An important part of developing an evaluative or critical essay is establishing clear criteria. What are criteria, and why are they important in a critique or evaluation?
What are some other general types of evaluations that we read regularly? Restaurant reviews? Car comparisons?
Do you "do your homework" before making a purchase? In other words, do you read critiques and evaluations on several similar products (digital cameras, for example) before you decide on the one you want? Do you consider consumer feedback and reviews on products? What helps you make this decision?
How do established "criteria" work in your decision-making process?
In my opinion criteria is a list of things to check, it may be ratings, or a schedule of things to do. They are important to be sure that what you are evaluating or critiquing is being done in an accurate matter. I do "do my homework" when making a big purchase especially when considering the price of things, and may go as far as looking for coupons. I like to make sure the price is equal to the quality; I learn this information by others evaluation. That is my criteria when purchasing an substantial item that helps me decide.
ReplyDeleteCriteria is what you have in mind or what are you looking for in a certain product, it has to fit you budget, style, size, color and so on. For example I like to ride bicycles, so before I got my lattes bike I went to all the stores in town I even went out of town; then I search online, look at the feedback and price, and finally I test ride a few bikes before making my decision.
ReplyDeleteCriteria are standards or rules that are always the same that people take into consideration when making some sort of decision. Criteria are often used to help weigh the pros and cons when making a decision and they allow people to gather information to develop an opinion about a product, restaurant, or service. I definitely do my research before making a significant decision, such as spending a large amount of money or time on something. I am cautious when reading consumer reviews on products because I am aware that many people only take the time to write them if they are very dissatisfied or very happy with the product. I like to read the reviews with a lot of details because everybody is different. The product may have not been satisfactory for one person in a situation, but it may be perfect for me and what I need it for. This is often the case with student opinions about professors. Not everybody learns the same way, so of course there are going to be many different opinions about teaching methods and exam styles. I generally like to try things out for myself, but when the decision is a big one, I will always look around and see what experiences others in the same situation have had.
ReplyDeleteCriteria are a list of certain points that must be met for something to be accomplished, accepted, or bought. These points are important because they help form a structured plan or ideas that are followed. I do my research when it comes to trying to find something or someone that will fit my lifestyle. When looking for technology, I do an extensive search to find reviews that will help me in making a decision. I read reviews from the official brand website, forums, first person interviews, price check online and in stores, as well as going into the stores to try out the product. Though I do consider consumer feedback and reviews, I read them with caution because each person will have different experiences with the product. If I feel that a product has majority of what I want from my criteria, I will buy it and give it a shot.
ReplyDeleteCriteria is huge when making selections. It is critical when it comes to saving time, money and stress. I sometimes do make decisions though without utilizing research. Sometimes my want outweighs my ability to go through and form a criteria to work with. I also notice about myself that when I have a desire to have a particular item, the others in the same category are irrelevant.
ReplyDeleteYes, I definitely do my homework by reading numerous reviews before buying something whether it is a perfume or a laptop. Reading reviews of professors at ratemyprof.com is also one of the things I do before signing up for classes every quarter. And in my opinion the reviews help a lot. It gives us an idea of what to expect and definitely clears a lot of questions, doubts, and concerns we may have as a first time buyer of the product or a first time consumer of the service.
ReplyDeleteCriteria are standards that people use when making decisions on certain things. For example, if I am looking to make a decision on purchasing a particular product, then I would make a list of qualities that I am looking for in that product to help make that decision. Having criteria can make decisions a lot easier.
ReplyDeleteBy definition, criteria is a standard, rule, or test on which a judgment or decision can be based. Criteria are important in an evaluation because there are many categories which contribute to the overall opinion by the evaluator. This is important in a head-to-head comparison between multiple similar items which will each have their own strengths and weaknesses and must be evaluated on an equal scale to determine the best choice. Personally, I do a lot of research before making purchase and customer reviews/feedback is used to make my final decision. The factors that contribute to making a decision are: number of units reviewed and the average review of all respondents, timing of the purchase, and price of the item.
ReplyDeleteCriteria is a standard. A decision can be based on whether or not a certain standard or criteria is met. Criteria are important in an evaluation because it may help determine whether or not a specific thing is worthy. When considering evaluations on items to be purchased, these criteria can become a very important factor. I will use purchasing a car as an example. When a person seeks a new car, there is usually a list of requirements that must be met in order to buy one. Some things people consider are cost, year of car, make and model, technology features, color, etc. Some criteria may be more important than others, such as cost. If the budget for the new vehicle is 20,000 dollars, it is not likely for the buyer to be looking into purchasing a brand new Mercedes or BMW. Other criteria may not be as important. For example, every feature sought was found within one car, the only thing different is the color of paint. People may sacrifice having the ideal color of car in order to have other features.
ReplyDeleteOther reviews that are sometimes read are on different types of computers, baby toys and furniture, movies, books, and ratemyprofessor.com.
Depending on the type of purchase, I may "do my homework". If there is an item that is going to cost me a lot of money, I will most likely look into it and compare pricing. I do consider reviews other people have written when considering a purchase.
Criteria are sets of principles and standards that make up and influence an item. An items criteria are very important because they inform people of what to expect from an item. Criteria can either be met or not, which then affects how it is critiqued.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the most common types of items that people evaluate are electronics, especially smart phones. With the large amount of smart phones being released all the time, consumers have lots of information to consider. The most common concerns of consumers regarding smart phones are price, Internet speed, and size. Movie reviews/evaluations are also commonplace.
Recently, evaluations about the performances of the Republican presidential candidates on debates are very common.
I encourage consumers to do as much homework on a product before making any purchases. I do it religiously and only after an informed decision do I decide to buy anything.
I find consumer feedback helpful in most scenarios. However, for electronics such as smart phones or laptops I seek help from professional review websites that specialize in those products. Recommendations from specialized reviewers make me more comfortable about my purchases.
Whenever I buy something, I usually check reviews for it. If it's some kind of new electronic device, I'll double check a website like Amazon, or see if there are any complaints or recalls for the product. I enjoy doing research on a potential purchase, because no one enjoys buying something expensive, and then having it malfunction.
ReplyDeleteGreat responses so far!
ReplyDeleteSo . . . What kind of "criteria" would we use in evaluating the effectiveness of a speech? How does this play into our critique assignment?
The "criteria" we use to evaluate our essays include the effectiveness of the speech: Is it direct to the point? Is it supported by facts while addressing the issue under consideration? Is the speaker believable and has he or she effectively communicated the message to the audience?
DeleteAfter checking all these factors, we can evaluate fairly and criticize the strength and weakness of the speech. In the latter case, we examine if there are any errors or fallacies in the speech. In regards to strength, we examine the effectiveness and relevance of the speech.
Good job! :)
DeleteIn order to evaluate a speech I think it is important to get some background information about the speech itself in order to see if the speech has actually been deemed effective or not. Critical reading is a must when attempting to critique. It is very easy to quickly read something over and take it for what it is. But if you are a critical reader you read it over and over, analyzing and reading between the lines in order to obtain the deeper meaning. Critiquing any writing is difficult to do, however there's a lot to learn from just critiquing another work.
DeleteA speech will be evaluated by its outcome. The speech can be considered effective if the speaker was able to successfully communicate his point to his intended audience!
DeleteExcellent, Silpa!
DeleteWhen I evaluate a speech, I try to first identify the real purpose behind what I am hearing. Are they trying to sell me something? Are they trying to get me to care about something? What is the response they want from me? Then, after I think I understand the purpose, I look at how they speak, what words they use, and how they organize their thoughts. I analyze commercials a lot, because I find the majority of them very annoying. The way they speak to me as a customer, and the assumptions they make about who I am as a person, greatly influence the likelihood that I will buy their product. Do they assume that since I am a woman I will be interested in their paper towels? Are they speaking to me through stereotypes? I will refuse to buy their products if they use cliches to sell it to me.
DeleteWhen I began the essay, I tried to understand Nixon's purpose, and then I examined the words and tone of his speech. On the surface it seemed to be an apology, but I think the real purpose was to try to remind people of all the good things he did, so maybe in the future his presidential legacy wouldn't be Watergate. He only used the word regret twice, and he always had an excuse for what he did. I think that because his words did not match up to the surface purpose, I became mistrustful, and ultimately I felt he was very insincere. I think history has shown that everyone else felt the same way, since every political scandal is suffixed by "-gate".
I've read everyone's comments and I found that most of us have the sam criteria when we search for the perfect buy. The most important thing I think was meeting our budget, as well as the quality. I think it is very important, and sometimes difficult to find the balance between the two. Customer reviews is probably something that helps make or break the deal. There is nothing better than taking the advice from someone who has already bought the item and has found the flaws or the wonders of the item. Doing a little research before a purchase is something that can help avoid an impulse buy or a waste of money. I especially do my homework when purchasing expensive items. You really can't go wrong when getting a little background info before you buy.
ReplyDeleteCriteria are a set of guidelines or a checklist to follow. Normally I use these guidelines the most when shopping, especially for a product that I'm buying for the first time. I always like to do research online. I find that the most helpful thing is reading other people's reviews on a product about how they liked it, what were the pros, what were the cons, etc. This helps me make my decision on whether or not I want to purchase something. When I set certain criteria, I know what I want and what to look for.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to doing research on an item before purchasing it I am a bit too relaxed. I might look through a few reviews but bad reviews or good reviews don't always discourage me from or incourage me to purchase the item. I think it would be beneficial for me to do a little more research on an item before purchasing it. If I did so, I would probably end up with a better product or a better deal. I do think there is such thing as over researching. A friend of mine ponders immensely over all options when shopping for anything, so much so that an ordinary grocery shopping trip seems more like a massive headache than it should. I would rather have a few good deals pass me by than create enormous stress trying to find deals.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I am not able to comment under the "Colloquialisms." Wonder why?
ReplyDeleteI do not know. Make sure you're signed in, and click on the link that says Comments. If it still gives you problems, refresh your page and try again.
DeleteIf problems persist, let me know!
I was able to post under the topic. I guess my laptop was just being weird that day. Anyway, thanks for the reply!
DeleteGreat responses in this thread! I love the way you all think.
ReplyDeleteThese speeches are interesting to me because if I was hearing them back then, as a member of the audience, I would be analyzing them based on whether or not they were accurate and honest. I would also be thinking about the appeals and strategies that the speaker was using in his attempt to persuade me.
Now, hearing them (or reading them) years later, I am still looking at the accuracy and honesty, but I'm also thinking about how their actual audiences responded and whether or not the strategies worked. Because now time has passed and we can see these things. We can see what happened to the careers and families of the speakers. We can see what other critics had to say. We can see multiple perspectives and common trends.
So how we apply our evaluative "criteria" depends somewhat on how we're reading the speech. Would you agree?
So true! Because no matter how good the speech was or reliable the person who made the speech, often we tend to draw our attention to things that we want to hear.
ReplyDeleteI believe, sometimes, our criteria could be different from the speaker's point of view leading to some form of misunderstanding. We tend to be judgmental whenever we d not find what is in our criteria. This does not mean that we should not judge. In some cases, we see clearly that the speaker wants to have it both ways, that is, asking an apology without going far enough.