critical evaluation essay outline

8/12/2019 Critical Evaluation Essay Outline

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Critical Evaluation Essay Outline

This is the structure most typical. Read various reviews and articles and evaluations

found through research to determine the structure that best fits your own subject. All of

the points here need to be addressed, but there are variations in order.

Introduction

Present the Subject. Write a paragraph introducing the subject to the reader by 1)

ver!viewing the "big!picture# of your subject, its influence on people, why it$s

important to evaluate, and %) &stablish the evaluative criteria you will be using to

prove your thesis.

Thesis: Your Judgment on the Subject. Write your complete thesis statement,

which includes your judgment and reasons for support. The reasons are your

judgments on the evaluative criteria you have identified to evaluate your subject.'se the word "because# to connect your judgment to your reasons.

&(ample The films of *evin +mith, from ler-s through ay and +ilent /ob+tri-e /ac-, should be avoided because the humor is sophomoric, the language

offensive, and the dialogue crowded with unintelligible pop!culture references.

Body o !rgument

"eason One

#irst Criteria. +tate, as a topic sentence, your judgment on the first evaluativecriteria, and use appropriate transition words0phrases to move from thesis to first

reason. Also, restate the wording of the first reason so it doesn$t simply copy thereason as you stated it in the complete thesis. &(ample "The first reason to avoid

*evin +mith$s movies is the low!brow humor.#

Su$$ort or "eason One: Te(tual support, uotations, e(amples, e(pert

authorities, cases, statistics, comparisons to similar subjects, analogies

2comparisons to somewhat related subjects).

!ddress objection% and reute&

Arguments are always strengthened when the writer addresses opposing reasonsto his0her own through fair and thorough paraphrase, summary and uotation,

including the e(act reasoning the opponent intended. 3t shows confidence.

"eason T'o

1. Second Criteria. +tate, as a topic sentence, your judgment on the second

evaluative criteria, and use appropriate transition words0phrases to move from

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thesis to first reason. Also, restate the wording of the first reason so it doesn$t

simply copy the reason as you stated it in the complete thesis. &(ample "Another

reason to avoid *evin +mith$s movies is not only the low!brow humor, but alsothe offensive language used to "be funny#.

Su$$ort: Te(tual support, uotations, e(amples, e(pert authorities, statistics,analogies 2comparisons to related subjects).

!ddress objection% and reute&

"eason Three&Repeat above.

Conclusion

"estate thesis and $remises4 alter the wording so that this is not merely a copy

of the complete thesis in the introduction. 5a-e a recommendation6

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How to analyse a case study

Step 1: Get a general impression

Which organisations and industries/sectors does it relate to?

Is the organisation doing well or badly and how has it performed in the past? Is it an

organisation that has an unbroken record of success or has it fallen on hard times?

Look at the development of the organisation over time. What strategies has it

pursued? Which have succeeded and which have failed? How successful has the

organisation been and on what bases do you know?

What are your initial impressions of the main issues and choices confronting the

organisation? Is it in an epanding industry/sector! or a maturing one? "re customer

needs changing? #oes the organisation confront a variety of opportunities? $r is there

a particular strategic issue which the case is oriented towards?

What information is there in the case as tables and annees?

Step 2: Start to analyse seriously

First! with regard to its environment%

o Which are the types of environment where it has been able to succeed! and inwhich types has it had problems?

o What have been and are likely to be the key drivers in the macro environment

that may give rise to changes that could provide opportunities or give rise to

threats?o What is the nature of the competitive environment?

Second! get insights about the organisation itself%

o What kind of strategic resources does the organisation have and which does

it lack?o &hink about which of these have provided advantage over competitors' or

could provide competitive advantage.o #raw these analyses together by considering in what ways the organisation

has strengths or weaknesses greater than competition.

(o you will have built up a picture of the relative strengths! weaknesses! opportunities and

threats )(W$&* for the organisation.

Third! look at issues about the organisation+s stakeholders. What are their

epectations? "re they similar or in conflict? Who has more or less power and

influence over the organisation+s strategy?

"nd consider the organisation+s culture. How has this influenced past strategies and is

it likely to influence future strategy or constrain attempts to change strategy?

,eware of regarding different frameworks of analysis as distinct and separate' they

relate to each other. -or instance! the results of a value chain analysis could be put in

the contet of data from a (&L and 01-orces analysis and are likely to provide

more insight if they are.

ull together your analyses and ask% 2What are the ma3or issues that future strategy

needs to address?4 In all of this consider what information is there in all the tables! annees and

appendices? What are they and how do they relate to and inform the 5uestions above?

Step 3: Develop and Evaluate Strategic ptions

6se the results of these analyses as a starting point for developing strategic options.

7ou will have begun to think of what the organisation might do during your analyses.

8ote these down.

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,ut don+t 3ust rely on these. 9enerate more systematically other options by using

some of the frameworks in part III! in particular chapter :! of ploring ;orporate

(trategy for eample a &$W( matri builds on a (W$& analysis that you have

carried out' and chapter : provides checklists of generic strategic options.

valuate the options by asking the following 5uestions%

o Which are most suitablein terms of the strategic position of the organisation'

ie the strengths and weaknesses it has and the opportunities and threats itfaces?

o Would a strategy! if followed! achieve competitive advantagefor the

organisation and provide bases for the sustainability of such advantage?o Which are most likely to be acceptablein terms of the epectations of ma3or

stakeholders?

o Which are feasiblein terms of the likelihood of implementation% for eample in

terms of resourcing the strategy and managing change.

Step !: "usti#y your conclusions with re#erence to the case

critical evaluation essay outline

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