A student recently e-mailed me with this question: “What does it take to get an A?” Here’s my reply.
I admire and respect the fact that you want to improve. If you’re following the guidelines on Carmen for writing a good review, then you’re on the right track.
Writing in a professional tone will greatly help your grade. While we are looking for original opinions in your critique, it shouldn’t be full of personal anecdotes written in a casual tone. We do grade for grammar and spelling, so if you have a lot of little mistakes, they’ll count against you. Be sure to proofread your writing or have a friend proofread it before handing it in.
Critical thinking skills are also important in your critique. Use the article you reviewed as the basis for a thought experiment, and try playing out a “what if” scenario in your mind. We love to see students who not only elaborate on the article, but exhibit some original thoughts of their own.
After all that, you might get an A-.
Getting an A is admittedly difficult. It’s not enough to hit all the notes. At that level, we’re looking for the kind of writing that really “sings”. It’s a subjective evaluation based on how effective your writing is. It has to be clear, concise, and convincing. Or to put it another way, it’s gonna have to rock my world a little bit.
I’m happy to look over a rough draft and offer suggestions before Wednesday. I also encourage you to use the OSU Writing Center. It’s a great resource that’s easy to use and totally free. Let me know if you have any other questions. I’m looking forward to reading your next review.
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