims to present a well-reasoned and balanced opinion on the subject, taking into account various perspectives, evidence, and criteria. This type of essay allows the writer to convey their thoughts, judgments, and recommendations in a systematic and organized manner, guiding the reader through a logical evaluation process.

By exploring the purpose of the essay, writers can understand the significance of offering a comprehensive evaluation, providing valuable insights and perspectives that can enhance the reader’s understanding of the topic. With a clear sense of purpose, evaluative essays can effectively convey critical analysis, informed judgments, and meaningful conclusions to engage and inform the audience.

Choosing a Topic

When writing an evaluative essay, the first step is to select a topic that you are passionate about or interested in. Choose a subject that you have some knowledge of and that you can evaluate objectively. Consider selecting a topic that is relevant to your field of study or current events.

Tip: It’s important to choose a topic that is specific enough to be manageable within the scope of your essay, but also broad enough to provide room for analysis and evaluation.

Identifying Criteria for Evaluation

Before you begin writing your evaluative essay, it’s important to clearly identify the criteria you will use to evaluate the subject or topic. Criteria are the standards or measures by which you will judge the quality, effectiveness, or value of the subject. These criteria will help you stay focused and provide a framework for your evaluation.

Tip: Consider the purpose of your evaluation and what you want to achieve with your essay. Think about what aspects of the subject are most important to you and your audience. Are you evaluating based on performance, quality, relevance, originality, or a combination of factors?

Make sure your criteria are specific, measurable, and relevant to the subject at hand. Avoid using vague or subjective criteria that can lead to ambiguous evaluation results. Your criteria should be clear and easy to understand, guiding you through the evaluation process and helping you make informed judgments.

For example, if you are evaluating a book, your criteria might include plot development, character development, writing style, and overall impact on the reader. Each criterion should be clearly defined and supported with specific examples from the book.

Structuring Your Essay

When writing an evaluative essay, it is important to have a clear structure to effectively present your analysis and conclusions. Here is a basic structure you can follow:

By following this structured approach, you can ensure that your evaluative essay is well-organized and effectively communicates your analysis and evaluation of the subject.

Organizing Your Thoughts Effectively

When writing an evaluative essay, it is crucial to organize your thoughts effectively to ensure a coherent and structured piece. Here are some tips to help you streamline your ideas:

• Start by outlining your main argument or thesis statement. This will serve as the foundation for your essay and will help guide your evaluation.
• Break down your evaluation into distinct sections or categories, depending on the criteria you are using. This will help you focus your analysis and provide a clear structure for your essay.
• Use transitional phrases to connect your ideas and ensure a smooth flow between paragraphs. This will help your reader follow your train of thought easily.
• Support your evaluation with specific examples, evidence, and explanations. Make sure to provide sufficient detail to back up your claims and strengthen your arguments.
• Conclude your essay by summarizing your evaluation and restating your main points. This will leave a lasting impression on your reader and wrap up your evaluation effectively.

By organizing your thoughts effectively, you can create a well-structured evaluative essay that is easy to follow and compelling to read.

Capturing the Reader’s Attention

When writing an evaluative essay, it is crucial to capture the reader’s attention right from the beginning. You can achieve this by starting with a compelling introduction that highlights the importance of the topic you are evaluating. Consider using a thought-provoking question, a surprising fact, or a relevant quote to pique the reader’s interest.

Another effective way to captivate the reader is to provide a brief overview of the subject you will be evaluating. This will give the reader a sense of what to expect and why your evaluation is valuable. Make sure to create a strong thesis statement that clearly states your evaluation and your overall stance on the subject.

Moreover, using vivid language and descriptive imagery can help create a lasting impression on the reader. By painting a vivid picture of the subject you will be evaluating, you can draw the reader in and make them eager to learn more about your evaluation.

Overall, capturing the reader’s attention in the introduction is essential to setting the tone for your evaluative essay and engaging your audience from the start.

Developing the Body Paragraphs

When developing the body paragraphs of your evaluative essay, it is crucial to follow a clear and structured approach. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or criterion that you are evaluating. Start by introducing the criterion you will be discussing and provide a brief explanation of why it is important in the evaluation process. Next, present your evaluation of that criterion based on the evidence you have gathered.

Support your evaluation with specific examples, details, and evidence from your research or personal experience. Make sure to analyze and interpret the evidence you present to demonstrate how it supports your evaluation. Use transitional words and phrases to guide the reader through your argument and ensure a cohesive flow between paragraphs.

Furthermore, consider addressing any counterarguments or opposing viewpoints in your body paragraphs. Acknowledging alternative perspectives can strengthen your evaluation by demonstrating that you have considered multiple angles and still maintain your position.

Finally, conclude each body paragraph by summarizing your main points and reiterating the significance of the criterion in the overall evaluation. This will help reinforce your argument and provide a smooth transition to the next paragraph.

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

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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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) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Green Flags in a Relationship
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Signs you're Burnt Out, Not Lazy

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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19 Evaluation Essays

Evaluative arguments center around the question of quality. Is something good?  Bad?  Honest?  Dishonest?  Evaluative judgments are also about values—what the writer thinks is important. Sometimes the writer’s values are not the same as his/her readers’ values, so he/she has to bridge the gap by showing respect for the audience’s opinions and clarifying the points that they do and don’t agree upon.

An important first step in writing an evaluation is to consider the appropriate standards/criteria for evaluating the subject. If a writer is evaluating a car, for example, the writer might consider standard criteria like fuel economy, price, crash ratings. But the writer also might consider style, warranty, color, special options, like sound systems. Even though all people might not base their choice of a car on these secondary criteria, they are still considered acceptable or standard criteria.

To be taken seriously, a writer must have valid reasons for his evaluation. These reasons are based on criteria. Imagine choosing your attire for a job interview at a very prestigious law firm. You look at the jeans and t-shirts in your closet and immediately decide to go shopping. Why? Because the clothes in your closet don’t meet the criteria for the interview.

The Purpose of Evaluative Writing

Writers evaluate arguments in order to present an informed and well-reasoned judgment about a subject. While the evaluation will be based on their opinion, it should not seem opinionated. Instead, it should aim to be reasonable and unbiased. This is achieved through developing a solid judgment, selecting appropriate criteria to evaluate the subject, and providing clear evidence to support the criteria.

Evaluation is a type of writing that has many real-world applications. Anything can be evaluated. For example, evaluations of movies, restaurants, books, and technology ourselves are all real-world evaluations.

Five Characteristics of an Evaluative Essay

by Dr. Karen Palmer

  1. Presenting the subject. 

Presenting the subject is an often misunderstood aspect of an evaluative essay. Either writers give too little information or too much. Presenting the subject occurs in two different places in the essay.

First, the writer should give a brief introduction of the subject in the introduction of the evaluation. This introduction occurs in the second part of the introduction–the intro to the topic. At this point, the writer should simply name the subject and give a very brief description. For example, a restaurant review should include at a minimum the name and location of the restaurant. An evaluation of a vehicle might include the make, model, and year of the vehicle and any important features.

Second, the writer should give a more detailed description of the subject following the introduction in the background section of the paper. Here the writer could give a more detailed overview of the restaurant (the type of decor, type of food, owners, history), describe the vehicle in detail, etc. Striking a balance between giving the reader the necessary information to understand the evaluation and telling readers everything is important. The amount of detail necessary depends on the topic. If you are reviewing a brand new technology or a machine, specific to your line of work, for example, you will need to give readers more information than if you are simply reviewing a restaurant or a doctor’s office.

The language used in your description can be evaluative. For example, a writer can use descriptive adjectives and adverbs to convey a certain impression of the subject, even before the claim is made.

2. Asserting an overall judgment.

The main point/thesis should be located at the end of the paper’s introduction. It should be definitive—certain, clear, and decisive. Asking a question does not pose a definitive claim. Giving several different perspectives also does not give a definitive claim. It is ok to balance your claim, though, acknowledging weaknesses (or strengths) even as you evaluate a subject positively: “While the Suburban is a gas guzzler, it is the perfect car for a large family….”

Providing a map of your reasons/criteria within the thesis is a great technique for creating organization and focus for your essay. For example, “While the Suburban is a gas guzzler, it is the perfect car for a large family because it can seat up to 9, it has a high safety rating, and it has the best in class towing capacity.” Not only does this example give a clear, balanced claim, but it also lays out the writer’s reasons upfront, creating a map in the reader’s mind that will help him follow the reasoning in the essay.

3. Giving Reasons and Support

After presenting the subject and providing readers with a clear claim, the writer must explain and justify his/her evaluation using reasons that are recognized by readers as appropriate. This occurs in the argument section of the paper and should be the most extensive part of the paper. Reasons should reflect values or standards typical for the subject. If a writer uses criteria that is not typical for the subject, he/she must be prepared to defend that decision in the essay. For example, “Buying local may not always be at the forefront of a buyer’s mind when shopping for eggs, but…” Each reason should be clearly stated as a topic sentence that both states the reason and refers back to the main claim. Going back to the suburban example, a body paragraph/section might begin with the following topic sentence: “One of the obvious reasons a suburban is great for large families is its capacity for holding that large family and all of their necessary traveling items.”

Following the topic sentence, a writer must include relevant examples, quotes, facts, statistics, or personal anecdotes to support the reason. Depending on what the subject is, the support might be different. To support a claim about a book/film, for example, a writer might include a description of a pivotal scene or quotes from the book/film. In contrast, to support a claim about gas mileage, a writer would probably simply give the information from the vehicle specifications. Support can come from a writer’s own knowledge and experience, or from published sources.

4. Counterarguing: 

Counterarguing means responding to readers’ objections and questions. In order to effectively counterargue, a writer must have a clear conception of his/her audience. What does the audience already know or believe about the subject? Effective counterarguing builds credibility in the eyes of the audience because it creates a sense that the writer is listening to the reader’s questions and concerns.

Counterarguments can occur at the end of the essay, after the writer has made his/her point, or throughout the essay as the writer anticipates questions or objections. Writers can respond to readers’ objections in two ways. First, a writer can acknowledge an objection and immediately provide a counter-argument, explaining why the objection is not valid. Second, a writer can concede the point, and allow that, the subject does have a flaw. In either case, it is important to be respectful of opposing positions, while still remaining firm to the original claim.

5. Establishing credibility and authority:   

A writer’s credibility and authority lead to readers’ confidence in your judgment and their willingness to recognize and acknowledge that credibility and authority. An author can gain credibility by showing that he/she knows a lot about the subject. In addition, the writer shows that his/her judgment is based on valid values and standards.

The writer’s authority is in large part based upon the background of the author—education, etc. Is the author qualified to make a judgment? For some subjects, like a film review, simply watching the film might be enough. In other instances, like evaluating the quality of newly constructed cabinets or the engine of a new car, more experience might be necessary.

The Structure of an Evaluation Essay

Evaluation essays are structured as follows.

First, the essay will present the  subject . What is being evaluated? Why? The essay begins with the writer giving any details needed about the subject.

Next, the essay needs to provide a  judgment  about a subject. This is the thesis of the essay, and it states whether the subject is good or bad based on how it meets the stated criteria.

The body of the essay will contain the  criteria  used to evaluate the subject. In an evaluation essay, the criteria must be appropriate for evaluating the subject under consideration. Appropriate criteria will help to keep the essay from seeming biased or unreasonable. If authors evaluated the quality of a movie based on the snacks sold at the snack bar, that would make them seem unreasonable, and their evaluation may be disregarded because of it.

The  evidence  of an evaluation essay consists of the supporting details authors provide based on their judgment of the criteria.

For example, if the subject of an evaluation is a restaurant, a judgment could be “Kay’s Bistro provides an unrivaled experience in fine dining.” Some authors evaluate fine dining restaurants by identifying appropriate criteria in order to rate the establishment’s food quality, service, and atmosphere. The examples are evidence.

Another example of evaluation is literary analysis; judgments may be made about a character in the story based on the character’s actions, characteristics, and past history within the story. The scenes in the story are evidence for why readers have a certain opinion of the character.

Job applications and interviews are more examples of evaluations. Based on certain criteria, management and hiring committees determine which applicants will be considered for an interview and which applicant will be hired.

Example Outline

Thesis: McAdoo’s is a fantastic family restaurant, offering young and old alike a great atmosphere, wonderful customer service, and a fantastic menu.

• Introduction
• Location–New Braunfels, TX
• History–old post office, restored
• Type of food
• Walking up to the restaurant–cool exterior
• Lobby–original post office doors, etc
• Tables–great decor–memorabilia from NB history
• prompt, courteous service
• refills, bread
• taking care of complaints–all you can eat lobster out–so price reduced
• land lovers
• Conclusion…If you’re ever in NB, I highly suggest stopping in at McAdoo’s and absorbing some of the great old world charm with some delicious food.

Possible “Get Started” Idea

• Evaluate a restaurant. What do you expect in a good restaurant? What criteria determine whether a restaurant is good?
• List three criteria that you will use to evaluate a restaurant. Then dine there. Afterward, explain whether or not the restaurant meets each criterion, and include evidence (qualities from the restaurant) that backs your evaluation.
• Give the restaurant a star rating. (5 Stars: Excellent, 4 Stars: Very Good, 3 Stars: Good, 2 Stars: Fair, 1 Star: Poor). Explain why the restaurant earned this star rating.

Time to Write

In this essay, you will evaluate potential obstacles to learning.  Think about the health and wellness of a college student during an international pandemic.  What do you need to be successful?  Do you have access to resources?  Are the GCC resources adequate to support the community and its students during the pandemic?

You will evaluate at least three campus resources.  Your recommendation should clearly state which of the resources should be maintained, which should be improved,  and which might be eliminated, if any.

Purpose:  This assignment will demonstrate the understanding of how to do a thorough evaluation of an approved topic. Students will review the complex elements of the topic they have chosen. Evaluative essays call for the writer to assess a subject in light of specific and explicit criteria and to make a judgment based on the assessment.

Task: This assignment evaluates a campus resource.

Write an Evaluation Essay. For this essay, you will choose a clear topic, give a reason for the evaluation, use description and categorization, create evaluation criteria, use concrete evidence and demonstrate the “why” of your position.

Possible Topics

Some topics to consider are listed here:

• Center for Learning
• Writing Center
• Math Solutions
• High Tech 1
• High Tech 2
• GCC Counseling and Career Services
• Fitness Center

Key Features of an Evaluation:

• Describe the particular phenomenon or work in a way that the rhetorical audience will understand and value.
• Present the criteria on which the phenomenon or work is to be evaluated clearly, persuasively, authoritatively, and often in an order indicating importance. Criteria can be categorized into three groups: necessary (crucial but not enough to meet your overall assessment), sufficient (meeting all of your minimum standards, including the necessary ones), and accidental (unnecessary but an added bonus to the necessary and sufficient criteria).
• Include concrete evidence and relevant examples from your personal experience and research illustrate the ways (usually in the form of assertions) the phenomenon does or does not meet each evaluative criterion. These fair and balanced assertions support the thesis statement.
• At least three (3) sources on the Works Cited; these could be from your personal experience, college web pages, public health information, or sources related to quality college resources.
• Articulate a clear argument (usually in the form of a thesis statement) about whether or not the object or phenomenon meets the criteria on which it is being evaluated.
• Demonstrate an ethical approach to the process.

Key Grading Considerations

• A clear reason for the evaluation
• Use of description
• Categorizing
• Clear evaluation criteria
• Concrete evidence & Examples
• A clear argument presented (Thesis)
• The establishment of ethos  (balanced argument)
• Secure closure to the argument (conclusion)
• Three (3) sources minimum
• Key Features are included
• One inch margins
• Typed and double-spaced
• The heading is double-spaced on the left side of the page (includes name, my name, class, date)
• Upper right-hand corner has last name and page number (EX: Dewey 1)
• The font is Times New Roman, size 12
• The title is original and is centered one line under the heading
• Works Cited page lists outside sources in MLA format
• Descriptive Language
• Correct, appropriate, and varied integration of textual examples, including in-text citations
• Limited errors in spelling, grammar, word order, word usage, sentence structure, and punctuation
• Good use of academic English
• Demonstrates cohesion and flow
• Works Cited page has hanging indents and is in alphabetical order by author’s last name

Attribution

• Content Adapted from “Five Characteristics of an Evaluative Essay” from The Worry-Free Writer by Dr. Karen Palmer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
• Content Adapted from Susan Wood, “Evaluation Essay,” Leeward CC ENG 100 OER,  licensed under the  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
• Original Content contributed by Christine Jones “Time to Write” licensed under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

English 101: Journey Into Open Copyright © 2021 by Christine Jones is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Academic Language: Language for evaluating

• Academic Vocabulary
• Cautious Language
• Language for evaluating
• Sentence structure
• Word families & Collocation

Academic language for evaluating

In academic writing we have to show that we do not accept without questioning the ideas or concepts in the texts we read, but that we evaluate points or ideas in these texts.

Evaluation in academic writing requires us to analyse the points, ideas or topics in academic texts and to discuss their relevance, effectiveness or application to the topic/s we are writing about. Evaluation is key to critical writing because it allows us to show that we question, understand and analyse what we read.

We can evaluate an issue or idea by interpreting it and commenting on its relevance, effectiveness, significance, limitations, implications, etc.

On this page you will find;

Types of evaluative language

• Help on bringing your own voice
• Effectiveness
• Limitation or weakness
• Significance of evidence

We can evaluate the effectiveness of an argument or intervention using phrases such as: 

• the approach has been successful in...
• the intervention has proven effective in...
• the results demonstrate the efficacy of the intervention
• the approach has potential to improve...

“Truth is demoted to current understandings of the world, based on the available evidence and resources we possess. This view, which problematises uncritical acceptance of truths and current understandings, is helpful when we consider the impact of changes to social life.”

“Also relevant to changing student populations is Harris and Brampton’s (2003) suggestion that postmodern paradigms are important for an understanding of the debates about language, ethnicity and race because they highlight tensions in the way different people experience the world.”

We can show how strongly our views are aligned with or against an idea using phrases such as:

• strong evidence suggests that...
• there is substantial evidence to support...
• the evidence is convincing
• the data is consistent with...
• the results are statistically significant

“In his analysis of students in French HE institutions, Bourdieu (1997) convincingly argued that working-class students were less successful (Thomas 2002) not because they were of inferior intelligence or not gifted, but because the curriculum was `biased in favour of those things with which middle-class students were already familiar’ (Robbins 1993, p. 153).”

“One of the most serious effects of deficit thinking is that it strengthens stereotypes in the minds and thought of educators, policy makers and students themselves.”

“In essence, deficit thinking allows generalisations about student ability to be made, and supports a laziness to grapple with the complex issues around student difficulties. In the process, people who are already disenfranchised are labelled and further stigmatised.”

“In highlighting the political meaning and historical relevance of absences or silences, Cooper offers an astute revision of historical memory and an insightful analysis of France’s fundamental political and philosophical paradoxes.”  

We can evaluate limitations or weaknesses in the evidence or arguments using phrases such as:

• one limitation of this study is...
• this argument is weakened by...
• the evidence presented is limited by...
• there are inconsistencies in the data
• the methodology used in this study has limitations

“Media coverage of this phenomenon, readers’ heated responses to media coverage, and existing research literature around Chinese students’ experiences tend to centre around challenges students face in the USA without adequate exploration of how external sociocultural contexts and histories shaped students’ experiences (Abelmann and Kang 2014). This creates an incomplete understanding of Chinese students’ experiences in the USA and inadvertently perpetuates a stereotype that the students are incompetent and deficient.”

“One problem with this binary view of good-bad language or good-bad writing is that a variety of ‘problems’ within an educational setting are sometimes misdiagnosed as language problems, whereas I found issues affecting the practice of writing to be more complex.”

“This deficit position tends to view literacy practices as neutral and objective, and one further consequence of this perspective is that there has been a focus on what is referred to as "strong text" conceptions of literacy characteristics (Meacham 2000, p.181) which rarely acknowledge a reliance on culture or diversity in terms of sociolinguistic, historical or political context.”  

We can evaluate the significance of the evidence or argument by using phrases such as:

• this is a significant finding because...
• this study contributes to the field by...
• this evidence has important implications for...
• this result is consistent with previous research on the topic

“In seeking to use crisis as a term of analysis, Hay (1999, p.318) argued for the concept to be re-defined, indeed more closely defined, in order to differentiate between ‘a punctuated or step-wise periodisation’ in accounting for socio-political change and the ‘more incremental and evolutionary understandings of the process’ (ibid.). This understanding is critical; for in setting the conceptual parameters for the periodisation of crisis it thus becomes possible to define the opening and closing of the crisis period, and to contain the analysis of federal dynamics within a time frame."

“E. H. Carr profoundly adds to the debate on the immanence of crisis in International Relations theory at the world analysis level, and also reflects his knowledge and understanding of the Marxist approach to International Political Economy in his analysis of the sources of crisis and conflict.” 

“In the seminal ‘Twenty years’ Crisis’, Carr challenges the utopian direction of International Relations  in the interwar years from a realist perspective, grounded in critical thought.”

“Of more direct salience to the thesis’s conceptualising of crisis is their link of the ‘scope and nature of the crisis’ (ibid.p.18) and their focus on ‘accountability and learning processes’ (ibid.).”  

We can evaluate and compare different arguments or pieces of evidence using phrases such as:

• in comparison to...
• on the other hand...
• when compared to...
• in contrast...
• conversely...
• there is a significant difference between...

“Our conceptualisation of racial macroaggressions is different from many other scholars who define racial macroaggressions as the overt, ‘large scale’ (i.e. state) acts of racism experienced by People of Color (Gildersleeve, Croom, and Vasquez 2011; Smith et al., 2007a).” “We argue that the terms ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ should not define acts of racism as subtle or blatant. In fact, Pierce (1974) makes a similar argument about the limitations of terminology when he stated, ‘[t]hese problems are only micro in name, since their very number requires a total effort that is incalculable’.”

“We concur with Pierce that we are limited by the terms we use to describe the complexities of racism and the harm they can cause. We certainly do not intend to depreciate everyday racism by using the term micro. To the contrary, we would agree with scholars like Dumas (2014) who argue that microaggressions are in fact a form of ‘everyday suffering’ that have become socially and systemically normalised and effectively minimised.”

“National cultural labels are sometimes applied less critically by some from the field of intercultural communication and management (see Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars 1993; Hofstede 1980). Indeed, for this reason, Norton (2000) prefers to avoid definitions of cultural identity framed by a sense of a shared group or language because of the tendency for this to become fixed and the potential for it to become essentialist. This is an important point and Norton concedes the term can and ought to be understood in a more flexible way.”

Bringing our own voice

• Expressing your own voice
• Ways to express our voice

We can show our position towards ideas discussed in our writing by replacing the over-used ‘according to’ in our writing with a range of evaluative adjectives and adverbs that indicate what we think of other writers’ views.

Example 1:  “Atkinson is misguided when he inaccurately claims that students need . . .” 

We can show our position with regard to the points of view or evidence that we have presented by using a combination of precise verbs, hedging and other evaluative language . 

Example 2:  “Furthermore, it appears that Friedman may have overlooked some key data when he raises the possibility that . . .”

We can show how confident – or not – we are with regard to our position through the use of hedging / cautious language , such as may, might or could  

Example 3:  “The investigations to date may indicate a fundamental flaw in this approach."

You can be more confident through the use of intensifying language as certainly, definitely or must.

Example 4: “The findings certainly show a need for more research on this topic . . .”  

Evaluation in academic writing allows us to show our voice (our view on the topic). Voice can be expressed through:

• Presenting a position
• Presenting a position and developing/defending/supporting it. 
• Presenting counter evidence and making an argument against it.
• Identifying a gap. 
• Hedging/more assertive language (show your contribution by commenting on the strength or weakness of a point).
• Avoiding overuse of according to, strengthening your argument with an adjective/adverb that indicates your position.
• Using active verbs.
• Giving your opinion/evaluation of what other writers claim - showing confidence in your own position.
• Relating one text to another.
• Critically commenting/concluding.  

Further Reading

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• Last Updated: Aug 21, 2023 3:54 PM
• URL: https://libguides.uos.ac.uk/academic-language

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Analytical Essay vs. Evaluative Essay

What's the difference.

Analytical essays and evaluative essays are both types of academic writing that require critical thinking and analysis. However, the main difference between the two lies in their purpose and focus. Analytical essays aim to break down a topic or issue into its component parts and examine them in detail, often without providing a judgment or opinion. On the other hand, evaluative essays require the writer to assess and judge the value or quality of something based on specific criteria. While analytical essays focus on understanding and explaining a topic, evaluative essays focus on making a judgment or evaluation of it.

Further Detail

Introduction.

When it comes to academic writing, two common types of essays that students often encounter are analytical essays and evaluative essays. While both essays require critical thinking and analysis, they have distinct differences in terms of their purpose, structure, and approach. In this article, we will compare the attributes of analytical essays and evaluative essays to help students understand the unique characteristics of each type of essay.

An analytical essay is a type of essay that requires the writer to analyze a topic, idea, or text and present an argument or interpretation based on evidence and reasoning. The goal of an analytical essay is to break down the subject into its component parts and examine how those parts contribute to the overall understanding of the topic. On the other hand, an evaluative essay is a type of essay that requires the writer to assess the value or worth of a particular subject, such as a book, movie, or piece of art. The writer must provide a judgment or opinion based on criteria and evidence to support their evaluation.

The purpose of an analytical essay is to explore and understand a topic in depth by examining its various aspects and components. The writer must analyze the subject critically and present a clear and logical argument based on evidence. In contrast, the purpose of an evaluative essay is to assess the quality, value, or significance of a subject and provide a judgment or evaluation based on specific criteria. The writer must evaluate the subject objectively and support their judgment with evidence and examples.

When it comes to structure, analytical essays typically follow a standard essay format with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction introduces the topic and thesis statement, the body paragraphs present the analysis and evidence, and the conclusion summarizes the main points and restates the thesis. Evaluative essays also follow a similar structure but include an additional section for the evaluation criteria and judgment. The writer must clearly define the criteria used for evaluation and provide a judgment based on those criteria.

The approach to writing an analytical essay involves breaking down the subject into its component parts and analyzing each part in detail. The writer must use critical thinking and reasoning to examine the subject from different perspectives and present a coherent argument. In contrast, the approach to writing an evaluative essay involves assessing the subject based on specific criteria and providing a judgment or evaluation. The writer must use evidence and examples to support their evaluation and justify their judgment.

The tone of an analytical essay is typically objective and formal, as the writer is expected to present a logical and reasoned argument based on evidence. The focus is on analysis and interpretation rather than personal opinion or judgment. In contrast, the tone of an evaluative essay can be more subjective and opinionated, as the writer is required to provide a judgment or evaluation of the subject based on their own criteria and perspective. The writer's voice and opinion are more prominent in an evaluative essay compared to an analytical essay.

In conclusion, analytical essays and evaluative essays are two common types of academic writing that require critical thinking and analysis. While both essays share similarities in terms of structure and approach, they have distinct differences in terms of purpose, tone, and focus. Analytical essays focus on analyzing a topic in depth and presenting a logical argument based on evidence, while evaluative essays focus on assessing the value or worth of a subject and providing a judgment based on specific criteria. By understanding the unique attributes of each type of essay, students can effectively navigate the requirements of academic writing and produce high-quality essays.

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Evaluation Essay

Evaluation Essay - Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

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Are you unsure about what it takes to evaluate things from your perspective in an evaluation essay?

If you’re having a hard time understanding how to present a balanced assessment of the subject, worry not!  We are here to help you get through the evaluation essay writing process.

In this blog, you will learn all about evaluation essays. From the definition, writing process, topics, tips, and a lot more, you’ll learn how to write an evaluation essay effortlessly!  

Continue reading to get a better idea.

• 1. What is an Evaluation Essay?
• 2. Evaluation Essay Structure
• 3. How to Start an Evaluation Essay?
• 4. How to Write an Evaluation Essay?
• 5. How to Format Your Evaluation Essay?
• 6. Evaluation Essay Examples
• 7. Evaluation Essay Topics For College Students
• 8. Evaluation Essay vs. Review

What is an Evaluation Essay?

Let’s first understand the evaluation essay meaning, here is the standard definition:

An evaluation essay offers a value judgment or an opinion of something. It presents an overall view of a particular subject’s quality. Moreover, it provides a critical analysis and a complete evaluation of something.

What is the Purpose of an Evaluation Essay?

The main purpose of an evaluation essay is to present an opinion and evaluate a topic critically. This type of writing determines the condition, worth, or significance by careful appraisal and study.  

This essay features the writer’s opinion, but when done correctly, it does not sound opinionated. Instead, it provides the facts and evidence to justify the opinions about the essay’s subject.

To write a good evaluation essay, you need to master critical evaluation and present the evaluation in an unbiased manner. You may also discuss both the pros and cons of the subject.

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Evaluation Essay Structure

The four different ways to format and organize the evaluation essay are as follows.

1. Chronological Structure

It is a sequential organization that could be used for evaluating historical or current events. It tells how something works and assesses the effectiveness of a mechanism, procedure, or process.

2. Spatial Structure

The spatial organization structure is used for evaluating or describing art or architecture. Here, you will define one element of the artifact and spatially move to the next. 

3. Compare and Contrast Structure

The compare and contrast structure is used to evaluate or review the culinary or music genre. Here the writer evaluates a subject by comprising and contrasting it with the known subject.

4. Point-by-Point Structure

The point-by-point structure is also used for culinary and music reviews. But, in this structure, you describe one element and then evaluate it, describe the second element and evaluate it, and so on.

After setting the criteria and collecting evidence for strengthening your judgment, you’ll start your evaluation essay. Let’s see what are the steps involved in starting an evaluation essay.

How to Start an Evaluation Essay?

When you start writing an evaluation essay, grabbing the reader’s attention is essential. For this, hook the reader from the beginning until the end to ensure that your essay’s opening follows an engaging tone. 

Step 1. Choose an Interesting Topic

Deciding the topic and evaluation essay criteria is important. Make sure it's not just compelling and interesting, but also informative so that you can find enough material for a detailed evaluation. 

Step 2. Set the Evaluation Essay Criteria

For an evaluation essay, you have to set the criteria for evaluation first. Criteria are the standards or measures by which someone assesses the quality or value of the subject. 

Some key points to establish the criteria are:

• Identifying relevant aspects that relate to the subject 
• Defining the criteria clearly so that it is specific and understandable for readers
• Your criteria should be directly relevant to the nature of the subject
• Always consider the audience’s expectations and standards while setting the criteria
• Your thesis statement should always align with your evaluation criteria

Step 3. Collect Evidence for Your Judgment

The author’s judgment of the subject states whether the subject is good or bad. It is an overall assessment or the opinion supported by the evidence. The judgment corresponds to the benchmarks set by the author in the essay criteria. 

The evidence is a combination of supporting data and facts. Using the evidence, the author demonstrates how well the subject meets the judgment. The evidence serves as the foundation of your evaluation. 

Without providing strong and accurate evidence, you will not be able to convince the readers of your judgment. 

Step 4. Decide the Essay Structure

After that, decide on the structure that you want to follow. It can be a chronological or point-by-point structure

Step 5. Craft the Essay Outline

When you create an essay outline , evaluate what should be added and removed. If you skip this step before writing, you may lose track of what to include in your essay while you write.   

So, writing an outline for your evaluation essay is a critical step that eases your writing journey. 

Here is a sample evaluation essay outline:

Step 6. Declare Your Thesis Statement

For an evaluation essay that keeps the reader hooked from the start, opt for a catchy thesis statement . The thesis should state the main point of the evaluation. 

In the thesis statement, you should always express your stance on the subject clearly. In doing so, the readers will have a clear idea about the purpose and direction of your essay. 

Now, understand how to write an evaluation essay by following the detailed procedure mentioned below.

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How to Write an Evaluation Essay?

Here is a step-by-step guide for you to write an evaluation essay.

Step 1. Write the Introduction

The introduction is the first impression your readers will have of you, so it's crucial to make a good one. It should capture attention and excite readers, drawing them into what you have to say about this topic. 

The following are the elements that you should consider while writing the introduction:

• Start with an interesting hook statement so that you can get the reader’s attention.
• Provide background information about the topic for the reader to understand the subject
• Establish the evaluation essay thesis statement. It sets out the overall purpose of the evaluation, so make sure it is apparent and to the point

Read this evaluation essay introduction example, and you’ll understand exactly what to pen down in yours:

Step 2. Draft the Body Section

The body of the essay consists of three paragraphs. Each paragraph holds different ideas related to one another and flows smoothly from start to finish, just like how a good story should be told.

Here are the important points that must be included in the body paragraphs.

• Start with the topic sentence that presents your judgment about the topic
• Present the supporting evidence to back up the topic sentence and your viewpoint.
• Present a balanced evaluative argument to show impartiality
• Compare and contrast the subject to another subject to show the strengths and weaknesses
• Present the evaluation from multiple perspectives, while being both positive and critical
• Always use transition words between your paragraphs to ensure a smooth and coherent flow for the reader. 

Step 3. Write the Conclusion

It is the final chance to convince your reader to agree with your point of view. You’re supposed to summarize and conclude the essay. In the conclusion , you present your final evaluation of the essay. 

Keep in mind the following aspects while writing a closing paragraph of an evaluation essay. 

• Summarize the points and evaluative arguments that you made in the body section.
• Justify your thesis statement.
• Provide a concrete and secure conclusion to your argument by ultimately leaving the reader convinced by your evaluation.

Step 4. Proofread, Revise, and Edit

The final step is proofreading and editing. Always spend enough time reading your essay carefully. It will help you catch the unintentional mistakes you have made and recover them. If needed, you can also revise your essay 2–3 times.

How to Format Your Evaluation Essay?

For formatting your evaluation essay, follow the standard academic writing guidelines. You can opt for different formatting styles like APA, MLA, or Chicago. 

In general, you should stick to the below formatting guidelines: 

Font and Size:

• Use a legible font such as Times New Roman or Arial.
• Choose a standard font size, often 12-point.
• Set one-inch margins on all sides of the paper.
• Double-space the entire essay, including the title, headings, and body paragraphs.
• Create a title for your essay that reflects the subject and purpose of the evaluation.
• Center the title on the page.
• Use title case (capitalize the first letter of each major word).
• Include a header with your last name and page number in the top right corner.
• Follow the format “Last Name Page Number” (e.g., “Smith 1”).

Citations (if applicable):

• Include citations for any sources used in your evaluation.
• Follow the citation style specified by your instructor or the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago).

Counterargument (if included):

• Clearly label and present any counterargument.
• Provide a well-reasoned response to the counterargument.

References or Works Cited Page (if applicable):

• Include a separate page for references or a works cited page if your essay includes citations.
• List all sources in the appropriate citation style.

Well, the time has come to look at some great evaluation essay examples. Getting help from sample essays is always a great way to perfect your evaluation papers.

Evaluation Essay Examples

Evaluation can be written on any topic, i.e., book, movie, music, etc. Below, we have given some evaluation essay examples for students: 

Evaluation Essay Sample PDF

Movie Evaluation Essay Example

Critical evaluation Essay Example PDF

Product Evaluation Essay PDF

Source Evaluation Essay Example PDF

Employee Self-Evaluation Essay Example

How to Start A Self-Evaluation Essay Example PDF

Evaluation Essay Topics For College Students

For writing an amazing evaluation essay, the first thing that you require is an essay topic.  Here are some incredible topic ideas for college students. You can use or mold them according to your preference. 

• Artificial intelligence's impact on society: A double-edged sword?
• Evaluate the online teaching and on-campus teaching styles
• Analyze and evaluate the Real Madrid football team and their performance
• Is media a threat to cultural cohesion or a source of enrichment?
• Compare and evaluate recorded music and live performance
• Evaluate how a university's football team impacts students' personalities
• Critically evaluate a remake of an original movie you have watched recently
• Analyze how the roles of females and males changed in recent romantic movies
• Evaluate your favorite restaurant, its food, aroma, and everything
• Critically evaluate gender disparities in college majors and career choices.

Evaluation Essay vs. Review

At first glance, an evaluation essay might look like a review. But, there are some notable differences between them. See this table to see how both pieces of writing differ from each other.

To conclude, 

After reading the step-by-step guide and examples, you must have learned the art of writing a good evaluation essay. We’re confident that you’re now able to provide a balanced and effective evaluation of the topics you choose for your essay.

But writing a perfect essay is not that simple; you require a lot of practice and experience to become a good writer. That is why we are here to help you write any type of academic essay. 

MyPerfectWords.com is a writing service that offers help for all academic writing assignments. We have a team of professional writers who are experts in writing all types of essays and evaluation papers. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. what are the four components of an evaluation essay.

The four components of an evaluation essay are:

• Introduction
• Background information

2. What are the 4 types of evaluation?

The four types of evaluation are:

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53 Introduction to Evaluative Writing

Amy Minervini

by Amy Minervini

Evaluation is the process of using specific criteria in an effort to ‘judge’ the quality or effectiveness of something. We use evaluation skills every day when we decide which grocery store to shop, which restaurant to eat, which movie to go see or stream, and which product to buy off Amazon. We may even use others’ evaluations of places or products in order to make decisions. This is why review sites and apps are so popular and why people rely on reviews when buying things.

But evaluation is more akin to analysis than merely giving a preference. For example, if you wanted to know about a new restaurant that just opened in town, someone saying ‘I just didn’t like it’ is not the most helpful or effective advice. Of course, you would want to know why this person didn’t like it. Was it the quality of the food, service, portion size, temperature, or atmosphere? If the person says they didn’t like the decor, well, that might be a personal preference that is valid but it isn’t a criterion that necessarily carries weight with regard to the food or service the new restaurant provides. In other words, you want a detailed judgment or evaluation based on specific criteria, criteria that is universally meaningful to most patrons.

Evaluation can occur with many types of mediums, making it a popular mode for both informal and formal writing. The things that can be evaluated include: books, chapters, articles, films, TV shows, music, restaurants, products, speeches, poetry, plays, commercials, advertisements, and even procedures, just to name a few.

Key Characteristics

Evaluative writing generally exhibits the following:

• Puts the writer in the position as expert or trusted evaluator
• Makes a judgment about something using facts and evidence rather than feelings
• Uses specific criteria that are relevant, common, or somewhat universal
• Organizes the analysis based on specified criteria; avoids irrelevant, unnecessary, or unhelpful criteria
• Avoids being overly biased; executes evaluation with some balance

Essay Types within this Chapter

• Classification
• Comparison-Contrast

Introduction to Evaluative Writing Copyright © 2020 by Amy Minervini is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Evaluative verbs – adding sophistication to analysis

Recently, I wrote an article for TES about how an unexpected number of pupils at my school achieved grade 9s in GCSE English. It was popular and I received lots of feedback. One area that interested many people was the discussion about the evaluative verbs that top students tended to use in their writing. Traditionally, teachers of GCSE English have encouraged pupils to use analytical verbs, often pushing them for a synonym for ‘suggests’ or ‘shows’. I have an example list of my own that I’ve used for some time:

With the advent of the evaluation question on GCSE English language specifications, teachers have now placed a greater onus on ensuring their pupils use the language of evaluation to ensure that examiners can tell they are attempting to sum up the quality of a piece of writing or the technique that the writer has deployed. Often this takes the form of the ubiquitous adverb ‘effectively’ and adjective ‘effective’. For example ‘Orwell effectively portrays the unpleasant conditions for miners through his personification of the ‘roaring…machines’…’ Or ‘This is effective because ‘roaring’ implies the lethal nature of these giant machines and gives a sense of the deafening volume…’

What I find, however, is that the most successful pupils evaluate consistently, whether or not the question prompts them. In the literature exams, our highest attainers wrote about how a writer ‘ridicules’, ‘trivialises’, ‘demonises’ or how a character ‘coerces’, ‘sentimentalises’ or ‘derides’ another. I’ve tried to put together a list of the evaluative verbs pupils might typically use in their writing. This is far from definitive. And some of the verbs are only evaluative if used in a particular context. But it’s a good place to start if you wish to really stretch your top pupils:

• Criticises –  rebukes, admonishes, chastises,  lambasts, castigates, demonises, condemns
• Questions – queries, disputes, casts doubt upon, refutes, interrogates, examines, challenges, exposes, provokes
• Ridicules – mocks, trivialises, satirises, lampoons, derides, pillories, parodies, caricatures
• Celebrates – commemorates, honours, salutes, recognises, acknowledges, memorialises, lionises, fetishises, idealises, eulogises, elevates, glorifies, sentimentalises, romanticises, beautifies, deifies
• Subverts – undermines, overturns, alters, modifies, corrupts
• Accepts – welcomes, embraces, affirms, reaffirms
• internalises, externalises
• Technical terms – anthropomorphises, zoomorphises

Here are some examples of how evaluative verbs might elevate responses to a sophisticated understanding of the writer’s intention:

• Stephenson portrays Jekyll as a duplicitous character. (simple statement)
• Stephenson insinuates that Jekyll has repressed his transgressive desires, leading a conflicted dual nature. (analytical statement)
• Through his portrayal of  Jekyll’s conflicted dual nature caused by his repressed transgressive desires, Stevenson ridicules hypocritical Victorian attitudes towards sin. (evaluative statement)

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How is an evaluative academic essay structured?

This is the third of four chapters about Evaluative Essays . To complete this reader, read each chapter carefully and then unlock and complete our materials to check your understanding.   

– Introduce the possible structures of an evaluative essay

– Explain the block and point-by-point essay structures

– Provide an example introduction and body paragraph to help guide the reader

Chapter 1: What is an academic evaluative essay?

Chapter 2: How can I produce an effective evaluative essay?

Chapter 3: How is an evaluative academic essay structured?

Chapter 4: What is an example evaluative essay?

In Chapter 2 of this four-chapter reader, we discussed three important steps in the planning process of an evaluative essay that students should follow if they wish to ensure they’ve approached their topic in an effective and academic way. By using source materials , taking notes and creating tables of the most salient evaluative criteria, you should now have a clear set of arguments   both for and against your topic and have formed a stance that includes your opinions and judgements. You should now therefore be ready to begin writing, and so this chapter focuses on the common essay structure of an evaluative essay . Please note that there is not one way of writing such an essay. The following structure is, however, commonly accepted to be clear, logical and well organised.

1. The Introduction

As with all academic essays , the introduction is the first paragraph that the reader will come into contact with, and so it’s therefore necessary to provide the reader with all the information they’ll need to contextualise and prepare them for the essay. To demonstrate an effectively written introduction, let’s first look at an example background information that contextualises our question from Chapter 1: ‘Evaluate the Impacts of Global Warming’. 

The phenomenon that is often referred to as global warming was first coined in 1978 by climate scientist Alfred Sinclair. 1 Sinclair (1978 p. 95) announced to the world that the temperature of the Earth had increased by ‘half a degree in the last 30 years’. 2 Although it may not sound significant, this increase is more than the total increase of the previous 200,000 years (Mcleod, 1990). 3 The temperature has continued to rise since Sinclair’s announcement, which most scientists attribute to the significant increase in greenhouse gases that prevent solar radiation exiting the Earth’s atmosphere. 4 However, to what extent this phenomenon is going to negatively effect life on this planet is contested. 5

A logical set of background information to the topic of global warming would likely first introduce the broad topic and provide any key facts about it’s discovery and history to hook and engage the reader, as can be seen in sentences (1) and (2). After introducing the general topic (usually following a general-specific structure throughout the introduction ), the writer may then wish to include one or a number of optional elements, such as a focus on the significance of the topic (3), definitions of any key terminology or concepts (4), and perhaps a further narrowing of the topic focus in preparation of this essay’s thesis statement .

While the above elements may apply to any essay type , the next crucial step in constructing the introduction of an evaluative essay would be to include a thesis statement that outlines the specific focus and task of this essay, indicating also the writer’s stance and the criterion that will be presented and evaluated in the main body   paragraphs in the form of an outline . What’s more, because it’s common in academic writing for an evaluative essay to present both counter-arguments and arguments (positive and negative criterion), perhaps the most common way of achieving all of these features within one thesis statement would be to follow a structure similar to the following:

Although some possible benefits may occur as a result of rising temperatures such as a localised increase in plant-life, this essay argues that global warming is having a mostly negative impact. 6 The majority of evidence indicates that the consequences of climate change are not only negatively impacting the global environment, but are increasing food and water scarcity and threatening the existence of the polar ice caps . 7  

In sentence (6), the use of the dependent clause beginning with ‘although’ is one of the most effective ways for a student to include the counter-argument and argument   and essay focus within a single sentence . In this case, the use of the word ‘possible’ acts as hedging language to weaken the claim that there are positives to global warming, while similarly the use of the word ‘mostly’ indicates acknowledgement that it’s not possible for the writer to be 100% confident in their stance . Finally, sentence (7), provides the outline of this essay’s body-paragraph main ideas . The outline signposts to the reader the main arguments of the essay in the same order that they will be presented in the body section .

2. The Body Section

The aim of the body section   of an evaluative essay   is to coherently and concisely   present convincing evidence both for and against the topic of the essay   while maintaining the clarity of the overall writer stance . How the body section is structured may be quite varied, but judging by our outline   as presented previously, our example essay on global warming follows what’s known as a block structure . As can be seen in the following table, a block structure usually deals first with the counter argument and then provides the main arguments of the essay in the subsequent body paragraphs

Please note here that to create a sophisticated argument, it’s also important for the writer to provide concession and rebuttal , in which certain aspects of the first paragraph’s counter argument are agreed with (conceded to) before a rebuttal of that same argument is provided in the form of opposing evidence.

However, the block structure is not the only structure a student could follow for an evaluative essay body section. With a point-by-point structure, instead of simply providing one counter argument , a connected concession-rebuttal and argument and perhaps two additional arguments, the writer could provide counter argument, concession-rebuttal and argument for each of the essay’s main ideas, as is shown in the following structure:

Whichever structure you decide to follow or manipulate, it’s important in an evaluative essay that only one or (maximum) two main idea are explored within each paragraph. Having too many ideas and arguments will very likely weaken the claims made in that paragraph as there will be little room for a student to develop their argumentation or provide convincing supporting details .

To make the body section of an evaluative essay   somewhat clearer for you, we’ve deconstructed the first body paragraph from our example evaluative essay on global warming below:

One commonly highlighted positive impact of global warming is the possible increase in plant-life in cold regions of the planet. 8 Butler (2017) argues that by 2030 there will be 8% more arable land available in areas that have historically been too cold for agriculture. 9 For example, uninhabited parts of Siberia may become more likely to have wide expanses of fertile and farmable land. 10 White (2018) claims that regions such as Siberia could experience an agricultural boom, and that climate change in this respect may encourage different migration patterns for both humans and animals. 11 From this perspective, global warming is not necessarily a threat to humanity and the Earth. 12 Similarly, Jenkins (2013) suggests that the arctic tundra will see an increase in plant reproduction, which will almost certainly result in new species emerging within that region. 13 However, scientists such as Jenkins also acknowledge that the regions to which they are referring are often those which ‘do not receive a significant amount of sunlight’ (White, 2018, p. 09). 14 Therefore, in terms of agricultural land, these areas cannot be considered a viable option to replace current land. 15 Ultimately, the argument that global warming will provide life new opportunities is not yet well developed. 16

For more guidelines on how to structure an evaluative essay , continue studying with Chapter 4. In our final chapter on this topic, we provide a complete five-paragraph essay that critically evaluates the impacts of global warming on our planet. Once you’ve finished this short reader, you may then wish to check your overall comprehension of this topic by unlocking and completing our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets.

To reference this reader:

Academic Marker (2022)  Evaluative Essays . Available at: https://academicmarker.com/essay-writing/essay-types/evaluative-essays/ (Accessed: Date Month Year).

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Once you’ve completed all four chapters about evaluative essays , you might also wish to download our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets to test your progress or print for your students. These professional PDF worksheets can be easily accessed for only a few Academic Marks .

Our evaluative essays  academic reader (including all four chapters from this topic) can be accessed here at the click of a button.

Gain unlimited access to our evaluative essays  beginner worksheet, with activities and answer keys designed to check a basic understanding of this reader’s chapters.

To check a confident understanding of this reader’s chapters, click on the button below to download our  evaluative essays   intermediate worksheet with activities and answer keys.

Our evaluative essays  advanced worksheet with activities and answer keys has been created to check a sophisticated understanding of this reader’s chapters. 

To save yourself 5 Marks , click on the button below to gain unlimited access to all of our evaluative essays  readers and worksheets. The All-in-1 Pack includes every chapter on this topic, as well as our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets in one handy PDF.

Click on the button below to gain unlimited access to our Evaluative Essays   teacher’s PowerPoint, which should include everything you’d need to successfully introduce this topic.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Evaluative Stances in Persuasive Essays by Undergraduate Students: Focusing on Appreciation Resources

Sook Hee Lee obtained her PhD in TESOL from the University of Sydney in Australia in 2006. She is currently working at Charles Sturt University Study Centre in Sydney as Student Support Coordinator. Her main research interests include the areas of functional grammar, evaluation, and interaction in essay writing, assessment, and intercultural rhetoric. Her recent book-length publication is Principles and Practice of Oral Communication: An Application of Appraisal Theory to Casual Conversation (2014, Cranmore Publication).

This paper compares high-graded essays to low-graded essays written by undergraduate students in Australia. The comparison is made in an attempt to identify the extent to which the use of the evaluative language termed “ appraisal” contributes to their academic success. The appraisal theory has emerged from a further refinement of interpersonal meaning within a systemic functional linguistics (SFL) framework. The category applied is one of the appraisal systems which is Attitude . A particular focus of the category is on Appreciation , a subsystem of Attitude . The Appreciation is concerned with evaluating things, entities, a text, products, or processes. Therefore, Appreciation is the most dominant Attitude expressed in academic discourse. Its expressions are very field specific. In the process of applying the Appreciation categories in academic discourse, some extensions and reworking of the categories were required. One extension is in Valuation categories which is a subsystem of Appreciation . This fine-tuning of aspects of the theory has enabled subtle but important differences to emerge in the kinds of evaluations expressed. Theoretical contributions and pedagogical implications for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course will be discussed.

About the author

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