What is a critical response paper?

A critical response paper is a response to a work we have read in class.  Though they are critical, they are also informal responses that you can relax in.  Responses all focus on the essay you have read and what worked and didn't work in it.  Explain in the response why you felt the essay was successful or not successful.  What could have been done to improve it?  What is particularly spectacular about it?

Each critical response paper must be 1-2 pages in length, and you must write 10 passing critical response papers by the end of the semester.

Here are some ways you can respond to the essay:

Grade the essay you are responding to and defend your grade:

Every grade has a reason behind it from professors.  You can grade these essays yourself, but like your professors, explain how you came to the grade.  This gives you a clear target for your response:  argue why you graded it the way you did.

Treat it like a review:

Movie, music, video games, and other reviews all respond to a work by explaining its quality.  It does so by explaining both its good and bad sides.  You can model your response after reviews you have seen for products and media you love.

Break it down by logos, ethos, and pathos:

Breaking the work down into these three sections makes it manageable.  Does the writer appeal to your logic?  Your emotion?  Establish good character?  All of these questions are significant and can become focal points for each paragraph.

These are not the only ways you can write a critical response paper.  Since they are informal, you have room to breathe in them.  Don't just write the assignment, dare to have a little fun with it.

The best way to get a handle on response papers, however, is to take a look at some samples as well.  I am posting two samples from previous classes that responding to the same work:  William Zinsser's "Simplicity".

     Sample Paper 1

     After reading William Zinsser’s “Simplicity”, I found that it was a refreshing and well- articulated piece concerning America’s obsession with textual puffery. His words were very clear and concise, and engaging enough to maintain my interest throughout the piece. Like many of the readers mentioned in the publication, I also have a short attention span. I can therefore relate to the targeted audience Zinsser was describing. I feel as though many writers today don’t take into consideration how the times have changed. In my opinion, education isn’t as valued as it once was in previous decades. The majorities of people in a sense seem to have a shortened vocabulary and would most likely have a hard time trying to understand and decipher large colorful words. Words like that would just deter them from continuing on with a book, or even a magazine article. Zinsser, from my perspective, understands the simplistic mind set of the populations of today. In turn, his straight forward style of writing appeals to all readers.

     His use of personification in the text was thoroughly enjoyable. I found his comparison of people to “elusive creatures” to be both accurate and creative. That small comparison helped paint a picture in my mind, and gave me a better understanding of the point he was trying to make. Readers are like animals; you have to bait them within the first few pages, and reel them in or suffer the consequence of losing their interest.

Writing is a skill that needs to be honed in on, perfected, re-evaluated and some times criticized in order to progress. Thinking in depth to how your readers will interpret or even understand your writing is key to successful work, in my opinion.           

     I strongly feel as though this particular piece is useful to both new writers and even well established writers. It gives you the tools to go outside of the box, per say. Consider who is going to pick up your book. How do you want them to feel? Not only did Zinsser give the necessary tools to avoid confusion of the reader, he showed effectively how it should look with his own essay.

     Overall, I found William Zinsser and his “Simplicity” essay to be not only helpful, but intriguing. His perspective on writing is clean cut, and to the point. I would recommend this written work to others who are looking to improve upon their writing.

     Sample Paper 2

     Writing is definitely a skill that must be crafted like a blacksmith forging a sword.  A lot goes into writing; plenty of ideas, a clear sense of direction, time, and effort to name a few suggestions.  These are the sweat of your brow and as the hammer strikes, so too your pen to the paper. 

     The effectiveness of William Zinsser’s essay is defined by the writer’s flubs and antidotes he provides.  He primarily focuses on the writer’s necessity to “declutter” and offers this advice: keep it simple.  He successfully narrates two stories to elaborate on this idea.  The first is the university president’s message to the alumni as an example of cluttered verbiage. The second example was of Franklin D. Roosevelt who told his speechwriters to be more clear-cut. 

     Reflecting on my earlier analogy, Zinsser goes on to explain how a writer, with pen drawn, must battle innumerable distracting factors in order to rescue his ADHD reader.  Life as it is is demanding enough.  However, adding to those factors are addictive electronic devices and a contagious social network, making it all the more dire for a writer to be concise (short and to the point) and precise (clear and exact) for instance with use of logic and verb tenses, respectively. 

     The writer must be fully cognizant of the purpose of his writing.  Zinsser states, “the clear writer is someone clearheaded enough to see this stuff for what it is: fuzz.”  Though it is ideal to have written a book a reader just can’t seem to put down, let alone part with, it takes a lot of hard work.  The “grab,” which is what was described, is quintessential in the relationship between writer and reader. 

     With all the effort writing requires, it would be a shame to see it rolled up into a ball to be thrown by the wayside.  Zinsser states, “The writer is making them work too hard, and they will look for one who is better at the craft.”  It would be a sword through my heart should a reader drop me for another he claims to be his hero. A dirty footprint on an essay, even if it were written in two minutes, hurts the soul of its writer; therefore, a lot can be said about effort. 

     What seems to be most poignant of William Zinsser’s writing is the fact that writing does indeed take effort.  It isn’t something that comes naturally but rather something that must be developed.  Not only is a writer fighting battles to save a reader but he is in constant battle with himself to “think clearly;” be logical.  A writer also battles posers who dabble in writing.  Zinsser hypothesizes that just as quickly as the poser states, “I could write a book about that” he’d give up once the reality of a true writer’s struggle is settles in.  “If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.”