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A comprehensive guide to writing an evaluation essay – tips, examples, and techniques.

Welcome to the ultimate guide on writing an evaluation essay! Evaluating a subject, be it a book, movie, restaurant, or a piece of art, requires critical thinking and analysis. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn valuable tips and examples to help you master the art of evaluation essays. Whether you are a student working on an assignment or a writer looking to sharpen your skills, this guide will provide you with the tools you need to craft insightful and compelling evaluations.

Writing an evaluation essay involves assessing the quality, value, or significance of a particular subject based on specific criteria. It requires careful evaluation, evidence-based analysis, and a clear presentation of your findings. In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps of writing an effective evaluation essay, from choosing a topic and developing a thesis to organizing your arguments and refining your writing. By following our tips and studying the examples provided, you will be well-equipped to write a standout evaluation essay that engages and persuades your readers.

The Art of Writing an Evaluation Essay

Writing an evaluation essay requires a careful analysis and critique of a subject or a topic. To master this art, you need to develop a critical mindset and attention to detail. Here are some key steps to help you craft a compelling evaluation essay:

By following these steps and honing your critical thinking skills, you can master the art of writing an evaluation essay and create a compelling and insightful piece of writing.

Understanding the Evaluation Essay

An evaluation essay is a type of writing that assesses and critiques a particular subject, such as a movie, book, restaurant, or product. It requires the writer to analyze the subject and provide a judgment based on defined criteria. The purpose of an evaluation essay is to evaluate the subject’s quality and effectiveness, and to present a clear and coherent argument for the writer’s assessment.

When writing an evaluation essay, it is important to have a clear understanding of the subject being evaluated and to establish specific criteria for evaluation. These criteria can vary depending on the subject and the writer’s perspective, but they should be logical, relevant, and objective. The evaluation essay should also include evidence and examples to support the writer’s judgment and provide a well-rounded assessment of the subject.

Overall, the evaluation essay requires critical thinking, analysis, and effective communication skills. It is an opportunity for the writer to express their opinion and evaluation of a subject in a structured and persuasive manner.

Choosing a Topic for Evaluation Essay

When selecting a topic for your evaluation essay, it’s important to choose something that you have a genuine interest in and can thoroughly analyze. Here are some tips to help you pick the perfect topic:

• Choose a subject that you are knowledgeable about or have personal experience with.
• Select a topic that is relevant and timely to your audience.
• Pick a topic that can be evaluated objectively based on criteria.
• Consider choosing a controversial topic to spark debate and discussion.
• Ensure that there is enough information available for research and analysis.

By following these guidelines, you can find a topic that will allow you to write a compelling and insightful evaluation essay.

Structuring Your Evaluation Essay

When writing an evaluation essay, it is important to follow a clear structure to effectively communicate your assessment of the subject matter. Here are the key components of structuring your evaluation essay:

• Introduction: Start your essay with an engaging introduction that provides context for the topic and clearly states your evaluation criteria.
• Thesis Statement: Develop a strong thesis statement that presents your overall evaluation and main points.
• Criteria: Identify the specific criteria you will use to evaluate the subject. These criteria should be relevant to the topic and provide a framework for your assessment.
• Evidence: Support your evaluation with concrete examples, evidence, or data. Use specific details to illustrate your points and clarify your assessment.
• Analysis: Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the subject based on your criteria. Provide a balanced assessment that considers both positive and negative aspects.
• Conclusion: Summarize your evaluation and reiterate your main points. Offer a final evaluation that reflects your overall assessment of the subject.

By structuring your evaluation essay in a clear and logical manner, you can effectively convey your assessment to your audience and support your evaluation with strong evidence and analysis.

Tips for Writing a Successful Evaluation Essay

1. Choose a topic that you are familiar with and passionate about. This will make the writing process more enjoyable and engaging for you.

2. Clearly define the criteria that you will use to evaluate the subject. Make sure your criteria are specific, measurable, and relevant to the topic.

3. Provide evidence and examples to support your evaluation. Use facts, data, and examples to back up your claims and make your argument more convincing.

4. Use a clear and logical structure for your essay. Start with an introduction that provides context and introduces the topic. Then, develop your evaluation in the body paragraphs, and conclude with a summary of your main points.

5. Be objective in your evaluation. While it’s important to express your opinion, make sure to support it with evidence and consider different perspectives.

6. Edit and revise your essay carefully. Check for spelling and grammar errors, ensure that your arguments are well-supported, and make sure your writing is clear and concise.

Examples of Evaluation Essay

1. Movie Evaluation: “The Shawshank Redemption” is a classic film that touches on themes of hope, redemption, and friendship. The storyline, acting, and cinematography all contribute to the emotional impact of the movie. However, some critics argue that the pacing of the film is slow in certain parts, affecting the overall viewing experience.

2. Restaurant Evaluation: XYZ Restaurant offers a diverse menu, with options ranging from traditional dishes to modern fusion cuisine. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, creating a pleasant dining experience. However, some customers have complained about the slow service and inconsistent quality of food.

3. Book Evaluation: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, justice, and morality. The author’s evocative writing style and vivid characterizations make the book a compelling read. However, some critics argue that the novel oversimplifies complex issues and lacks nuance in its portrayal of race relations.

Revision and Proofreading

Once you have completed your evaluation essay, it is crucial to revise and proofread it thoroughly to ensure that it is polished and error-free. Follow these steps to refine your essay:

• Check for coherence and structure: Make sure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Check for transitions between paragraphs and ensure that your arguments are presented in a clear and organized manner.
• Verify the accuracy of your evidence: Double-check all the facts, statistics, and examples you have used in your essay to ensure their accuracy. Make sure that your evidence supports your evaluation effectively.
• Evaluate the clarity of your thesis statement: Your thesis statement should clearly state your evaluation and the criteria you are using. Make sure it is concise and specific.
• Scan for grammar and spelling errors: Proofread your essay carefully to catch any grammar or spelling mistakes. Use a grammar checker or have someone else read your essay to identify any errors you may have missed.
• Check the formatting and citation style: Ensure that your essay follows the required formatting guidelines and that your citations are properly formatted according to the citation style specified in the assignment instructions.
• Seek feedback: Ask a friend, family member, or teacher to read your essay and provide feedback. Consider their suggestions and make revisions accordingly.

By revising and proofreading your evaluation essay, you can ensure that it is well-written, coherent, and error-free, enhancing its overall quality and effectiveness.

Final Thoughts on Evaluation Essays

Writing an evaluation essay can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor. It allows you to critically assess a topic or subject and provide your own unique perspective on it. Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about or have expertise in, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and insightful.

When crafting your evaluation essay, be sure to provide a clear evaluation criteria and support your claims with evidence and examples. Use a balanced approach, acknowledging both the strengths and weaknesses of the subject you are evaluating. Additionally, make sure to structure your essay in a logical and organized manner, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

Overall, evaluation essays offer a valuable opportunity to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills. By following the tips and examples outlined in this guide, you can create a compelling and thought-provoking evaluation essay that engages readers and sparks meaningful discussions.

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16 Drafting Your Ad Analysis

Dr. Karen Palmer

Now that you have a solid outline, it’s time to start writing your ad analysis paper! Here we will work through fleshing out each part of your outline–turning your outline into a full draft.

Introduction

The first part of your paper is your introduction. You may remember from the Writing Formula chapter that an introduction consists of three main parts: the hook, the introduction to the topic, and the thesis. Let’s begin with the hook. A hook does two jobs–it connects the topic of your paper to your readers, and it attempts to capture their attention.

This video highlights some of the most common techniques for writing a good hook:

Now that you have a general idea of what a hook does, let’s focus in on the kind of hook that would be most useful for your ad analysis essay. Let’s say you are doing an analysis on that milk ad we discussed earlier in the text.

Strategy 1: Connect to the topic of the ad: milk. You could say something like, “Do you drink milk?” But…would that really draw in readers? Surely, there is a better way to grab the attention of our audience.

Strategy 2: Connect to the broader topic of advertising. Here you might say something like, “Advertisers are always trying to get our attention.” Sure, this is a broad opening to the paper, but is it really going to make anyone interested in the topic?

A good idea is to brainstorm some current events or topics that link to your ad. A brainstorming list for this milk ad could include lactose intolerance, the concept of looking at TV sitcom characters as role models, the changing role of mothers, and even the pressure placed on moms (and women in general)  to be perfect. Choose something that appeals to you and that illustrates a theme that runs through the ad. When brainstorming with my classes, we often land on the idea of perfection with this particular milk ad. It makes a compelling frame for the paper.

Introducing the topic is just that–letting readers know what the paper will be about. ie An ad for ________ located in _________ magazine illustrates this concept. Note that you need to include the specific product advertised in the ad, the name of the magazine in which the ad is located, and include a connection/transition to your hook.

Finally, the last sentence of your introduction is your thesis. Here you make your argument. While you already wrote a thesis for your outline, you want to double check that the thesis connects in some way to your hook. Our example thesis is: “The advertisers successfully persuade the consumer that milk will make them a great mom by using nostalgia, milk branding, and the image of ideal motherhood.” We might make a slight adjustment here to make the connection a bit more explicit: “The advertisers play on the desire of moms to fulfill an image of perfection by using nostalgia, milk branding, and the image of ideal motherhood.”

In the ad analysis, our background consists of two different sections: the description and the discussion of context.

Description

Remember that your audience cannot see the ad you are discussing. If you were in a room presenting to your audience, you might project an image of the ad up on a screen. Since we can’t do that in an essay, we need to describe the ad for our readers. Essentially, you want your readers to be able to draw a basic picture of your ad–or at least visualize it accurately in their minds.

This video from James Rath discussing how people with visual impairments see images on social media gives an important life reason for learning how to write solid image descriptions:

Here are some good tips for writing a description of an image:

1. Start by giving readers a one sentence overview of the ad. For our milk ad, that might be, “In this ad, three mothers from iconic sitcoms sit side by side in a beauty parlor under old-fashioned hair dryers.”

2. Determine in advance how you want readers to see the image–do you want them to look at the image left to right? Foreground to background? Clockwise? Bottom line here–don’t make readers minds jump around from place to place as they try to visualize the image.

3. Choose the key elements. You don’t have to describe every single thing in this paragraph. Tell readers who the three moms are and what show they are from. Give enough basic details so that readers know the setting is old-fashioned. Remember, you’ll be able to bring forward more detail as you analyze the ad in the body of your paper. Readers don’t need to know what color a person’s eyes are unless it’s a key part of the ad.

4. Don’t forget the text! While you should not write every word in the ad in your description, especially if there are lengthy paragraphs, you should include a brief overview of the text. ie placement, basic overview Again, you’ll be able to give specific quotes that are relevant to your analysis in the body of your paper.

5. Write in present tense!

The context of an ad really focuses on the audience of the ad. Remember that advertisers very carefully consider the audience for their product and create their advertisements to best reach that target audience. Let’s look at this from the perspective of a company looking to place an ad:

So, if an advertiser goes to this much trouble to determine the demographics of their target audience, it’s obviously important! The ad (unless perhaps it was published by an inexperienced advertiser) is not “for everyone.” An ad in Newsweek , no matter how childlike it appears, was not created for children. It was created for the audience who will purchase and read this magazine. When we do an ad analysis, we want to share similar information with our readers. What magazine is the ad placed in? What is the general focus of that publication? What kinds of articles appear in the publication? What general types of ads appear? In short, who is the audience? Of course, you can look at a magazine and get some of this information. You can also do a quick online search for the demographics of the magazine or for their media kit, which is what advertisers look at prior to purchasing advertising space to ensure the magazine is a good fit for their ad.

Now that you have the background out of the way and your audiences thoroughly understand the topic, it’s time to begin your analysis. Your thesis should have given at least three advertising strategies used in the ad. Your paper should include a paragraph for each one of those strategies.

Topic Sentence

The topic sentence should echo the wording of the thesis and clearly introduce the topic. For example, “One way the advertisers use the concept of the perfect mother to convince readers to purchase milk is by using iconic mothers from television shows.” For your next paragraph, you’d want to be sure to include a transition. For example, “Another way” or “In addition to” are both phrases that can be used to show that you are building onto your previous paragraph.

In this part of the paragraph, you want to give specific examples from the ad to support your point.

First, you should introduce the example. “The three moms from iconic tv shows are the focus of this ad.”

Next, you should give specific examples from the ad–this could be pointing out particular details about the images in the ad or quoting from the text–or both! For example, for the milk ad, you might give the specific names of the characters and the shows they are from. You might point out that every detail of their outfits are perfect. That they are wearing makeup and jewelry. That they have their wedding rings prominently focused in the image. You might also quote text, like the line from the ad that says, “Another all-time great mom line.”

Finally, wrap up your examples with a clear explanation of how the example proves your point. For example, you might say that, especially in modern times, it is very difficult for mothers to live up to the standard of perfection set by these three television moms. You might explain how causing readers to feel “less than” sets the stage for them to accept the premise that giving their children milk will make them more like these TV moms.

The wrap up for your paragraph is similar to the wrap up for the evidence provided. Here you want to reiterate your thesis in a simple sentence. For example, you might say, “Using the images of these iconic moms convinces moms that, in order to be a good mom, they must buy milk for their children.”

The conclusion of your paper is essentially a mirror image of your introduction. Think of your paper as an Oreo cookie. The introduction and the conclusion are the cookies that surround the best part–the body of the paper. Like the cookie outsides of the Oreo, the introduction and conclusion should be mirror images of each other.

1. Start with re-stating the thesis.

2. Reiterate the topic.

3. Return to your hook and elaborate.

Unlike an Oreo, the conclusion should not simply copy your introduction word for word in a different order. Try to restate your sentences in a different way. Elaborate on your hook so that you leave readers with something to think about!

 Content written by Dr. Karen Palmer and is licensed CC BY NC.

The Worry Free Writer Copyright © 2020 by Dr. Karen Palmer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Jun 29, 2023

Evaluation Essay Examples: Master the Art of Critical Assessment with Examples and Techniques

Want to turn good evaluation essays into great ones? We've got you covered with the guidance and insights you need. Join us as we delve into the art of critical assessment!

An evaluation paper's main purpose is to assess entities like a book, movie, restaurant, or product and provide constructive criticism. This writing style can be approached with serious objectivity or with humor and sarcasm. Reviewing is a common form of academic writing that serves to assess something and is often used in various fields as a research method. For example, research papers might include literature reviews or case studies, using evaluation as an analytical tool.

Evaluation reports can also take the form of analyses and critiques. A critique of a scientific study would look at its methodology and findings, while an analysis of a novel would focus on its themes, characters, and writing style. It's essential to consider your audience and your purpose before starting an evaluation document.

Evaluation papers are a versatile and meaningful writing form that can both educate and entertain audiences. Regardless of whether the tone is serious or humorous, objective or subjective, a well-written review can engage and educate.

To understand everything about evaluation essays, from their definition and purpose to potential topics and writing tips, read on.

What are Evaluation Essays?

An evaluation essay allows the author to make a claim and offer a verdict on a topic. This essay type can be used to identify the best option among several alternatives, or to analyze a specific method, product, or situation. It is a common academic task across all levels. Evaluation essays come in different forms, from online product reviews to business cases prepared by management professionals.

In contrast to a descriptive essay, an evaluation essay aims to express the author's judgment. However, this essay type is defined by an objective tone. The author's judgment should be based on careful examination of the available evidence. This differs from a persuasive essay, which seeks to convince the reader to adopt the author's point of view. An evaluation essay starts with the facts and forms conclusions based on these facts.

How to Write an Evaluation Essay?

To write an effective evaluation essay, follow these essential writing tips:

1. Select a Topic

The essay topic is crucial. It should be both educational and interesting, providing enough information to fill an entire essay.

2. Draft an Evaluation Essay Outline

Professional writers always advise creating an evaluation essay outline before writing the essay itself. This aids in writing and ensures content coherence. An outline is also easier to modify than a complete essay. Think about what should be included and excluded when designing your essay's outline. However, skipping this step and diving straight into the essay writing can create extra work later, as it can mean editing and revising the entire piece.

The general components of an evaluation essay outline include:

a. Introduction

The introduction is vital as it forms the readers' first impression. It should engage readers and arouse their interest in the topic. The aspects to consider when writing the introduction are as follows:

Begin with a compelling hook statement to capture the reader's interest.

Provide background information on the topic for better understanding.

Formulate a clear and concise thesis statement, outlining the main objective of the evaluation.

b. Body Section

The body of the essay consists of three paragraphs. Each paragraph should deliver several related ideas and flow seamlessly from start to finish. The key ideas to cover in the body paragraphs include:

Start with a sentence that presents your view on the topic.

Provide arguments that support the topic sentence and your stance.

Present a well-rounded argument to show impartiality.

Compare the subject to a different topic to showcase its strengths and weaknesses.

Present the evaluation from various angles, applying both approving and critical thinking.

c. Conclusion

This is your final chance to convince the reader of your viewpoint. The conclusion should summarize the essay and present the overall evaluation and final assessment. When composing an evaluation essay's conclusion, keep the following points in mind:

Restate your main points and arguments from the essay body.

Present evidence to support your thesis.

Conclude your argument convincingly, ultimately persuading the reader of your assessment.

3. Review, Edit, and Proofread

The final steps after writing the essay are editing and proofreading. Carefully reading your essay will help identify and correct any unintentional errors. If necessary, review your draft multiple times to ensure no mistakes are present.

Structure of an Evaluation Essay

An evaluation essay, like any good piece of writing, follows a basic structure: an introduction, body, and conclusion. But to make your evaluation essay standout, it's crucial to distinctly outline every segment and explain the process that led you to your final verdict. Here's how to do it:

Introduction

Start strong. Your introduction needs to captivate your readers and compel them to read further. To accomplish this, begin with a clear declaration of purpose. Provide a brief background of the work being evaluated to showcase your expertise on the topic.

Next, rephrase the essay prompt, stating the purpose of your piece. For example, "This essay will critically assess X, utilizing Y standards, and analyzing its pros and cons." This presents your comprehension of the task at hand.

Wrap up your introduction with a thesis statement that clearly outlines the topics to be discussed in the body. This way, you set the stage for the essay's content and direction, sparking curiosity for the main body of the work.

Body of the Essay

Dive deep, but not without preparation. Before delving into the assessment, offer an unbiased overview of the topic being evaluated. This reaffirms your understanding and familiarity with the subject.

Each paragraph of the body should focus on one evaluation criterion, presenting either support or criticism for the point. This structured approach ensures clarity while presenting evidence to substantiate each point. For instance, discussing the benefits of a product, you can outline each advantage and back it up with supporting evidence like customer reviews or scientific studies.

Ensure a smooth flow of thoughts by linking paragraphs with transitional phrases like "in addition," "moreover," and "furthermore." Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, explanation, and supporting evidence or examples for easy understanding.

Your conclusion is where you make your final, compelling argument. It should focus on summarizing the points made according to your evaluation criteria. This isn't the place for new information but rather a concise summary of your work.

To conclude effectively, revisit your thesis and check whether it holds up or falls short based on your analysis. This completes the narrative arc and provides a solid stance on the topic. A thoughtful conclusion should consider the potential impact and outcomes of your evaluation, illustrating that your findings are based on the available data and recognizing the potential need for further exploration.

Evaluation Essay Examples

Now that we've covered the structure, let's take a look at some examples. Remember, an evaluation essay is just one type of essay that can be generated using tools like Jenni.ai. This AI-powered software can produce high-quality essays on any topic at impressive speeds. Here are some ideas to kickstart your assessment essay writing journey.

Evaluation Essay: Online Teaching vs. On-campus Teaching

In the face of technological evolution, education has seen a shift in teaching styles, with online learning platforms providing an alternative to traditional on-campus teaching. This essay will evaluate and compare the effectiveness of these two teaching styles, delving into various factors that contribute to their strengths and weaknesses.

The landscape of education has transformed significantly with the advent of online learning. This essay will scrutinize and juxtapose the effectiveness of online teaching against traditional on-campus teaching. The evaluation will take into account numerous factors that contribute to the success of each teaching style, focusing on their individual benefits and drawbacks.

On-campus Teaching

On-campus teaching, the time-tested method of education, has proven its effectiveness repeatedly. The physical classroom setting provides students direct access to their teachers, promoting immediate feedback and real-time interaction. Moreover, the hands-on learning, group discussions, and collaborative projects intrinsic to on-campus teaching cultivate crucial soft skills like communication and teamwork.

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that students attending on-campus classes show higher academic performance and are more likely to complete their degrees compared to those in online classes (Bettinger & Loeb, 2017). However, on-campus teaching isn't without its challenges. It offers limited flexibility in scheduling and requires physical attendance, which can be inconvenient for students residing far from campus or those with mobility constraints.

Online Teaching

Online teaching, propelled by technological advancements and digital learning platforms, offers a compelling alternative. The most significant benefit of online teaching is its scheduling flexibility. Students can access classes and course materials from anywhere, at any time, providing a superior balance for work, family, and other commitments.

Online teaching democratizes education by enabling access for students in remote areas or with mobility challenges. The use of innovative teaching methods like interactive multimedia and gamification enhances engagement and enjoyment in learning.

Despite its numerous advantages, online teaching presents its own set of challenges. A major drawback is the lack of direct interaction with teachers and peers, potentially leading to delayed feedback and feelings of isolation. Furthermore, online classes demand a higher degree of self-motivation and discipline, which may be challenging for some students.

Both online teaching and on-campus teaching present their unique benefits and drawbacks. While on-campus teaching fosters direct interaction and immediate feedback, online teaching provides unmatched flexibility and accessibility. The choice between the two often depends on factors such as the course content, learning objectives, and student preferences.

A study by the University of Massachusetts reports that the academic performance of students in online classes is on par with those attending on-campus classes (Allen & Seaman, 2017). Furthermore, online classes are more cost-effective, eliminating the need for physical classrooms and related resources.

In conclusion, while both teaching styles have their merits, the effectiveness of each is heavily dependent on the subject matter, learning objectives, and the individual needs and preferences of students.

Citations: Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2017). Digital learning compass: Distance education enrollment report 2017. Babson Survey Research Group. Bettinger, E., & Loeb, S. (2017). Promises and pitfalls of online education. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Spring 2017, 347-384.

Evaluation essay: Analyze how the roles of females and males changed in recent romantic movies

Romantic movies have long been a popular genre, offering a glimpse into the complex and varied world of relationships. Over the years, the portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies has evolved significantly. This essay aims to evaluate and analyze how the roles of females and males have changed in recent romantic movies.

Historical Context of Gender Roles in Romantic Movies:

Gender roles have played a significant role in shaping the portrayal of romantic relationships in movies. In the past, traditional gender roles were often reinforced, with women playing the role of the damsel in distress, and men playing the role of the protector and provider.

However, over the years, the feminist movement and other social changes have led to a more nuanced portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies. Women are no longer just passive objects of desire, and men are not just dominant figures. Instead, both genders are portrayed as complex and multifaceted individuals with their desires, needs, and struggles.

Analysis of Recent Romantic Movies:

In recent years, romantic movies have become more diverse and inclusive, featuring a wider range of gender identities, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds. As a result, the portrayal of gender roles in these movies has also become more nuanced and complex.

One significant trend in recent romantic movies is the portrayal of female characters as strong, independent, and empowered. Female characters are no longer just passive objects of desire, waiting for the male lead to sweep them off their feet. Instead, they are shown to be capable of taking charge of their own lives, pursuing their goals, and making their own decisions.

For example, in the movie "Crazy Rich Asians," the female lead, Rachel, is portrayed as a strong and independent woman who stands up for herself and refuses to be intimidated by the wealthy and powerful people around her. Similarly, in the movie "The Shape of Water," the female lead, Elisa, is portrayed as a determined and resourceful woman who takes action to rescue the creature she has fallen in love with.

Another trend in recent romantic movies is the portrayal of male characters as vulnerable and emotionally expressive. Male characters are no longer just stoic and unemotional but are shown to have their insecurities, fears, and vulnerabilities.

For example, in the movie "Call Me By Your Name," the male lead, Elio, is shown to be sensitive and emotional, struggling with his feelings for another man. Similarly, in the movie "Moonlight," the male lead, Chiron, is shown to be vulnerable and emotionally expressive, struggling with his identity and his relationships with those around him.

However, while there have been significant changes in the portrayal of gender roles in recent romantic movies, there are still some aspects that remain problematic. For example, female characters are still often portrayed as objects of desire, with their value determined by their physical appearance and sexual appeal. Male characters are still often portrayed as dominant and aggressive, with their masculinity tied to their ability to assert control over others.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the portrayal of gender roles in recent romantic movies has evolved significantly, with female characters being portrayed as strong, independent, and empowered, and male characters being portrayed as vulnerable and emotionally expressive. These changes reflect the shifting social norms and values of our society and offer a more nuanced and complex portrayal of romantic relationships.

However, there are still some problematic aspects of the portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies, such as the objectification of female characters and the perpetuation of toxic masculinity. Filmmakers and audiences need to continue to push for greater diversity, inclusivity, and nuance in the portrayal of gender roles in romantic movies so that everyone can see themselves reflected in these stories.

"Crazy Rich Asians" Directed by Jon M. Chu, performances by Constance Wu, Henry Golding, and Michelle

Final Thoughts

The step-by-step guide and examples provided should have equipped you with the skills necessary to write a successful evaluation essay. However, crafting the perfect essay isn't a simple task; it demands practice, patience, and experience.

Incorporate Jenni.ai into your academic journey to revolutionize your writing experience. This advanced AI writing tool is designed to assist with a range of academic writing projects. With Jenni.ai, you can confidently tackle essays on any topic, easing your writing tasks considerably. Don't hesitate to register with Jenni.ai today ! Discover a world of writing opportunities and take your essay writing skills to new heights!

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Crafting Insightful Evaluation Essay: Tips and Techniques

Table of contents

• 1 Defining Evaluation Essays
• 2 Choose a Subject for Evaluation
• 3 Develop a Clear Thesis Statement
• 4 Gather Information and Evidence
• 5 Establish Evaluation Criteria
• 6 Organize Your Essay
• 7 Write the Introduction
• 8 Write the Body of The Essay
• 9 Present Evidence and Examples
• 10 Address Counterarguments
• 11 Write The Conclusion
• 12 Revise and Edit
• 13.1 Easy Evaluation Essay Topics
• 13.2 Evaluation Essay Topics on History
• 13.3 Evaluation Essay Topics on Government and Law
• 13.4 Evaluation Essay Topics on Technology
• 14 Final Words & Expert Thoughts

Many students are required to write an evaluation essay during their academic career. While this task is challenging, it provides an opportunity for deeper learning. We believe that every student should understand how to write an evaluation essay to succeed with their coursework.

• We’ll start by demystifying what an evaluation essay is. We’ll outline its purpose in academic settings, highlighting how it differs from other essay types and why it’s a valuable tool for critical thinking and analysis.
• We’ll provide insights on how to choose a subject that is both interesting and suitable for evaluation.
• A well-organized essay is the key to success. In our article, we will break down the structure of an evaluation essay.

Examples for Clarity: Finally, we’ll provide examples of successful evaluation essays. These samples will illustrate the principles discussed and offer practical insights into what makes an effective evaluation essay.

Defining Evaluation Essays

Evaluation essays are a type of academic writing that provides value, quality, and effectiveness of a given topic. Every student must follow set criteria and provide evidence supporting their opinion.

Furthermore, an evaluation essay should always present facts and opinions in a clear and formal tone. Of course, any student can buy a custom essay , but every student should know how to plan and write one correctly for success. The first step is to choose a subject.

When it comes to choosing a subject for an evaluation paper, students have many options to choose from.

This includes:

• Movies & television shows
• Performance of sports teams
• Restaurant review
• Comparisons

Choose a Subject for Evaluation

If you’re looking for ideas, consider pulling inspiration from your experiences or interests. You can also get ideas from current events and media.

Moreover, once you begin brainstorming ideas, you should narrow your options to choose the best topic. Ideally, you should choose a subject that’s equally interesting and suitable for evaluation. Start by reviewing topic ideas related to your main area of study.

Compare different ideas that interest you. Start asking questions that your target audience would have on your subject. Narrow your choice to what you believe would be the most interesting to study and write about.

In addition, some examples that would make an interesting evaluation subject include:

• Learning on campus vs online learning
• Your evaluation of the most recent movie or television show you’ve watched
• How social media affects modern relationships
• Availability of athletic programs in your area
• Comparison of restaurants or coffee shops in your area

Develop a Clear Thesis Statement

Every evaluation essay needs a thesis statement. In this statement, the writer will cover evaluation criteria and an overall judgment. It’s essential that the purpose of the evaluation is clearly stated.

First, be specific by keeping the thesis statement short and sweet. It doesn’t need to be a paragraph filled with real-life information. Instead, it should be a concise sentence encouraging the reader to continue reading. Here are some excellent examples of thesis statements:

• “This cafe brews coffee beans provided by a local source, and they became popular for having the largest selection of latte flavors in the city.”
• “The gore and effects in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie may be outdated, but the tension and horror in the film still hold up for today’s audience.”
• “Minecraft continues to be one of the best-selling video games because players enjoy the creative freedom they have in the open world and connecting with other players online.”

Gather Information and Evidence

An important step of evaluation essays is to gather information and evidence. You will want as much information and relevant examples as possible to support your essay.

In any case, experienced writers will provide as many sources as they can find to support their argument. This helps the writer establish credibility and also helps the reader discover where they can find more information on the topic.

So, you might be wondering what type of sources you can use for crafting an evaluation paper. Students may use any of the following sources to provide evidence for their evaluation:

• Books: choose books that have been written by experts on the subject that you’re evaluating.
• Online resources: students can find credible information online from reputable sources and government websites.
• Magazines and newspapers — print media is an excellent source to use for current events and opinions.
• Interviews: you can interview an expert in the field your essay is in. This includes in-person, over-the-phone, email, or live chat interviews.
• Opinions from credible sources: these opinions can be accessed using any of the sources listed above.

Establish Evaluation Criteria

Every writer must follow set criteria to write an interesting and well-structured essay. As mentioned above, the thesis statement is significant. This is because it’s a clear and descriptive way to present the topic.

Finally, every good evaluation essay must include the following specific criteria:

• Assertion of the writer’s overall judgment based on supporting evidence.
• Responses to counterarguments that a reader could make on the evaluation. The writer should introduce a balanced argument so their judgment makes sense to readers.

Organize Your Essay

Another crucial aspect of evaluation criteria is to display a well-structured essay. Before writing an evaluation essay, you should always plan the organization.

The entire  outline for the essay should remain focused. Once complete, the final evaluation paper should be organized, developed, and maintained a specific style. Every paper should include the following in a detailed evaluation essay outline:

• Introduction: introduce your subject with a topic sentence that grabs readers’ attention and inspires them to keep reading.
• Body: this will contain all of the key information that supports your evaluative argument and counterarguments.

Conclusion: this is where you can summarize the key points made throughout the evaluation essay and add any other relevant points.

Write the Introduction

The introduction is the first impression of your essay. Every paragraph of the essay should start with a topic sentence that introduces what the essay will be about. Always aim to write a topic sentence that’s engaging so the reader immediately establishes interest.

Basically, every student should aim to craft an attention-grabbing hook that sparks the reader’s interest. Here are a few good evaluation essay introduction example topic sentences for your evaluative essay:

• One of the growing concerns of parents in recent years is the effects of social media on their teen’s mental health.
• The quality of customer service a patron receives in restaurants and retail establishments is a crucial factor in their experience.
• Older films get lost on the younger generation for outdated graphics and dialogue, but many of them address topics that are very relevant to today’s society.

Evidently, we understand that crafting a good introduction can be intimidating. The intro can make or break the reader’s interest. Some ways to make your introduction effective are by stating an exciting or unknown fact, asking a rhetorical question, or mentioning an interesting story about the subject.

Write the Body of The Essay

The body paragraphs of your evaluative essay hold the most weight. After all, this is where you will present your opinions and facts. All the information you provide in this section must be relevant to your topic.

Basically, it must be presented in a structured manner. The main body should always include proper sentence structure, have a readable flow, and include all information and examples necessary to support your final judgment. It’s also important to use language that will convey your point formally and professionally.

Present Evidence and Examples

Anyone can write an evaluated essay. If you want people to take your evaluation essay seriously, you must demonstrate evidence for every point. You can use example quotes from reputable sources or citations to reference where you found the information for your analysis.

Additionally, you must cite sources for evaluation criteria to avoid accusations of plagiarism. An excellent  tip for writing essays is to create a body paragraph that’s a block quote.

By directly quoting the author (or source), you avoid any errors that could be mistaken for plagiarism. A direct quote can also give your evaluation more value in the middle of a body paragraph, and also be used to support the writer’s opinion.

Address Counterarguments

An evaluation essay is different from an  argumentative essay . When you’re writing an evaluation essay, you will not be required to include counterarguments in the evaluative thesis of the essay. However, it is a good idea for students to acknowledge different perspectives or criticisms of their topic.

In any case, one of the best ways to approach a counterargument is to provide an example of a common critic. Then, explain why that perspective is or isn’t valid to the opinion the student covered in their essay.

Write The Conclusion

The conclusion is the final area of the evaluation essay, where students can summarize their analysis and provide additional facts supporting their judgment.

Every good evaluation argument essay will answer all the reader’s questions on the subject before they reach the final sentence. The best way to do this is to make the conclusion restate the main ideas by presenting the key takeaways and wrapping the concluding paragraph with a secure closure on the research subject.

Revise and Edit

Once you have completed the evaluative writing process, you must revise and edit it before submitting it. This is how you can ensure your paper is of good quality and your opinion is clearly stated and backed up.

But before you review your work, it’s always good to give yourself a break. If you review the paper immediately after writing it, your brain might not pick up on typos and mistakes. By giving yourself a break, you can return and proofread it in a clear frame of mind.

When you proofread the evaluation essay, there are a few aspects that are critical for revision. You should always review the sentence structure, spelling, grammar, and punctuation usage in your essay. You should also check to ensure you used appropriate font, and headers and the essay is double-spaced.

Good Evaluation Essay Topics List

These subjects will encourage college and high school students, as well as professional writers, to critically evaluate present culture. These themes not only teach students important critical thinking skills, but also demonstrate how students influence and contribute to general knowledge.

• Race and Ethnicity in the United States
• Hitler was influential, determined, and strategic
• Importance of Sex Education
• Brown v. Board: Lgal Changes in Respect to Segregation
• Martin Luther King and the fight against racism in the US
• Industrialization and imperialism
• Starbucks Found in a Crisis
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• The Apparel Industry in the U.S.
• France: New Gender Equality Obligations Established

Easy Evaluation Essay Topics

Here is a list of handpicked good literature topics that will ignite your curiosity and engage your critical thinking skills. These easy topics cover a wide range of subjects and are just a few clicks away from inspiring your next masterpiece.

• How Do You Define Racism?
• Homeschooling vs Public School
• The Book is Composed of Two Sections
• Edgar Allan Poe in Romantic Literature
• Gerard Jones’ Biased Evaluation of Violence in Media
• Self Evaluation and Supervision
• Marriage in a World
• Climate Change Training Course
• The Importance of Evaluation in Counseling
• Animal Welfare, Chickens: Factory or Field

Evaluation Essay Topics on History

There are several historical evaluation essay ideas to consider. They vary from major events that affected our global culture to examining the historical veracity of “saving private Ryan.” These topics will intrigue you and give plenty of writing possibilities:

• John F. Kennedy’s Legacy
• Barack Obama’s Inaugural Speech
• Main Issues Of Border Wall
• After Civil Rights: Racial Realism in the New American Workplace
• Cold War in China, Cold War in Cuba, and Space Race
• Progressing the Civil Rights Movement with Aristotle’s Artistic Appeals
• China-Australia Free Trade Agreement
• What was the Harlem Renaissance?
• Aftershock: Beyond the Civil War Summary
• Mark Antony’s Described Julius Caesar

Evaluation Essay Topics on Government and Law

These topics cover the key characteristics of how we interact with society and the law. They also explore government and law by examining political marketing strategies on how some particular laws affect social behavior.

• Brown V. Board of Education and Civil Rights
• Criminal Profiling
• The Significance of the Gettysburg Address
• Race Relations have Improved in America
• Temporary Labor Migrants
• The Electoral College and How Popular Vote Doesn’t Matter
• Jeffersonian Democracy
• Granada Hills Charter High School
• Transgender Individuals in the Military
• The Segregation of Schools in the United States

Evaluation Essay Topics on Technology

As we delve into technological evaluation essay topics, you can choose to examine the merits, drawbacks, and overall impact of technological advancements. From artificial intelligence to social media, we have a plethora of ideas to explore.

• Social Media Marketing As A Way To Promote Business
• Pros And Cons Of Virtual Reality Gaming.
• Assessing Online Clothes Shop For Its Contribution To The Fashion Sector
• Evaluation of the Process of Creating Computer-Generated Graphics In Contemporary Art.
• Technology’s Role In Healthcare.
• Cybersecurity Measures’ Effectiveness.
• The Culture Wars in the Digital Age: Impact of Technology on Cultural Values.
• Ai’s Role In Job Automation.
• Impact Of Biometric Technology On Privacy.
• How The Internet Changed Communication Patterns In Online Interactions.

Final Words & Expert Thoughts

This covers everything you need to know about writing an evaluation essay. The format we discussed today can help students create a detailed analysis of the subject they’re researching while providing an educated opinion. Following proper instructions for evaluation essay criteria can help you write a detailed paper that will impress your instructor (and yourself).

Additionally, if you’re not 100% sure how to start or finish your paper, look at an evaluation argument essay example online. Don’t copy the examples, but use them for inspiration to get your thoughts flowing.

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How to Write an Evaluation Essay in a Few Easy Steps

Are you ready to master the art of writing evaluation essays? This comprehensive guide on how to write an evaluation essay will provide you with the knowledge and techniques required to craft an exceptional evaluation essay. From understanding the purpose and components of evaluation essays to selecting the perfect topic and crafting a strong thesis statement, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in and learn how to create a well-structured, engaging, and effective evaluation essay.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Somewhat similar to analytical essays , evaluation essays are compositions that present an opinion or judgement based on criteria and evidence.
• Crafting a successful evaluation essay requires selecting the right topic, developing a strong thesis statement, creating an outline, introducing the topic effectively in the introduction and providing relevant examples to support your assessment.
• Examining samples for guidance as well as avoiding common pitfalls can help you create effective evaluation essays on suggested topics such as marketing campaigns or college education.

Evaluation Essays: What are Those?

An evaluation essay, also known as an evaluation essay or an evaluation argument essay, is a unique type of composition that assesses a particular concept, item, or service, presenting an opinion or judgment concerning the subject. The purpose of such essays is to provide an educated and judicious assessment of the subject, using criteria and evidence to support the judgment. Evaluation essays consist of three essential components: judgment, criteria, and evidence.

To write an evaluation essay, you need to follow these steps.

• Introduce the topic in an engaging manner.
• Express a definite, authoritative judgment that occupies two-thirds of the evaluation paper.
• Support your judgment with appropriate criteria and gather supporting evidence.

Maintaining a balance between providing the reader with the requisite information to comprehend the evaluation and informing them of all details is crucial for a successful evaluation essay.

The criteria for evaluation essays are the parts of the topic that are judged as good or bad, better or worse than something else. Appropriate criteria in an evaluation essay serve to evaluate the subject in an impartial and judicious manner, ensuring that the evaluation is based on relevant and objective standards.

For example, a restaurant review may use criteria such as:

• Presentation

To evaluate the dining experience.

Each paragraph in the body of an evaluation essay should be dedicated to one key fact or aspect of the subject being evaluated, thoroughly elucidated, with judgment and evidence to back the argument. By following these guidelines and incorporating relevant criteria and evidence, you can create an engaging and well-structured evaluation essay that effectively assesses its subject.

Choosing the Right Topic for Your Evaluation Essay

Selecting an appropriate topic for your evaluation essay is essential, as it will determine the extent of the essay and the criteria applied for evaluation. To brainstorm ideas for an evaluation essay topic, consider categories such as movies, technological devices, restaurants, museums, plays, websites, stores, sports stadiums, concerts, books, events, and more. The two essential questions to ask when selecting a topic to evaluate are: “What category does it belong to?What is the ideal way of representing something in that category? Can you provide an example?

For example, if you choose to evaluate a romantic comedy movie, consider what the exemplar of a romantic comedy is and what criteria you would use to assess the quality of the movie. Criteria for evaluating a romantic comedy might include humor, unexpected plot developments, and relatable characters. By selecting a topic that can be evaluated objectively and possess enough criteria to validate the evaluation, you can create a more engaging and successful evaluation essay.

Once you have chosen your topic, it’s important to offer the subject and provide any pertinent information regarding it. This will set the stage for your evaluation and help the reader understand the context of your essay. For instance, when evaluating a car, you might provide information about:

• fuel economy
• crash rating
• special options

Keep in mind that your evaluation essay should maintain a balance between providing the reader with the requisite information to comprehend the evaluation and informing them of all details. By selecting a topic that can be evaluated objectively and using appropriate criteria, your evaluation essay will be more engaging and effective.

Developing a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is crucial for an evaluation essay, as it sets the tone and focus for the entire paper. The thesis statement in an evaluation essay offers a judgment regarding the subject in accordance with the specified criteria. To create a strong thesis statement, first, contemplate the pertinent criteria or standards for evaluating the subject.

A beneficial technique for generating order and concentration in an evaluation essay is to furnish a map of your reasons/criteria within the thesis. This will help guide the reader through the essay and make your argument more coherent and organized. A well-constructed thesis statement not only provides a definite direction for your essay, but it also assists the reader in understanding the primary purpose of the essay.

For example, if you’re evaluating a restaurant, your thesis statement could be: “The XYZ restaurant impresses with its flavorful dishes, elegant ambiance, and attentive service, making it the ideal dining experience.” By incorporating the pertinent criteria within your thesis statement, you provide a clear and concise roadmap for the reader to follow throughout your evaluation essay.

Crafting the Evaluation Essay Outline

The evaluation essay outline is an essential aspect of the writing process, as it helps to organize your thoughts and create a coherent structure for your essay. The outline consists of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, with each section playing a vital role in the overall structure.

In the following subsections, we will discuss the importance of each part of the evaluation essay outline, and how to effectively develop and utilize these sections to create a well-structured and engaging evaluation essay.

Introduction

The introduction of your evaluation essay should grab the reader’s attention and present the subject and thesis statement. To hook the reader, consider using:

• A vivid description of the subject
• Evaluating what other people think of the subject
• Incorporating a quote from someone about the subject
• Narrating a personal story of your interest in the subject

For instance, if you’re evaluating a new restaurant, you could start by describing the ambiance and the aroma of the dishes being served. This will engage the reader and encourage them to read on.

Be sure to present the thesis statement clearly, as it sets the stage for the rest of your evaluation essay, including the topic sentence that will guide each paragraph.

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of your evaluation essay play a crucial role in providing an objective overview of the subject, followed by an assessment based on standards and substantiation. The initial evaluation paragraph should introduce the topic and provide a neutral overview. Subsequent body paragraphs should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the item being evaluated, in accordance with the criteria established for its evaluation.

For example, when evaluating a car, the first paragraph might provide a brief overview of the car’s features and specifications. The following paragraphs would then assess the car based on criteria such as:

Be sure to thoroughly elucidate each key fact or aspect of the subject being evaluated, with judgment and evidence to back the argument.

When writing the body paragraphs, it’s essential to maintain a balance between providing the reader with the requisite information to comprehend the evaluation and informing them of all details. By offering a balanced and objective assessment of the subject, your evaluation essay will be more engaging and effective.

The conclusion of your evaluation essay should include the following elements:

• Restate the thesis statement to remind the reader of the main argument.
• Recapitulate the main points discussed in the essay.
• Provide a final assessment or suggestion based on the final evaluation.
• Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion.
• Leave the reader with a lasting impression of your evaluation.

For example, if you evaluated a restaurant, your conclusion might be:

• Restate the thesis statement
• Summarize the positive aspects (flavorful dishes, elegant ambiance, and attentive service)
• Provide a final suggestion for readers to give the restaurant a try

By providing a well-rounded conclusion, you allow the reader to form their own opinion about the subject, while reinforcing the key points of your evaluation essay.

Writing Techniques for Successful Evaluation Essays

Effective writing techniques for evaluation essays include using objective criteria, presenting a balanced view, and engaging the reader. One of the primary steps in composing an evaluation essay is to strive for impartial analysis prior to forming an opinion and to employ evaluation criteria. This ensures that your evaluation is based on relevant and objective standards, making your essay more credible and persuasive.

Presenting a balanced perspective is essential for maintaining credibility in the eyes of your audience. By demonstrating respect for opposing positions and elucidating points you concur with and diverge from, you create a more engaging and effective evaluation essay. This approach also allows you to address potential objections or queries from your readers, further strengthening your argument.

Lastly, engaging the reader is crucial for the success of your evaluation essay. Utilize vivid descriptions, compelling examples, and a clear and concise writing style to maintain the reader’s interest throughout your essay. By employing these writing techniques, you can create a well-structured, engaging, and effective evaluation essay that effectively assesses its subject.

Utilizing Relevant Examples in Your Evaluation Essay

Incorporating relevant examples in your evaluation essay is crucial for supporting the judgment and providing evidence for the criteria used in your evaluation. These examples can bolster your assessment and furnish proof for the standards employed, making your evaluation essay more persuasive and convincing.

For instance, when evaluating a car, you might provide examples of how the car’s fuel economy compares to similar models or cite an expert’s review of the car’s performance and safety features. In the case of a restaurant review, you could describe specific dishes you tasted and how they met or fell short of your expectations based on the criteria you established for evaluating the quality of a meal.

By incorporating pertinent examples, you not only make your evaluation essay more engaging and relatable, but also provide the evidence necessary to support your judgment and validate the criteria used in your assessment. This will make your evaluation essay more credible and convincing to your readers.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Evaluation Essay Writing

There are several common pitfalls in evaluation essay writing that can hinder the effectiveness of your essay. These include poor organization, lack of focus, and excessive use of quotations. To avoid these issues, it’s essential to maintain a clear and logical structure for your evaluation essay, ensuring that your argument is coherent and well-supported by evidence.

Another common pitfall is the lack of focus on the evaluation criteria. It’s essential to establish appropriate criteria for your evaluation and consistently refer to these criteria throughout your essay. This will help to maintain a clear focus and ensure that your evaluation is based on objective and relevant standards.

Lastly, be cautious when using quotations in your evaluation essay. While it’s important to provide evidence to support your judgment, excessive use of quotations can detract from your own analysis and opinion. Instead, use quotations sparingly and ensure that they are directly relevant to the criteria you’re using to evaluate the subject.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can create a more effective and engaging evaluation essay that will resonate with your readers.

Examining Evaluation Essay Samples

Examining evaluation essay samples can provide valuable insights into the structure, content, and style of successful evaluation essays. By analysing these samples, you can gain a better understanding of how to craft your own evaluation essay, incorporating the most effective techniques and strategies for presenting a persuasive and engaging argument.

You can find evaluation essay samples on academic writing websites, which can serve as an excellent starting point for your own evaluation essay. These samples can help you identify the most effective ways to present your subject, establish criteria for evaluation, and provide evidence to support your judgment. Additionally, examining evaluation essay samples can help you understand how to maintain a logical structure and clear thesis statement, which are essential for the success of your essay.

By studying a good evaluation essay sample and applying the insights gained to your own writing, you can create a well-structured, engaging, and effective evaluation essay that effectively assesses its subject.

Suggested Evaluation Essay Topics

To help inspire and guide your writing process, here is a list of suggested evaluation essay topics.

• Evaluate the latest blockbuster movie based on its plot, character development, and special effects.
• Assess the effectiveness of a social media campaign in promoting a new product or service.
• Analyze the performance of a sports team during a specific season, considering the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Evaluate a new restaurant in your area based on its menu, service, and ambiance.
• Assess the impact of a specific parenting approach on children’s development and well-being.

These are just a few examples of topics that can be explored in an evaluation essay.

• The effectiveness of a new marketing campaign
• The quality of a restaurant’s customer service
• The impact of a government policy on the economy
• The value of a college education

Remember, the key to a successful evaluation essay is selecting a topic that can be evaluated objectively, using appropriate criteria and evidence to support your judgment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an evaluation essay.

An evaluation essay is a type of argumentative writing in which a writer presents an opinion or viewpoint with supporting evidence. It involves the writer’s judgment of a subject or body of work based on criteria and evidence, while providing a summary of the article in question.

How do you start writing an evaluation?

To start writing an evaluation essay, begin by providing background information on the subject and outline the purpose of the evaluation. Next, list the criteria you will use to evaluate the product and include relevant evidence to support your judgment.

Finally, draft your essay and review, revise, and rewrite it to produce a well-structured evaluation.

How do you start an evaluation paragraph example?

Beginning an evaluation paragraph requires providing a big picture overview of the subject, discussing its influence on people and why it is worth evaluating. Establishing the criteria that will be used to support the thesis should also be included. Written in a formal tone, this introduction should contain a clear conclusion right away.

How do I choose the right topic for my evaluation essay?

When selecting a topic for an evaluation essay, consider a range of options such as movies, technological devices, restaurants, museums, plays, websites, stores, sports stadiums, concerts, books, events, and more.

Make sure the topic is objective and has enough criteria to allow for valid evaluation.

How can I create a strong thesis statement for my evaluation essay?

A strong thesis statement for an evaluation essay should identify the criteria used to assess the subject, and provide a definitive judgment based on those criteria.

This statement should be clear and concise, and should provide the reader with a clear understanding of the essay’s purpose. It should also be specific enough to provide a framework for the essay’s argument.

In conclusion, mastering the art of writing evaluation essays requires understanding the purpose and components of such essays, selecting an appropriate topic, crafting a strong thesis statement, and developing a well-structured outline.

By employing effective writing techniques, incorporating relevant examples, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can create an engaging and persuasive evaluation essay that effectively assesses its subject.

With the knowledge and strategies provided in this comprehensive guide, you are well-equipped to tackle any evaluation essay topic and create a lasting impression on your readers.

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Evaluation Essay: Writing Guide, Outline & Free Samples

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Are you wondering how to write an evaluation essay? We are here to inspire and let you know all the essential steps to get started. This blog post will describe what is an evaluative essay, including its purpose and elements. In addition, you will be enlightened on how to actually write evaluations - all the necessary factors and steps will be elaborated on. These steps are: deciding what to appraise, what criteria to apply, and how to develop arguments and outlines. Toward the end, you will be provided with evaluation essay samples that will enable you to put theoretical guidelines into practice. Strictly follow this blog post from our essay writer services to the end.

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The starting point of being well-versed in this from of writing is understanding its definition and purpose, as it will lay a good foundation for further work. Evaluation essay is a paper that offers evidence that helps to justify writer's opinion on different subjects by providing enough facts to convince readers. Such type of writing requires critical thinking skills when analyzing, synthesizing, and assessing given topics to avoid misleading your audience. The main purpose of this type of paper is to provide objective criticism oт various subjects and make conclusions about them. As a result, the latter helps readers to take a stance about a topic. In addition, there is an exhaustive review of fundamental characteristics, styles, and quality of subjects under discussion. The value of a particular topic is obtained through supportive and factual evidence provided. Finally, this paper helps present well-reasoned and informed judgment on particular standards, hence clearing concerning issues about a given subject.

Preparing evaluative essay is a broad topic, and you need to be well-organized, or else the text will quickly lose meaning and purpose. There are various abstract categories and exact things that you can assess in writing. When you write evaluations, ensure you deeply understand your topic of discussion. Reading through an evaluation example will help you know what to do. Some evaluation essay topics and objects suitable for assessment include:

Understanding all components of evaluation papers - three in total - is important during writing. They include:

There are two factors to put into consideration before writing evaluations. One of them is ensuring that evaluation argument remains objective. Objectivity is achieved by not including personal opinions in disputes. Besides, one remains objective by supporting claims with relevant facts. Also, included references need to fully support your stand. You should know that a discourse must be balanced and fair. Secondly, deciding on evaluative standards is another important factor to consider. You need to have a deeper understanding of subjects before deciding on measures to use during this analysis. Chosen standards must adequately and appropriately represent particular subjects' features, qualities, and values. Besides, when deciding on evaluation essay criteria, ensure that you focus on defending your stated thesis. In addition, have enough evidence and details to support the chosen criterion. Finally, appropriately organize your facts and make sure you have imperative and unbiased information concerning your subjects of discussion.

A clear outline provides a map of organizing ideas when you write evaluation essay. An evaluation essay outline covers at least five structured paragraphs. The first is an introductory paragraph followed by three or more body paragraphs, and finally, an essay conclusion . Below is an evaluation paper outline example under the topic of practicing vaping.

Introduction

Here’s how your evaluation essay outline look:

Introductory paragraph  

Body part  

Concluding paragraph

There are various steps that one can follow when writing an evaluation essay. These steps include:

Several steps exist that one can follow during evaluative writing. The first step in how to write an evaluation is to decide on a particular subject you wish to assess, followed by coming up with criteria you will use. Besides, develop solid arguments backed up with evidence. Also, create an outline, and start writing. Once you complete your writing, proofread your work. The steps below describe the chronological order of writing your essay.

The first step when writing this essay is deciding on a topic you will assess. During writing to evaluate, choose a subject you understand better so that you have enough facts to support or oppose it. The chosen issue needs to be engaging to your readers, otherwise yo may lose your audience. Besides, when selecting a theme, ensure it is interesting in general to avoid boredom. Also, a chosen subject needs to be relevant to keep the readers informed about current trends and new developments. The majority of your audience must be aware of the concept. Always ensure that chosen topics are specific and not generic.

Once you discuss a subject, you must come up with criteria for essay evaluation. At this point, turn your opinions into assessments to help you define a chosen subject. You may use different ways to find criteria on how to do an evaluation paper. For instance, you can focus on a chosen characteristics of a topic to help you develop standards. Besides, you might assess the relevance of that topic and decide whether it is good or bad for your readers. Also, focusing on the impacts of subjects helps find standards when evaluating. Researching positive or negative impacts of the topic helps in mastering what and how to evaluate in an essay. Also, you may find criteria by focusing on the effectiveness of that subject, whether it is successful or not. Apart from that, one may focus on the morals or aesthetic standards of a particular subject to develop measures to discuss.

Reader understands your decision by following the argument. Evaluative arguments refer to claims concerning the quality of particular subjects being assessed. This argument will always rate subjects as either negative or positive. With this rating, one can think of subjects as harmful or helpful, bad or good. An argument in evaluation essay defines and supports criteria. A judgment always elaborates and explains reasons for choosing particular standards despite controversy. Evaluation argument essay assesses subjects depending on chosen measures. Considered factors include practicability, aesthetics, and ethics. Make sure to determine which standards will convince your audience. Effective development of arguments starts by creating an evaluative thesis statement: take position, develop criteria, and find out if topic meets standards. For instance, when evaluating meal’s quality, you may say:

Another example could be: 

Additionally, another example of a subject could be practicing vaping. In such case, an evaluation argument example will be: 

After choosing a discussion topic, one can create an outline for essay . Outlines start with the development of thesis statements, followed by a list of main ideas and a conclusion. For this essay type, outlines require a minimum of five paragraphs. The first paragraph of the evaluation in writing is introduction that ends with a thesis statement. An introduction is followed by at least three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Outlines are important as they form a basis for thoughtfully constructing ideas. Also, they help in organizing your points sequentially for them to remain orderly. In addition, they are useful in picking relevant information, providing steady foundation when starting to write. Thus, it is worth noting that outlines form a crucial part of these essays, and they give a sketch of writing.

When you write evaluative papers, ensure you follow everything stated in your outline. The sections discussed below will help you understand how to write evaluation:

When you complete your evaluation writing, the last step is proofreading and revising your work. Reading through your work helps improve your paper's quality and remove mistakes. Besides, it enables you to locate and correct inconsistencies in your text. Also, when you edit your work, you ensure that the ideas of your paper are well-defined. Revising your work helps in assessing if the content was appropriately conveyed. Also, it guarantees that sentences are grammatically appropriate by correcting typing and spelling errors to avoid readers’ confusion. Finally, you should read through your work critically and develop better ways of improving clarity, good structure of sentences, and entire effectiveness.

There are various examples of evaluation essays format. These formats include:

There are millions of evaluative essays samples posted online. These examples offer impressive descriptions of evaluative essays with all the key steps to follow and will help you polish your skills when writing this paper. However, not all of the examples posted online are reliable. Therefore, the only preferred evaluation essay sample that students can use must come from peer-reviewed sources. Essay types from scholarly sites are written by reputable authors who meet all required standards; moreover, you can easily find an excellent book on this subject with appropriate examples. Attached are evaluation essays samples from credible writers. 

For one to write perfect essays, there are some helpful tips you may follow. Following these points will help you produce impressive evaluation and your readers will enjoy.  Some of those tips when writing an evaluation essay include:

Understanding the text’s definition and purpose is your first step toward knowing how to write a good evaluation. Thereafter, list categories and respective things you will assess during your writing. Master the three elements of an evaluative essay and use them effectively. Your argument must be objective and help clearly decide on what criteria to use. Besides, you need to understand all sections of an outline, how to start evaluative essay, and then, follow essential steps. In addition, get acquainted with the four types of essay structure. Remember that you always can increase your experience by reading some good evaluative writing examples. Keep all these tips in mind to ensure you write a proper essay.

FAQ About Evaluation Papers

1. what are the four components of an evaluation essay, 2. what to write in an evaluation essay.

There are numerous things that one can consider during essay evaluations. Evaluation writing examples and their respective criteria include:

3. What is the difference between an evaluation and review?

Despite similarities existing between an evaluation essay and a review, the two differ. An evaluative essay focuses on deeper research and analysis of certain subjects, while a review provides a general outlook of particular subjects. Evaluative essays must have criteria that judge specific subjects, and reviews do not need criteria. In addition, under certain conditions, it is mandatory to cite sources used in writing evaluative essays, while reviews do not require references.

4. What is a good evaluative thesis example?

A good evaluative thesis must inform readers what to expect and its impact and determine an essay’s focus. Also, a strong thesis must state evaluative arguments. Here is a proper evaluation essay thesis example: Vaping is highly practical, inexpensive, and safe compared to cigarette smoking, and following these reasons, it is a recommendable practice for traditional smokers wishing to leave old habits.

• Experience: gaming, traveling, and shopping.
• Music: its content, the impact, instruments played, and comparison to other works by artists.
• Furniture: chair, desk, stool, table, etc.
• Fruits: guava, mangoes, oranges, pineapples.
• Trees: oak, teak, pine.
• Sports: volleyball, table tennis, golf.
• Clothes: casual wear, sportswear, formalwear.
• Class: methods of teaching , challenges, type of assessments, etc.
• Social trend: origin, overall influence, and objectives.
• Courses: journalism, mathematics, business, and history.
• Criteria In order to determine aspects you will assess about certain brands, services, or products, a proper set of standards is required. Standard helps in demonstrating expectations. During evaluative writing, it is essential to think about some good samples of similar brands, services, or products. Also, contemplate on related significant features. For instance, a house can be well-ventilated, secure, and clean, which are quite helpful benchmarks.
• Judgment A second element in essay evaluation is judgment. This aspect helps to establish if stated standards were met. Considering the previous example of a house discussed under this criteria, you may first assess if the house is secure or not. Find out if the house meets, exceeds, or falls short of your anticipated security standards, then move on to other criteria.
• Evidence This component focuses on providing facts supporting the judgment. For instance, in the house example, if you conclude that security level does not meet the expected standards, provide evidence to prove this judgment. When you structure an evaluation essay, ensure each paragraph discusses a different criterion. It helps you to make judgments and provide evidence under each paragraph.
• An introduction presents subjects, hooks readers, and elaborates on topic of evaluation.
• The last part of your introduction is a thesis statement, which asserts arguments, determines focus, and helps understand essays’ gist.
• The body must contain a minimum three paragraphs.
• Each body paragraph needs to have a criterion followed by judgment.
• Support judgments with relevant evidence.
• When concluding, summarize main points.
• Give some food for thought.
• Do you know that vaping is a better alternative to smoking? How is it rated?
• Some notable issues with vaping include its safety, cost, and utility.
• This essay discusses vaping while focusing on safety issues, incurred costs, and utility to prove how it is preferred compared to traditional smoking.
• Safety: According to the British government, vaping is 95% safer when compared to cigarette smoking. Vaping is less harmful. No second-hand smoke is produced during vaping, hence the best smoking alternative.
• Cost: Vaping is cheaper when compared to smoking. The price for a vape pen is almost $20. Coils and E-juice are inexpensive, unlike a cigarette carton, and can last twice longer.
• Utility: From environmental health, vaping has high utility. Many places have banned cigarette smoking; thus, vaping is the best alternative. Indoors and outdoor vaping is allowed, unlike cigarette smoking, which is banned indoors.
• Vaping offers the best smoking alternative. It is of high quality, and people need to embrace it. Also, it is less costly, practical, and safer.
• Choosing a topic A topic provides credibility for opinions and gives room for a thorough analysis of essential issues. Always start an evaluation essay by choosing an appropriate subject. You must be familiar with and have in-depth knowledge of a chosen theme to avoid misleading and losing readers. Ensure it is well-engaging for both the readers and you.
• Thesis statement development Coming up with a thesis statement is the second step, actual writing starts here. Thesis statements define main purposes of evaluative essays. Besides, they offer directions for distinguishing criteria from the examples provided. Use only relevant information when writing thesis statements.
• Criteria determination A third step to consider when preparing evaluation is thinking about criteria. Assess if evaluating a chosen topic is difficult or easy. In case of problematic topics, subdivide them into various points to make it easier.
• Conduct research and obtain supportive evidence You need to support your opinion with logical and physical facts, or else it will remain invalid. Your readers must make sense of your proof and have opportunities to use those facts to make their assumptions. After this step, you can start composing your essay.
• Introduction When writing your introductory paragraph, ensure it engages you and your readers. Introduce subjects by capturing the reader’s attention. Elaborate on selected subjects, their influence, and reasons for assessing those topics. Be clear with chosen criteria you will be discussing. Generally, when writing your introductory paragraph, provide your entire subject overview.
• Thesis statement The last sentence of an introduction is a thesis statement. It tells your readers what they should expect from evaluation essay and its purpose. Include evaluative arguments that rate subjects either positive or negative with supportive facts. A good evaluation thesis example must include all the stated parts.
• Body A body is commonly the lengthiest part in this type of writing. You must develop a minimum of three body paragraphs in your evaluation paper. When writing body paragraphs, always use transition words while moving from a thesis statement to the first reason and other successive reasons. During evaluate writing, all body paragraphs must start with topic sentences, which inform your reader about your opinion. After stating topic sentences, write your criteria. A criterion will elaborate on the standards of a topic you are discussing. When you are done with it, provide judgments. Judgments must elaborate whether the standards of subjects were met or not. Thereafter, provide evidence supporting your argument. Following that, mention any objections about your judgment, then finalize by refuting those claims. Repeat all these steps for each body paragraph. Ensure you remain relevant in all the paragraphs to avoid losing your readers.
• Conclusion A conclusion is the final evaluation paragraph. When concluding, start by restating your thesis statement and follow by summarizing and reflecting on major points.
• Chronological structure It is used when describing events based on how they happened in an orderly manner, starting from the earliest to the last, like when evaluating current or historical events. Chronological essay structures are more descriptive because they are detailed.
• Spatial structure In contrast to previous type, this one is used when presenting details of particular subjects depending on their location in space. A spatial essay form is used when describing an item like architecture or art depending on how they appear when observed. Something else that people need to understand is that it is easy to remember a spatial essay structure because physical location is used when describing subjects.
• Compare and contrast structure Compare structure is used when exploring existing similarities between subjects, while contrast structure exists for discussing differences between items. Mostly, subjects discussed in compare and contrast papers fall under the same category; however, there may exist exceptions to this rule.
• Point-by-point format structure This is a subtype of compare and contrast essay that provides a general view of individual items being analyzed. This essay type compares a set of subjects because paragraph arrangement depends on main points and not by topic. Each paragraph discusses the main point and include subjects as they relate to each main point.
• Carefully read certain materials while making notes and analyzing content.
• Read through each paragraph before transitioning to another section.
• Avoid leaving out negative aspects, but try to discuss both pros and cons of your subjects.
• When reading other’s evaluative essay, analyze each paragraph and notice the authors’ mistakes: is information helpful? what can you do better?
• Avoid adding minor details with insufficient supportive evidence, as they will mislead you and your readers.
• Express your thoughts concisely and clearly as you peruse the written evaluation examples.
• Ensure that your evaluation essay thesis is anchored to your judgment.
• Write your paper with precision and attention to details while avoiding wordiness and providing enough useful information as you keenly follow the guide.
• Enable your readers to feel and agree with your assessment.
• Introduction is the first component of evaluation essay that hooks readers, introduces the subject, and contains thesis statement.
• Background information is the second component; it clarifies to readers your evaluation topic.
• Criteria is the third component, which entails standards for evaluating subjects.
• Conclusion is the fourth component; it restates your thesis statements and summarizes main points.
• Movies: A plot, relationship among actors, and scenes.
• Restaurants: Quality of food, price, and cleanliness.
• Websites: Type of content, its design, and ease of navigating.
• House: Overall quality, accessibility, and cost.
• Business: Market share, its strengths and weaknesses.
• Social trend: Origin, overall influence, and objectives.
• Leader: Overall achievements, style of leadership, integrity.
• University: Offered programs, number of graduates per year, online or in-person, reputation.
• Class: Methods of teaching, challenges, type of assessments.
• Job: Nature of work, working hours, bosses, salary, demand.
• Advertisement: Media used when advertising, effectiveness, level of convincing, level of engagement.
• Speech: Type of audience, main purpose, compelling.

What Is an Evaluation Essay: Definition

Things you can write an evaluation about, elements of an evaluation essay, what to consider before writing an evaluation, evaluation essay outline, how to start an evaluation essay, how to write an evaluation essay, 1. decide on what you want to evaluate, 2. find criteria for evaluation essay, 3. come up with an evaluation argument, 4. create an evaluative essay outline, 5. write an evaluation paper, 6. proofread your evaluation essay, evaluative essay structure, evaluation essay example, tips on how to write evaluation essay, bottom line on writing evaluation essays.

Meal’s strength depended on its presentation, it was enticing, and its outlook was appropriate.

Meal’s weakness was in overcooking, as its flavor became less pronounced.

Vaping is safe, inexpensive, and highly practical when compared to cigarette smoking, and due to these reasons, it is a recommendable practice for traditional smokers who wish to break old habits.

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The ultimate guide to writing an evaluation essay, carla johnson.

• June 14, 2023
• How to Guides

Evaluation essays are a common type of writing assignment in school. They ask students to evaluate and analyze the quality or value of something like a book, movie, product, or service. In this article, we’ll give you the most complete guide to writing an evaluation essay. We’ll talk about everything from an evaluation essay’s purpose and importance to the steps you need to take to write a good one.

An evaluation essay is a type of writing that tries to give an unbiased opinion about a topic based on a set of criteria. It’s not just a summary of the topic; it’s a critical analysis of what’s good and bad about it . The writer should give a fair assessment of the topic by pointing out both its strengths and weaknesses.

The point of an evaluation essay is to give a critical analysis of a topic so that the reader can form a well-informed opinion about it. For this kind of essay , the writer needs to know a lot about the subject, including its background, history, and effects. It is a good activity for students to do because it helps them learn how to think critically , do research, and write well.

Evaluation essays are also important in academic writing because they help students show that they can think critically and explain their ideas clearly. Because of this, evaluation essays are often given in many different classes, such as literature, film studies, business, and marketing. By learning how to write an evaluation essay, students can do better in school and improve their chances of getting jobs in their chosen fields.

An evaluation essay is a type of academic writing that asks students to give a critical analysis of a certain topic based on a set of criteria. The point of writing an evaluation essay is to give the reader an unbiased look at the topic so that they can form an opinion about it.

Lastly, evaluation essays are an important part of academic writing because they help students improve their critical thinking, research, and writing skills, all of which are important for academic success and moving up in a career. In the sections that follow, we’ll talk more about the steps you need to take to write a good evaluation essay.

What You'll Learn

Choosing a Topic for an Evaluation Essay

Choosing the right topic is crucial when it comes to writing an effective evaluation essay. A well-chosen topic will not only make the writing process easier but will also ensure that the essay is engaging and relevant to the reader. Here are some tips for selecting an evaluation essay topic:

– Choose a topic that you are interested in: It is essential to choose a topic that you are passionate about and have some knowledge of. This will make the writing process more enjoyable and will also result in a more engaging and informative essay .

– Select a topic that is relevant: Choose a subject that is current and relevant to the reader. This will ensure that your essay is informative and interesting to read.

– Narrow down your topic: It is important to select a topic that is specific and narrow. This will enable you to focus on a particular aspect of the subject and provide a more detailed evaluation.

– Consider both sides of the argument: Choose a topic that allows you to evaluate both the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. This will ensure that your essay is balanced and provides a fair evaluation .

– Use credible sources: Ensure that your topic is backed by credible sources, such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites.

Here is a list of 50 evaluation essay topics:

1. The impact of social media on modern relationships

2. The effectiveness of online learning compared to traditional classroom learning

3. The portrayal of mental health in popular media4. The impact of technology on our daily lives

5. The effectiveness of government policies on climate change

6. The quality of customer service in the hospitality industry

7. The effectiveness of performance-enhancing drugs in sports

8. The portrayal of women in the media

9. The impact of smartphones on communication skills

10. The effectiveness of gun control laws in reducing gun violence

11. The quality of healthcare services in rural areas

12. The impact of video games on children’s behavior

13. The effectiveness of alternative medicine in treating chronic illnesses

14. The portrayal of minorities in the media

15. The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem

16. The effectiveness of online dating in finding a partner

17. The quality of fast food restaurants

18. The impact of globalization on cultural diversity

19. The effectiveness of police body cameras in reducing police brutality

20. The portrayal of mental illness in popular media

21. The impact of artificial intelligence on job opportunities

22. The effectiveness of vaccination programs in preventing diseases

23. The quality of public transportation in urban areas

24. The impact of social media on political campaigns

25. The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for prisoners

26. The portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals in the media

27. The impact of technology on education

28. The effectiveness of animal testing in developing new drugs

29. The quality of public schools in low-income areas

30. The impact of social media onteenagers’ mental health

31. The effectiveness of renewable energy sources in reducing carbon emissions

32. The portrayal of disability in the media

33. The impact of celebrity culture on society

34. The effectiveness of anti-bullying programs in schools

35. The quality of public parks and recreation areas

36. The impact of social media on political polarization

37. The effectiveness of online therapy in treating mental illness

38. The portrayal of aging in the media

39. The impact of automation on job security

40. The effectiveness of recycling programs in reducing waste

41. The quality of public libraries

42. The impact of social media on privacy

43. The effectiveness of parenting classes in improving child behavior

44. The portrayal of mental health in the workplace

45. The impact of technology on the music industry

46. The effectiveness of drug rehabilitation programs

47. The quality of public restrooms

48. The impact of social media on activism

49. The effectiveness of sex education programs in schools

50. The portrayal of race in the media.

Understanding the Structure of an Evaluation Essay

A basic structure for an evaluation essay is an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The purpose of the introduction is to give background information about the subject and explain how it will be judged. Based on the criteria set out in the introduction, the body paragraphs should give a detailed analysis of the topic. In the end, the conclusion should summarize the main points of the essay and give a final opinion on the subject.

Here is a breakdown of each section of an evaluation essay:

1. Introduction: The introduction should begin with an attention-grabbing hook that draws the reader in and provides some background information on the subject. This should be followed by a clear thesis statement that outlines the criteria that will be used to evaluate the subject.

2. Body Paragraphs: Each of the body paragraphs should look at a different part of the topic and judge it based on the criteria set out in the introduction. Every paragraph should start with a topic sentence that makes it clear what is being evaluated and how. The evaluation should then be backed up with evidence , such as examples, statistics, and quotes from reliable sources.

3. Conclusion: The conclusion should provide a summary of the main points made in the essay and restate the thesis statement . The writer should then provide a final evaluation of the subject based on the evidence presented in the body paragraphs. This evaluation should be balanced and fair, taking into account both the strengths and weaknesses of the subject.

An evaluation essay outline can be helpful in organizing and structuring the essay. Here is an example of an evaluation essay outline:

I. Introduction

– Hook

– Background information

– Thesis statement

II. Body Paragraphs

– Aspect 1

  – Criteria

  – Evidence

– Aspect 2

– Aspect 3

  -Criteria

III. Conclusion

– Summary of main points

– Restate thesis statement

– Final evaluation

Understanding the structure of an evaluation essay and choosing the right topic are both critical to writing an effective evaluation essay. By following the tips provided for selecting a topic and using an evaluation essay outline, you can create a well-organized and engaging essay that provides a fair assessment of the subject.

Writing an Effective Evaluation Essay

Writing an effective evaluation essay requires careful planning and execution. Here are some tips to help you write a powerful evaluation essay:

1. Developing a thesis statement for an evaluation essay: A strong thesis statement should clearly state the criteria that will be used to evaluate the subject. It should also provide a clear indication of the writer’s stance on the subject, whether it is positive, negative, or neutral.

2. Tips for writing a powerful evaluation essay:

– Use specific criteria: Provide clear and specific criteria for evaluating the subject, and use evidence to support your evaluation.

– Use credible sources: Use credible sources to support your evaluation, such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites.

– Be objective: Provide a balanced evaluation of the subject, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses.

– Use clear and concise language: Use clear and concise language to make your evaluation easy to understand and engaging to read.

– Use transitions: Use transitions to connect your ideas and ensure that the essay flows smoothly.

3. Common mistakes to avoid when writing an evaluation essay:

– Being too subjective: Avoid being too subjective and provide a balanced evaluation of the subject.

– Failing to provide evidence: Use evidence to support your evaluation, and avoid making unsupported claims.

– Focusing too much on summary: Avoid simply summarizing the subject and focus on providing a critical analysis of its merits and demerits.

– Failing to use credible sources: Use credible sources to support your evaluation andavoid relying solely on personal opinions or unsupported claims.

Examples of Evaluation Essays

To help you get a better understanding of how to write an effective evaluation essay, here are 10 inspiring evaluation essay examples from different fields:

1. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout strategy in the United States

2. Evaluation of the impact of the #MeToo movement on workplace culture

3. Evaluation of the nutritional value of plant-based diets compared to meat-based diets

4. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Paris Climate Agreement in reducing global carbon emissions

5. Evaluation of the impact of social media influencers on consumer behavior

6. Evaluation of the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in reducing stress and anxiety

7. Evaluation of the quality of customer service provided by leading airlines

8. Evaluation of the portrayal of mental illness in popular TV shows

9. Evaluation of the effectiveness of online therapy in treating depression and anxiety

10. Evaluation of the impact of video games on children’s cognitive development

Writing an effective evaluation essay involves selecting the right topic, understanding the structure of the essay, and following the tips provided to develop a powerful evaluation essay. By avoiding common mistakes and using credible sources, you can create an engaging and informative evaluation essay that provides a balanced assessment of the subject. The examples provided can also serve as a guide to help you craft a compelling evaluation essay in any field.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what is an evaluation essay.

An evaluation essay is a type of academic writing that asks students to evaluate and analyze the quality or value of something like a book, movie, product, or service. The writer should give a fair assessment of the topic by pointing out both its strengths and weaknesses.

2. What are the elements of an evaluation essay?

An evaluation essay has three parts: an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, you should give some background information about the topic and explain how it will be judged. Based on the criteria set out in the introduction, the body paragraphs should give a detailed analysis of the topic. In the end, the conclusion should summarize the main points of the essay and give a final opinion on the topic .

3. How do I choose a topic for an evaluation essay?

To pick a topic for an evaluation essay, think about something you are interested in and know a little bit about. It’s also important to choose a topic that is relevant and specific. Think about both sides of the argument and back up your opinion with information from reliable sources.

4. What is the difference between an evaluation essay and a review?

The main difference between an evaluation essay and a review is that an evaluation essay has a different focus and goal. An evaluation essay tries to give a critical analysis of the subject based on a set of criteria, while a review gives a summary of the subject and often includes personal opinions.

In conclusion, writing an effective evaluation essay is an essential skill for students to master, as it helps to develop critical thinking , research, and writing abilities. To write an effective evaluation essay, it is important to choose the right topic, understand the structure of the essay, and follow the tips provided in this guide. It is also important to avoid common mistakes and use credible sources to support your evaluation.

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Definition and Examples of Evaluation Essays

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

An evaluation essay is a  composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. Also called  evaluative writing , evaluative essay or report , and critical evaluation essay .

An evaluation essay or report is a type of argument that provides evidence to justify a writer's opinions about a subject.

"Any kind of review is essentially a piece of evaluative writing," says Allen S. Goose. "This type of writing calls for the critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation" ( 8 Kinds of Writing , 2001). 

Observations

• "Without good reasons for liking or disliking certain things, students can never get beyond being passive receivers of marketing, fickle consumers without a basis for their opinions. Writing evaluation papers asks them to question why they feel the way they do." (Allison D. Smith, et al., Teaching in the Pop Culture Zone: Using Popular Culture in the Composition Classroom . Wadsworth, 2009)

How to Evaluate

• "If you are evaluating a piece of writing, then you are going to need to thoroughly read the work. While you read the work, keep in mind the criteria you are using to evaluate. The evaluative aspects may be: grammar, sentence structure, spelling, content, usage of sources, style, or many other things. Other things to consider when evaluating a piece of writing is whether the writing appealed to its target audience . Was there an emotional appeal? Did the author engage the audience, or was the piece lacking something? ..."If you are evaluating anything else, use your head. You need to try, use, or test whatever thing you are evaluating. That means you should not evaluate a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette unless you have the $45,000 (or more) to buy one, or the money to rent one. You also need the know-how of driving a car of that power and a base of knowledge of other cars that you have tested to compare it to." (Joe Torres, Rhetoric and Composition Study Guide . Global Media, 2007)

Identifying Criteria for an Evaluation

• " Make a list of prominent, widely recognized standards for judging your subject. If you do not know the standards usually used to evaluate your subject, you could do some research . For example, if you are reviewing a film, you could read a few recent film reviews online or in the library, noting the standards that reviewers typically use and the reasons that they assert for liking or disliking a film. If you are evaluating a soccer team or one winning (or losing) game, you could read a book on coaching soccer or talk to an experienced soccer coach to learn about what makes an excellent soccer team or winning game." (Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper, Axelrod & Cooper's Concise Guide to Writing , 4th ed. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006)

Ways of Organizing an Evaluation Essay

• "One way to organize an  evaluation essay is point-by-point: describe one element of the subject and then evaluate it; present the next element and evaluate it; and so on. Comparison/contrast could be an organizing structure as well, in which you evaluate something by comparing (or contrasting) it to a known item. Culinary and music reviews often use this strategy.  Chronological organization can be used for evaluating an event (either current or historical). Sequential organization can be used when describing how something works and evaluating the effectiveness of the process, procedure, or mechanism. Spatial organization can be used for evaluating art or architecture in which you describe and evaluate one element of the artifact and then move spatially to the next major element to be described and evaluated." (David S. Hogsette,  Writing That Makes Sense: Critical Thinking in College Composition . Wipf and Stock, 2009)
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Secrets of Writing an Excellent Evaluation Essay

05 July, 2020

14 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

Many people prefer to check reviews on the movie or book before watching or reading it. The summary information and honest point of view on the subject matter are usually included in an evaluation essay. You just need to analyze both sides of the chosen criterion through thorough research, analysis of your thesis, and examination of your own values. To write a good evaluation essay, you should forget about your feelings and create an objective overview of the topic. That way, you will reveal the truth about the real worth of the particular subject matter.

So, what is an evaluation essay? The answer to this question you will find out in this post.

What Is an Evaluation Essay?

An evaluation paper is a kind of essay in which you express your argumentative point of view on various topics. As a form of literary thinking, it is based on much more than just a quick judgment about a person, place, or object. The common standards of evaluation writing, such as clearance, objectivity, and coherence, are to be followed throughout the text. These standards help identify how well a subject meets up or falls short of the ideal. No wonder this kind of essay is widely used for scientific purposes when the comparison of two inventions or technologies is required. In an evaluation essay, all the arguments are delivered objectively, while your personal opinion is stated at the very end as a summary.

On the Internet, you can find lots of reviews with one sentence only: “This essay is fine.” Does it look informative to you? Can you rely on this kind of feedback? Let’s be honest, such a review can hardly provide you with a clear understanding of whether the subject is worth your attention or not. The main feature of an evaluation essay is that it contains details and evidence to support your point of view. Instead of discussing every observation, you just need to underpin your point of view with examples that will make your paper look convincing.

CJE guidelines

How to start an evaluation essay? What needs to be preconsidered? Every evaluation essay consists of three structural elements – criteria, judgement, and evidence. Let’s get deeper into details.

The criteria that you choose should evaluate a person or subject through the prism of their ideal version. What can their best features be? For instance, you would expect an interesting plot and professional acting from a movie. Once you have specific benchmarks in mind, they can be used to evaluate these points.

The judgement aspect is used to estimate whether or not the benchmarks have been met. For instance, you can start a movie evaluation from judging whether it aligns with the specific benchmark. Does it offer the quality acting you expect? Does it have gaps in the plot? These are only some of the possible options to consider.

Remember that you must develop clues to advocate your judgements. For instance, if you make the judgement that the movie quality does not meet your expectations, you should be ready to provide evidence. Without eligible evidence, your evaluation essay won’t look convincing.

When structuring your evaluation essay, it is crucial to address a different criterion in each paragraph. In that paragraph, you should reflect on each criterion, make the relevant judgements and provide supporting proofs.

How to Write an Evaluation Essay?

With this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to write an evaluation essay. Here are the major steps to be taken:

• Choose your topic. Whatever kind of essay you are writing, you will have to take this step. Your topic can be offered by your instructor, as the case may be. But if you have to choose it yourself, you should consider a subject that you are familiar with. Thus, it will be easier for you to take an in-depth look at the subject and make a judgement on its value.
• Create a thesis statement. This is an important element of your essay as it contains the general purpose of the evaluation. In the thesis, you need to reflect on the criteria being used to judge the subject matter and state its value. Your statement should look apparent and to the point. In the process of writing, you may revise it as your essay gets shaped.
• Identify the criteria to be used for accessing the subject matter. Determine the benchmarks in your essay in order to make it interesting and engaging. The criteria you choose will depend on the subject of your evaluation. For instance, a movie will be judged using different points of reference than a book.
• Find supporting evidence . Don’t forget that an essay is not just about your opinion. You will need to find some supporting information from trustworthy sources while making each judgement. Don’t think that stating the movie or book title is enough. Use some questions to find out answers that can help you collect more information. How can you evaluate the subject? What kind of readers are you focused on? Will you focus on good or bad sides of the subject?
• Write a draft of your essay . All you need to do is to continue writing. As soon as you have something written on paper, you will rewrite or restructure it unless you are totally happy with the result.

Review, revise and rewrite. When a draft is completed, you will read over your work and make some changes if needed. You should be ready to rewrite your paper several times to get it just right.

Evaluation Essay Example

Here, you will find a well-written evaluation essay example that you can use for yourself:

• https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/evaluation/standardized-tests.html
• https://www.examples.com/education/evaluation-essay-examples.html

Evaluation Essay VS Review

An evaluation essay is widely associated with a review paper. This is a common mistake many students make. Although the two types of paper have some similarities, there are more differences that set them apart. You can take a look at those differences in the table below.

Tips on Writing an Evaluation Essay from Our Experts

Following the quick tips below, you will find it easier to write an effective evaluation argument essay:

• Provide the right amount of details: Make sure you explain your thoughts clearly and provide sufficient information to convince the reader in the correctness of your judgment.
• Thesis sentence should reveal your actual opinion. If you want to build up the basis for your body, you can include the main reasons for your evaluation in the thesis sentence.
• Know your target audience. By knowing your reader, you can adjust the plot to their specific needs. Whether you write for college students or professors, you will have to apply a bit different approach in the language choice.
• Make some notes. By using a three-column note-taking method, you can organize your thoughts. The columns of criteria, evidence, and judgment will contain the relevant information which will not let you forget or mix facts.
• Be opinionated . By sounding passionate in your evaluation essay, you will increase your chances of catching readers’ attention. The use of vivid nouns and engaging verbs will strengthen the effect produced by your paper. You should have a strong judgment of how the particular subject is either better or worse than other subjects of the same type.
• Back up every judgement you make. Every time you make a judgment, you should be ready to use specific, interesting, and convincing reasons to make it up. For evidence, you can describe the subject, use funny stories, or compare and contrast some notions with a similar subject.
• Provide counter-arguments. When you disagree with what most people think about the particular subject, it makes sense to provide some counter-arguments. This will make the narration more engaging for readers.

List of 50 Evaluation Topics

Since there are many people and objects you are able to assess, an evaluation essay can be written on a wide range of topics. To evaluate something, you will need to compare it with an example within a subject you have chosen. Some possible evaluation essay topics can be found below:

• Analyze the dissimilarity between seeing a sporting event live and watching it on ITV.
• Create a comparative assessment of watching a sporting event in a cafe and watching it without leaving the comfort of your home.
• Evaluate the experience of watching a sporting event on your own and with other people.
• Evaluate how a recent drama movie portrays the tragedies of real life.
• Evaluate a classic criminal movie and what it states about the real crime rates in the modern society.
• Evaluate your favorite Chinese restaurant.
• Compare two popular Chinese restaurants in your city.
• Appraise football or basketball from the perspective of a contestant or that of a watcher.
• Analyze the way in which football or basketball has advanced over the last decade.
• Discuss the influence of ESPN on sporting events.
• Evaluate the coverage of the latest Eurovision Song Contest.
• Evaluate a fancy restaurant for how it makes the customer feel after having the meal
• Analyze the way in which a popular horror movie depicts people’s fears.
• Assess a classic action movie and talk about its ideas regarding the functions of men and women.
• Explore the change that occurred in recent war movies if compared to classic war movies.
• How do drama books affect readers?
• Evaluate a book about war and analyze whether it addresses current concerns associated with war and peace.
• Evaluate the effects of online educational programs on students’ performance.
• Do historical movies encourage history learning?
• Evaluate an Italian cafe located in your city. What is the difference between the Italian and local food?
• What makes a traditional Italian meal great?
• Can hamburgers be healthy? Mention some details and provide relevant arguments.
• How mental health issues affect students’ academic performance?
• Analyze teachers’ responsibilities in terms of elementary students’ needs.
• Evaluate the power of verbal encouragement as a motivational factor in the educational process.
• Critically reflect on education services provided to children experiencing difficulties in learning.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of German secondary education.
• Evaluate teaching methods used at the American universities.
• Ways in which online libraries affect the students’ academic performance.
• How well the film “BraveHeart” portrays historical events?
• Analyze a movie produced in a foreign country and discuss how it reveals its national characteristics.
• Assess Kate Winslet’s play in “Titanic” and discuss which means this actor applies to adapt to this role.
• Make a comparison between modern and classic drama movies.
• Assess the distinct approaches used to transfer data from a smartphone to a PC.
• Make comparisons between various phone plans and determine which provider has the best deals for travelers.
• Assess current information security methods. Which one is the most efficient?
• Assess the key characteristics of WhatsApp.
• Compare the use of several cloud systems that can be implemented by the movie hub website.
• Estimate the chances of Facebook as a marketing resource.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of online advertising.
• Assess the existing approaches to using the Internet in colleges.
• Analyze the consequences of cultural shock.
• Assess the negative sides of overwhelming cultural diversity in the United States.
• Discuss the development path of rap and hip-hop music.
• What is the impact of Buddhism on Indian culture?
• Compare two popular social media platforms in terms of their  users, features, and benefits.
• Evaluate the latest version of your favorite smartphone and estimate the positive or negative changes that will affect the industry.
• Compare an educational approach in the military, Christian, or classical school.
• Evaluate the SAT versus the ACT tests.
• Compare the foreign policies established by a few states in the US.

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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. 

So what are you waiting for? Buy custom essay online and have a sigh of relief! 

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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Keep reading

157 Quality Evaluation Essay Topics (Template)

This article provides over 150 evaluation essay topics. Follow these steps to select your topic and start writing your essay. You can navigate to each point in the post, or scroll down to browse the whole post:

Step 1: Choose a Topic

• Step 2: Create an Evaluation Criteria for your Topic
• Step 3: Use my Essay Template to write your Essay

Read Also: What is an Evaluation Essay?

Below, the evaluation essay topics are split into the following categories for ease of use. Feel free to navigate the post using these links or browse all suggestions by continuing to scroll down.

• Books, Television and Movies
• Restaurants
• Education, Universities and Schools
• Pop Culture

Politics and Economics

• Music and Art

Famous People

• Social Theory, Sociology and Philosophy
• Social Services
• The Environment

Media and Literature (Books, Movies, Television, Social Media)

You might want to write about one of these topic ideas if you’re studying literature or English studies, or intending to study literature at school, college or university level. Here are some media and literature topics to examine for some good evaluation essays:

• the moral messages in a book.
• the educational value of a book.
• the suitability of a book for a certain age group.
• the entertainment value of a book.
• whether a book has withstood the test of time.
• whether a movie adaptation on a book does the book justice.
• the merits of moving from paper books to eBooks.
• the suitability of a movie for children.
• the political, social, or moral messages in a move.
• how a movie has withstood the test of time.
• the quality of acting, producing and directing in a movie.
• whether a movie should have won an Oscar.
• How realistic animations or special effects are within a movie.
• whether the sequal to (The Matrix, Toy Story, Hunger Games, etc.) is as good as the original.
• the addictiveness of TV shows.
• If acting on a TV show is better or worse than another show.
• the messages in plot lines in a TV show.
• how well a TV show reflects real life.
• the impacts of Television on adolescents’ tastes.
• whether Television continues to have relevance to people’s lives in 2019.
• how Television creates shared sense of community and national identity within a society.
• whether a nation should have a government paid television station like BBC (UK), CBC (Canada) or ABC (Australia).
• Whether social media has been good or bad for society.
• Whether children should be exposed to social media.
• If social media should be regulated by the government.

I’ve found my topic. Take me to Step 2.

Restaurants and Food

An evaluative essay on restaurants and food is common in high school when learning critical writing. You could evaluate:

• How good the service is in a restaurant.
• the breadth and suitability of a menu in a restaurant.
• the restaurant’s business model.
• the health of a restaurant’s offerings.
• the restaurant’s environment and atmosphere.
• the health of the average American diet.
• the merits of vegetarianism.
• the merits of veganism.
• the merits of an all-meat diet.

People studying urban planning, engineering or economics may be asked to write an essay on transport. Here are some evaluative topics to consider for you. You could evaluate:

• the speed and efficiency of transportation in your local area.
• the cost effectiveness of transportation in your local area.
• the quality of a car based on categories like value for money and build.
• the quality of an airline service based on categories like seat comfort, service and speed.
• the efficiency of a train service between two cities.
• Whether road repairs in your local community made driving safer.
• the potential of electric cars for taking over internal combustion engine cars in the next 10 years.

Students studying meteorology , agricultural studies or atmospheric sciences might be asked to write a topic on weather patterns. Here are some ideas of evaluative essays on this topic. You might want to evaluate:

• the accuracy of a weather prediction service in your local area.
• the suitability of weather conditions for agriculture in your local region.
• the impact of extreme weather events on people in your local community.
• how seasons impact upon people’s moods.
• how much El Nino and El Nina weather systems impact a city.

Students studying a range of topics including ICT, cultural studies, education studies and social sciences might be asked to write on a topic on technology. Here’s some ideas for you. You could evaluate:

• the impact of Facebook on society.
• how internet has changed the world.
• the reliability of internet connection in a certain country.
• Whether smart phones have made life better.
• the addictiveness of games on children.
• whether technology has made learning better, more inclusive and easier.

Urban planning, politics and local government majors often look at cities and how they’re built. Here are some possible topics for you to cover. You might want to analyze:

• Whether buses or trains are better for transit in your city.
• what makes a city ‘liveable’.
• the impact of your city on the nation’s culture and economy.
• How good is the the nightlife in your city.
• How good are the the restaurants in your city.
• the local government in your city.
• whether living in the city is good for people’s lives.

Education, School, College and Universities

Students studying education studies or teaching will be asked to write an evaluative essay at some point in your degree. You might also need to evaluate a course you recently took. Here’s some ideas. You could evaluate:

• whether a course had practical implications for your life.
• the value of teaching in a particular course.
• the value for money of the course.
• how well technology was used to teach the course.
• whether the course could have been taught in a different format (online, on-campus, etc.)
• the usefulness of resources provided in the course.
• the teaching theories employed in a course, and whether they were appropriate.

Similarly, students considering going to a particular university may need to write an evaluation of a university or university education in general. You may also be asked to write on educational issues in a general education studies degree. Here’s some ideas for you. You might want to assess:

• the strengths and weaknesses of a local university’s football team.
• the value for money of a local college.
• whether university is worth the money for young people.
• the impact of compulsory school uniforms on children’s education (see more: 35 Pros and Cons of School Uniforms ).
• whether a particular degree / major has decent career prospects.
• the availability of public transit to or from a local school.
• the usefulness of humanities degrees to society.
• the usefulness of science degrees to society.
• whether trade schools should be made free for all.

Students studying sport sciences, kinesthesiology , or sports journalism may be asked to write an evaluative essay. Here’s some ideas for you. You could assess:

• the accuracy and biases of a sports broadcast.
• the impact of your favorite sports on people’s mental health.
• the impact of a particular sport on a person’s physical health.
• the value of a sports team for community building.
• the effect of recent rule changes on a sport.
• the line-up of sports in the Olympics and whether it improves the games.
• the strength of a current sports team line-up.
• the quality of a ground on which a sport is played.
• the impact of sports stars as mentors on children.
• whether sporting events should be played on religious or public holidays.
• how well a particular sport helps students develop problem solving skills.
• If half time entertainment at the Superbowl is better than it was in previous years.

Popular Culture

Popular culture is a topic commonly studied in cultural studies, media studies and communications degrees. However, you might also be asked to cover this in a general social sciences course or a general high school essay. Here’s some ideas for you. You could start with ‘Write an Analysis of…”

• whether Miley Cirus is a good influence on young people.
• the impact of K-Pop on western culture.
• the impact of Hollywood movies on world cultures. Is this Americanization of the world a positive or negative?
• the impact of Bollywood on western culture.
• how YouTube has influenced youth subcultures .
• the impact of Rue Paul’s Drag Race on LGBT awareness in the United States.

Students studying political sciences or economics will likely be asked to write a research paper that critically evaluates a topic throughout their degree. Social studies students in high school will also be called upon to write an evaluative essay of this type as well. Here’s some ideas for you. You could evaluate:

• a past president’s impact on society.
• a political party’s position on the environment.
• a political party’s position on the economy.
• the overall value of a politician’s position for society.
• the impact of the great depression on American society in the 1930s
• the impact of the 2008 Great Financial Crisis on the world.
• the immigration policies of the Democratic party.
• whether Capitalism has been good or bad for society.
• how Socialism impacts upon societies.
• whether rich people should be taxed more.

This is a very common topic for critical essays in high school. You may also need to conduct an evaluative essay on travel in a course within cultural or tourism studies. Here’s some ideas for you. You could write an evaluation of:

• Evaluate your favorite recent travel experience.
• a group travel company’s offerings according to categories such as value for money, service and authentic experiences.
• a travel destination according to factors including enjoyment, ease of travel, cultural attractions and safety.
• the impact of the burning of Notre Dame in 2019 on Paris tourism.
• London’s pub scene.
• the value of a gap year between high school and college .
• the potential impact of travel on people’s worldviews.
• whether travel is worth the money.

Art and Music

Cultural studies and fine arts degrees will ask you to write many good evaluative essays. You’ll be asked to focus on famous artists and art theories. Here’s some examples to get you mind ticking. You could analyze:

• the impact of Picasso on art theory.
• the Mona Lisa’s ongoing relevance in the 21 st
• the value of contemporary art for society.
• whether a degree in fine arts is worth the money.
• whether investment in the arts is a worthwhile way of spending public tax money.
• the merits of calling Banksy an ‘artist’ rather than a public nuisance.
• whether Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi was actually worth $450 million dollars when sold in 2017.

Similarly, courses that examine musical theory, cultural studies and youth studies may ask you to write evaluative topics focused on music. Here’s some musical topics you could use in an evaluative essay. You could say “Write an evaluation of…”

• whether hip hop / grunge / punk is a positive influence on youth.
• the creativity of prominent themes in Top 40s country music.
• the impact of The Beatles on rock music.
• the impact of Michael Jackson on music.
• Jay-Z’s impact on rap music.
• how music impacts youth culture.

This is a very popular topic provided to middle and high school students. However, just about any college course may ask you to write on a famous person also. Here’s some ideas for you. You could “Write an evaluation of…”

• your grandmother’s impact on your life.
• Evaluate your favorite role model’s impact on society.
• Bill Gates’ impact on society.
• Martin Luthor King’s legacy.
• Oprah’s potential impact on young black women.
• how Joe Rogan has changed the media landscape.
• the merits of Louis C. K. returning to comedy.
• Trevor Noah’s role as host of The Daily Show.

Sociology, Social Theory and Philosophy

Social sciences degrees require you to write many evaluative essays. Degrees in the social sciences include sociology, psychology, cultural studies and philosophy degrees. Here’s some ideas for you. You could evaluate:

• the strengths and weaknesses of Karl Marx’s approach to economic and social theory.
• how social relationships have been impacted by Twitter.
• whether Post-Modernism has changed the world for the better or worse.
• the merits of Confucius’s philosophy.
• the impact of the scientific method on the world.
• whether Spinoza’s philosophy has merits in 2019.
• the pros and cons of existentialist philosophy.
• the impact of first wave feminism on the 20 th
• the merits of Freud’s theory of child development.

Evaluation essays on religion is common in both high school and college courses. Here are some ideas for a research paper or evaluative essays on religion. You could assess:

• Mohammad ’s influence on the world today.
• the merits of the message of Jesus Christ in the 21 st
• how Hinduism has impacted Indian culture.
• whether religion has had an overall positive or negative impact on the promotion of human flourishing.
• the impacts of religion’s decline in the west in the past 50 years.
• whether science has made religion irrelevant.
• whether islamophobia is on the rise within the western world.

Social Services (Medical, etc.)

Social services might be covered in health care, local government, criminology or sociology degrees. They may also pop up in courses covering urban planning and public health. Here’s some ideas for you. You could evaluate:

• whether social safety nets are beneficial for society.
• the pros and cons of the implementation of universal healthcare within OECD nations.
• the impacts of your local council’s laws on homelessness upon people in poverty.
• the merits of having social care provided by religious bodies rather than governmental bodies.
• the impact of tolls on major highways into and out of cities.
• whether continued funding of Libraries by local councils is worthwhile.
• whether preventative youth programs can decrease pressure on criminal courts.

Environment

Environmental studies is a rapidly growing topic in universities. You’ll be asked to write evaluative essays throughout a range of courses on climate change, environmental management and ecosystems. Here’s some ideas for you. You could write an evaluation of:

• whether the world’s governments are doing enough to prevent climate change.
• the impacts of the pollution of oceans on our oceans’ ecologies.
• the impacts of logging in Indonesia on Orangutans.
• whether individuals’ recycling actually can have an impact on protecting natural environments.
• whether wind turbines can be a genuine alternative to fossil fuels.
• the impacts of the Tesla company on speeding up the uptake of electric vehicles.

Step 2: Create an Evaluation Criteria

Once you’ve selected your evaluation essay topics, you’ll now need to create an evaluation criteria. This will be the skeleton for the body paragraphs of your essay! This criteria is useful for coming up with ideas for assessing the pros and cons, or strengths and weaknesses, of a topic. Try to come up with about 5 criteria you can assess your topic on. For example, if my evaluation essay topic was on a particular type of car, I might evaluate it based on the following criteria:

Possible Criteria for an Evaluation Essay Evaluating a Car

• Value for Money
• Suitability for families
• Fuel efficiency

Possible Criteria for an Evaluation Essay Evaluating a Restaurant

• Quality of service
• Food choices
• Taste of Food
• Food presentation

Once you’ve selected your evaluation criteria, you can write your evaluation paper by turning each point into a paragraph. For example, you’d write one 4 – 7 sentence paragraph exploring the value for money of the car, then another 4 – 7 sentence paragraph exploring the safety features of the car, and so on and so forth… until your evaluation paper is written!

Step 3: Use this Essay Template to write your Essay

In my post on how to write an evaluation essay , I provide you with an evaluation essay template. I recommend writing an evaluation essay using this template to ensure your evaluation essay is as good as possible. Here’s the Essay Template:

Remember, you should always check my advice with your teacher. If your teacher gave you a different format or doesn’t like your essay idea, follow your teacher’s advice! After all, they’re the people who will be marking your piece.

If you haven’t yet, you might want to check out my original article on evaluative essays that digs deep on what evaluation essays are  and why you need to have an evaluation criteria. It goes into a lot more depth of the purpose of evaluative essays. It also has an example evaluation essay that you can check out to get an idea of how to write those body paragraphs in detail. Good luck with your evaluative essay, and I hope this post on evaluation essay topics was useful for you!

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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]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 17 Behaviorism Examples
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Article Contents

Introduction, supplementary material.

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Advertising appeals effectiveness: a systematic literature review

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Murooj Yousef, Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, Timo Dietrich, Advertising appeals effectiveness: a systematic literature review, Health Promotion International , Volume 38, Issue 4, August 2023, daab204, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daab204

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Positive, negative and coactive appeals are used in advertising. The evidence base indicates mixed results making practitioner guidance on optimal advertising appeals difficult. This study aims to identify the most effective advertising appeals and it seeks to synthesize relevant literature up to August 2019. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework a total of 31 studies were identified and analyzed. Emotional appeals, theory utilization, materials, results and quality were examined. Across multiple contexts, results from this review found that positive appeals were more often effective than coactive and negative appeals. Most studies examined fear and humour appeals, reflecting a literature skew towards the two emotional appeals. The Effective Public Health Practice Project framework was applied to assess the quality of the studies and identified that there remains opportunity for improvement in research design of advertising studies. Only one-third of studies utilized theory, signalling the need for more theory testing and application in future research. Scholars should look at increasing methodological strength by drawing more representative samples, establishing strong study designs and valid data collection methods. In the meantime, advertisers are encouraged to employ and test more positive and coactive advertising appeals.

Advertising appeals have witnessed an increase in research interest and scholarly attention in recent years. Studies investigate appeal effectiveness [e.g. ( Jordan et al. , 2015 ; Lee, 2018 )] and to a lesser extent systematic and meta-analytic studies attempting to synthesize results are evident ( O’Keefe and Jensen, 2009 ; Jenkin et al. , 2014 ; Hornik et al. , 2016 ). These studies however are limited in their focus [e.g. fear appeals ( Tannenbaum et al. , 2015 ; Esrick et al. , 2019 )], context [e.g. disease detection behaviours ( O’Keefe and Jensen, 2009 )], media type, [e.g. mass media ( Elder et al. , 2004 )] and comparison of general advertising appeal types [e.g. rational vs. emotional (fear and humour) vs. metaphor appeals ( Hornik et al. , 2017 )]. Taken together, a review of the literature indicates clear gaps requiring an evidence review focussed on synthesizing studies seeking to examine positive versus negatively framed advertising appeal effectiveness that are context free, not media specific, includes rational as well as emotional studies of different emotional valances (positive, negative and coactive), and extends the range of emotions examined beyond fear and humour which is heavily investigated in the literature. Given that negatively framed appeals dominate behaviour change and prevention studies, a systematic literature review that explores the effectiveness of different advertising approaches is important, timely and called for [e.g. ( Williams et al. , 2004 ; Armstrong, 2010 ; Hornik et al. , 2016 )].

Hornik et al. (Hornik et al. , 2016 ) based their meta-analytic review on rational, emotional (i.e. fear, humour and sex) and metaphor advertising appeals, limiting their results to specific appeal types. The current study seeks to build on their study, extending investigation to other appeals (e.g. coactive) to ascertain the extent these have been used effectively to deliver behaviour change. Following Hornik et al. (Hornik et al. , 2016 ), we argue that positive emotional advertising appeals are more effective in changing behaviour than negative and rational advertising appeals. However, in contrast to their study, we do not follow their general classification of appeals (i.e. rational, emotional and metaphor), but rather we include a wider set of studies that look at rational, emotional, positive, negative and coactive advertising appeals in different campaign contexts (e.g. social and commercial).

Advertising appeals

An advertising appeal refers to the use of persuasion strategies to attract attention, create relevance and memorability, raise awareness and induce action ( Armstrong, 2010 ). An advertising message can appeal to one’s cognition (i.e. rational appeals), emotions (i.e. emotional appeals) or both. Rational appeals rely on arguments, reason and facts to create persuasion ( Dahlen et al. , 2010 ). In contrast, emotional appeals seek to induce certain emotions in the audience to make the message memorable and more persuasive to take action ( Dahlen et al. , 2010 ). The emotional versus rational debate has been widely discussed with scholars exploring effectiveness in different advertising aims, contexts, business types and target audiences [see, e.g. ( Mattila, 1999 ; Matthes and Wonneberger, 2014 ; Akpinar and Berger, 2017 ; Moran and Bagchi, 2019 )]. Two recent meta-analytic studies identified that consumers respond more favourably to emotional appeals than they do to rational appeals ( Hornik et al. , 2016 , 2017 ).

Effectiveness of different emotional appeals utilized in advertising messages has also received attention. Emotional appeals can be classified as positive, negative or coactive based on the valance of emotion employed. Each emotional valence exerts different effects on judgement and therefore affects perceptions and behaviours differently ( Lerner and Keltner, 2000 ). The literature reports mixed results for advertising effectiveness when it comes to positive versus negative emotional appeals. For example, while fear appeals were found to generate defensive reactions ( Witte and Allen, 2000 ) and result in a boomerang effect for young adults ( Lennon et al. , 2010 ), other studies found negative appeals to be effective in creating behaviour change when compared to positive and neutral appeals ( Struckman‐Johnson et al. , 1994 ; Small and Verrochi, 2009 ; Tay, 2011 ; Sun, 2015 ). Neutral appeals are discussed mainly in charity advertising [see, e.g. ( Small and Verrochi, 2009 )], where positive and negative appeals are compared to neutral (no emotion) ads.

Positive emotional appeals are explored in the literature to a lesser extent reflecting their limited use in advertising campaigns focussed on health prevention and related contexts ( Tay, 2005 ; Dunstone et al. , 2017 ). Inducing positive emotions through advertising messages was found to yield more positive attitudes to the advertisement ( Lau-Gesk and Meyers-Levy, 2009 ), higher liking of the message ( Hornik et al. , 2017 ) and a stronger impact on behaviour than negative emotional appeals in multiple contexts such as safe driving ( Plant et al. , 2017 ), reducing binge drinking among college students ( Lee, 2018 ), encouraging environmental friendly behaviour ( Wang et al. , 2017 ; Skurka et al. , 2018 ), health behaviour ( Jordan et al. , 2015 ; Vaala et al. , 2016 ) and anti-cyber bullying ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ). However, positive emotional appeals were found to be less effective for highly involved consumers ( Yoon and Tinkham, 2013 ) and for female audiences ( Noble et al. , 2014 ) when compared to low involved and male audiences respectively.

Recently there has been an interest in the literature in the use of coactive emotional appeals that seek to induce both positive and negative emotions simultaneously ( Nabi, 2015 ; Yoon, 2018 ). It is hypothesized that the use of a threat-relief emotional message by combining emotions like fear and humour will result in a stronger persuasion outcome ( Nabi, 2015 ). Positive emotions have the ability to reduce the defensive reactions that negative appeals generate, making them more effective in changing behaviour ( Mukherjee and Dubé, 2012 ; Bennett, 2015 ). Eckler and Bolls and Alhabash et al. found coactive appeals ( Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Alhabash et al. , 2013 ) to have a stronger impact than negative appeals but their work also indicated that coactive appeals are weaker than positive appeals. No known systematic or meta-analytic review has synthesized the effectiveness of coactive advertising appeals, signalling the need for a review study.

Emotion can be defined as the psychological reaction to an event, a memory and specific types of media ( Allen et al. , 2005 ). Emotions are usually provoked by an internal stimulus that generates a strong short-term reaction influencing one’s attitudes towards something ( Scherer, 2005 ). Wu et al. report that being exposed to an advertisement ( Wu et al. , 2018 ), even a very short exposure, will induce both strong and weak emotions. The type of emotions used in an advertisement will have different results for the audience. Using neural signal tools like heartrate monitors, Kaye et al. (Kaye et al. , 2016 ) found that negative advertisements stimulate respondents while positive advertisements result in a more relaxed feeling.

RQ1. Which emotional advertising appeal is more effective in creating behaviour change across different contexts?

There is no recent systematic review that looks beyond the context of advertising (e.g. health) and valance of emotions (e.g. fear appeals) to understand the effectiveness of positive versus negative and coactive advertising appeals. The aims of this systematic review study are two-fold. First, to highlight the most effective advertising appeal based on empirical research findings utilizing behavioural (e.g. driving speed) or behavioural proxy (e.g. intentions) measures up to August 2019. Second, this review analyses the quality of published studies in the field based on the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) protocol to guide future research.

emotional appeals or emotion* based advertis* AND appeal* AND advertis* or public service announcement or psa or message or communication or strategy or promot* or campaign or experiment

In total, 2384 records were initially identified (see Figure 1 for a flowchart of the search process adopted). Due to the magnitude and focus of each database and its alignment with the search terms, there was variance in the number of records produced from each database. The downloaded records were collated using Endnote. First, all duplicate records were removed leaving a total of 1507 unique records. Second, unqualified records including conference and government reports, unidentifiable full text, as well as records not in English were removed. Finally, titles and abstracts of remaining records were assessed and classified into the exclusion criteria categories: studies using non advertising materials (e.g. news articles), non-emotional based advertising, non-experimental studies (e.g. content analysis and literature reviews), studies exploring only one type of appeal (i.e. negative, positive, mixed or rational), rational versus emotional appeal studies, message framing studies (e.g. gain vs. loss frame), studies lacking behaviour or intention measures of effectiveness.

Systematic search diagram using PRISMA process.

After application of the exclusion criteria, a total of 25 articles undertaking a direct comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of positive and negative appeals were identified. Next, backward and forward searching using authors’ names, Google Scholar and reference lists were completed. A further six articles were identified. In total, 31 articles were analysed. The full list of papers can be found in Supplementary Appendix A .

Data extraction and analysis

The included studies were analysed in terms of (i) the employed materials, (ii) study characteristics and results and, (iii) study quality.

Employed materials and media

Each study’s stimulus was screened to determine the type of media (e.g. video, print, audio), the type of emotion (e.g. fear, guilt, happiness), the target issue (e.g. health behaviour, safe driving, environmental behaviour) and the type of appeals tested (e.g. positive, negative, coactive, rational appeals). This categorized studies based on the type of stimulus used to identify patterns and examine appeal effectiveness.

Study characteristics and results

The 31 identified studies were analysed based on their sample size, sample characteristics (e.g. age and gender), data collection methods (e.g. self-report or objective measures), data collection time points (e.g. post exposure only, pre and post exposure or after a delayed period of time), the employed theory (if any) and mediators and moderator measures of effectiveness. Study outcome measures that were set to warrant inclusion in the review were restricted to behaviour or behavioural intention measures. Studies were excluded if an outcome evaluation was not undertaken to examine advertising effectiveness. For included studies, results were categorized based on the most effective appeal, namely (i) positive, (ii) negative, (iii) no difference/inconclusive or (iv) mixed if positive and negative appeals were found to be effective for different cohorts.

Quality assessment

The quality of the included studies was assessed using the EPHPP quality assessment tool for quantitative studies ( Effective Public Health Practice Project, 2019 ). The EPHPP tool is suitable for evaluating multiple study designs ( Deeks et al. , 2003 ) and has been used to assess the quality of advertising studies in previous reviews ( Becker and Midoun, 2016 ). The assessment tool is valid ( Thomas et al. , 2004 ; Jackson and Waters, 2005 ) and suitable for use in systematic reviews examining effectiveness ( Deeks et al. , 2003 ). Each study was rated using six EPHPP criteria: (i) selection bias—how representative the sample is of the target population; (ii) study design—the likelihood of bias due to the allocation process in the study; (iii) confounders—the extent to which groups were balanced at baseline with respect to confounding variables; (iv) blinding—whether participants were aware of the study objectives and researchers participating in the study were aware of each group participation status; (v) data collection—whether study measures were valid and reliable and (vi) withdrawals and drop outs—the percentage of participants remaining in the study at the final data collection period in all groups ( Thomas et al. , 2004 ). Each individual aspect is rated as weak, moderate or strong and an overall rating is applied to each study ( Thomas et al. , 2004 ). All studies assessed through the EHPHH tool were rated by two researchers and inter-reliability scores exceeded the 80% threshold. Discrepancies were discussed and resolved with all three authors.

Description of included studies

In total, 31 studies qualified for inclusion. More than half of studies were from the United States [ n = 18; e.g. ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ; Bleakley et al. , 2015 )], followed by Australia [ n = 5; e.g. ( Noble et al. , 2014 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 )], the rest ( n = 8) were from Canada ( Tay, 2011 ), United Kingdom ( Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ), Germany ( Jäger and Eisend, 2013 ), Belgium ( Faseur and Geuens, 2010 ), Netherlands ( Hendriks et al. , 2014 ), China ( Wang et al. , 2017 ), Taiwan ( Wu et al. , 2018 ) and South Korea ( Sun, 2015 ) (see Figure 2 for study locations). Most studies addressed social issues ( n = 28) such as safe driving ( Lewis et al. , 2008 ; Taute et al. , 2011 ; Tay, 2011 ; Jäger and Eisend, 2013 ; Previte et al. , 2015 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ), charity donations ( Small and Verrochi, 2009 ; Faseur and Geuens, 2010 ; Kemp et al. , 2013 ; Cao and Jia, 2017 ; Zemack-Rugar and Klucarova-Travani, 2018 ), health ( Struckman‐Johnson et al. , 1994 ; Lee and Ferguson, 2002 ; Passyn and Sujan, 2006 ; Hendriks et al. , 2014 ; Bleakley et al. , 2015 ; Jordan et al. , 2015 ; Vaala et al. , 2016 ; Thainiyom and Elder, 2017 ; Lee, 2018 ), the environment ( Yoon and Tinkham, 2013 ; Noble et al. , 2014 ; Wang et al. , 2017 ; Skurka et al. , 2018 ), organ donation ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ; Sun, 2015 ) and cyberbullying ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ). Three studies were undertaken in commercial settings with authors examining toothbrush, influenza vaccine, alcohol, cars and insurance advertisements ( Brooker, 1981 ; Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Wu et al. , 2018 ) (see Figure 3 ).

Location of included studies.

Studies by targeted issue.

Most studies looked at positive versus negative advertising appeals [ n = 19; e.g. ( Kemp et al. , 2013 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 )], only two studies included positive, negative and coactive appeals ( Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Alhabash et al. , 2013 ), while the rest incorporated a rational [ n = 8; e.g. ( Sun, 2015 ; Skurka et al. , 2018 )] or neutral appeal [ n = 2 ( Small and Verrochi, 2009 ; Zemack-Rugar and Klucarova-Travani, 2018 ); see Figure 4 ] in their tests. In terms of emotions, fear versus humour was most frequently examined with 12 (38%) studies comparing the two emotions [e.g. ( Tay, 2011 ; Vaala et al. , 2016 )]. Of all tested emotional appeals, fear was the most studied appeal (48%) followed by humour (45%). Positive emotions such as pride ( Kemp et al., 2013 ; Noble et al. , 2014 ; Wang et al. , 2017 ), hope ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ; Thainiyom and Elder, 2017 ), love ( Previte et al. , 2015 ) and a range of negative emotions such as disgust ( Hendriks et al. , 2014 ), anger ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ), shame ( Previte et al. , 2015 ), regret ( Taute et al. , 2011 ) and guilt ( Noble et al. , 2014 ) were also considered. Seven studies did not specify which positive and negative emotions were tested ( Faseur and Geuens, 2010 ; Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Alhabash et al. , 2013 ; Sun, 2015 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ; Wu et al. , 2018 ).

Studies by the tested appeals.

Only three studies utilized objective data collection tools. Objective outcome data included GPS speed trackers ( Kaye et al. , 2016 ), driving stimulators ( Plant et al. , 2017 ) and donation amounts ( Small and Verrochi, 2009 ). The rest of the studies relied on self-reported measures [ n = 28; e.g. ( Jäger and Eisend, 2013 ; Skurka et al. , 2018 ; Wu et al. , 2018 )]. The majority of studies ( n = 24) collected data post exposure only [e.g. ( Taute et al. , 2011 ; Sun, 2015 )]. Four studies included a post exposure and a follow-up data collection time point after a delayed period of time ( Passyn and Sujan, 2006 ; Lewis et al. , 2008 ; Hendriks et al. , 2014 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ). Two studies collected data pre and post exposure ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ; Previte et al. , 2015 ) and only one study collected data at pre, post and follow-up time points ( Kaye et al. , 2016 ).

Only 35% of studies were guided by theories. Theories that were reported included the Elaboration Likelihood Model ( Lewis et al. , 2008 ), Extended Parallel Process Model ( Tay, 2011 ), Theory of Planned Behaviour ( Hendriks et al. , 2014 ), Affect as Information Theory ( Taute et al. , 2011 ) and other theories (see Supplementary Appendix A ).

Study outcomes

The aim of this systematic review was to highlight effective advertising appeals. This is based on the ability of the appeal to influence behaviour or behavioural intentions significantly ( P < 0.05) in the desired direction (e.g. reduce drink driving). The results of the 31 included studies indicate that positive advertising appeals are slightly more effective than negative and coactive advertising appeals. It is important to note there is evidence of effectiveness for all appeal types and each context and target audience differ in appeal effectiveness requiring pre-testing and examination prior appeal consideration. Thirty-five per cent ( n = 11) of studies reported positive appeals to be more effective ( Brooker, 1981 ; Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Alhabash et al. , 2013 ; Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ; Previte et al. , 2015 ; Sun, 2015 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ; Wang et al. , 2017 ; Lee, 2018 ; Wu et al. , 2018 ; Zemack-Rugar and Klucarova-Travani, 2018 ), while 26% ( n = 8) reported negative appeals to have a stronger persuasion effect than positive appeals ( Struckman‐Johnson et al. , 1994 ; Small and Verrochi, 2009 ; Tay, 2011 ; Hendriks et al. , 2014 ; Noble et al. , 2014 ; Bleakley et al. , 2015 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 ). Nineteen per cent of studies ( n = 6) showed mixed results. Where mixed results were reported the mixed outcomes occurred as a result of range of factors including gender ( Kemp et al. , 2013 ; Thainiyom and Elder, 2017 ), connection to others ( Faseur and Geuens, 2010 ), prior attitudes ( Jäger and Eisend, 2013 ), time of assessment after exposure ( Lewis et al. , 2008 ), issue involvement ( Yoon and Tinkham, 2013 ) and psychological involvement ( Cao and Jia, 2017 ). Five studies (16%) did not find any significant differences in effectiveness between positive and negative appeals ( Passyn and Sujan, 2006 ; Thainiyom and Elder, 2017 ; Skurka et al. , 2018 ). Finally, only one study reported inconclusive results due to unrepresentative sample ( Lee and Ferguson, 2002 ). Figure 5 showcase results of the included studies.

Results supporting different appeals effectiveness or reporting mixed, indifferent or inconclusive results.

A quality assessment of the identified papers was conducted using the EPHPP tool (see Supplementary Appendix B ). Of the 31 included studies, 26 were assessed as weak in the global rating, five were assessed as moderate and none were assessed as strong. Selection bias was likely in many studies due to the use of student samples or bias to a geographical area. Only one study was somewhat likely to have a representative sample ( Skurka et al. , 2018 ). Five studies included a control group and randomly allocated participants into experimental groups (e.g. positive and negative stimuli) therefore these were assessed as strong in terms of study design ( Struckman‐Johnson et al. , 1994 ; Bleakley et al. , 2015 ; Jordan et al. , 2015 ; Vaala et al., 2016 ; Skurka et al. , 2018 ). Six were assessed as moderate ( Lewis et al. , 2008 ; Hendriks et al. , 2014 ; Previte et al. , 2015 ; Sun, 2015 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ), while the rest ( n = 20) were weak due to their cross sectional nature [e.g. ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ; Jäger and Eisend, 2013 )].

In terms of confounders, about one-third of studies ( n = 10, 32%) reported either no baseline differences between groups or controlled for at least 80% of relevant confounders resulting in a strong rating. The rest of the studies ( n = 21) did not report potential confounders or account for confounds during analysis and were therefore assessed as weak [e.g. ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ; Bleakley et al. , 2015 ; Lee, 2018 )]. Only two studies (10%) clearly reported that both the assessors and participants were not blinded in the experiment resulting in a weak rating ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ). The rest of the studies ( n = 29, 87%) were rated as moderate as it was not clear if the participants and assessors were blinded or not. In terms of data collection methods, over half of the included studies ( n = 19, 61%) did not provide evidence of the validity of the reported measures and were therefore assessed as weak.

Two studies were assessed as moderate in their data collection method as they reported on validity but not reliability of the measures ( Jordan et al. , 2015 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ), while the rest ( n = 10, 32%) were rated strong for providing evidence of the validity and reliability of the reported outcomes measures [e.g. ( Kemp et al. , 2013 ; Noble et al. , 2014 ; Sun, 2015 ; Kaye et al. , 2016 )]. For the retention rate of participants, only two programs were assessed as strong with more than 80% completing the experiment ( Kaye et al. , 2016 ; Plant et al. , 2017 ). The rest were rated as moderate due to the lack of retention rate reporting [e.g. ( Jäger and Eisend, 2013 )], low completion rate [e.g. ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ; Jordan et al. , 2015 )] or due to the post exposure nature of studies where retention rate is not applicable [e.g. ( Faseur and Geuens, 2010 )].

The aims of this study were two-fold. This study aimed to identify which appeal type (positive, negative and/or coactive) was most likely to change social and commercial behaviour and to assess the quality of studies reported in peer review literature. This is the first known systematic review that is not limited to an emotion, appeal type, context or media. Our findings extend understanding in three key ways. First, this article extends understanding of appeal effectiveness with consideration of the effectiveness of coactive appeals. Second, it examines the extent of theory and emotion use in the included studies. Third, it assesses study quality identifying how researchers can enhance the evidence base by improving study quality.

Positive, negative or coactive?

Consistent with the literature ( Jenkin et al. , 2014 ; Hornik et al. , 2016 ) our findings confirm a slight persuasive advantage of positive advertising appeals over negative appeals. Positive appeals are able to increase consumers’ perceived response efficacy more than negative appeals ( Zemack-Rugar and Klucarova-Travani, 2018 ); help consumers realize the rewards of the promoted behaviour [e.g. moderate alcohol consumption ( Previte et al. , 2015 )]; induce positive attitudes—more than negative and coactive appeals—and therefore affect behavioural intentions positively ( Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Wang et al. , 2017 ). According to studies synthesized in the present review, positive appeals yield higher acceptance of the advertising message ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ) by creating a positive climate in which messages may be received ( Brooker, 1981 ), reducing reactance [e.g. skipping, ignoring, backlash or resisting ( Wu et al. , 2018 )] and increasing message liking ( Lee, 2018 ). Further outcomes accruing from positive appeals include illustration of positive benefits of the promoted behaviour by inducing empathy and reducing guilt ( Rodrigue et al. , 2014 ).

Negative appeals dominate social change practice and while evidence for effectiveness exists, there appears to be less support in comparison to positive and coactive appeals based on this study’s findings. Mixed results were also evident in other studies. For example, Kemp et al. argued that positive appeals are ( Kemp et al. , 2013 ) more persuasive with a male audience than a female audience, while Jäger and Eisend found participants with less ( Jäger and Eisend, 2013 ) favourable prior attitudes produce higher change in intentions to drink drive when exposed to positive emotional appeals.

The effectiveness of coactive appeals compared to single appeals was examined by 2 of the 31 included studies. Their findings suggest coactive appeals are less effective than positive appeals and more effective than negative appeals ( Eckler and Bolls, 2011 ; Alhabash et al. , 2013 ). Positive appeals require less cognitive processing, generate a general sense of pleasantness, are more likable and facilitate positive attitudes towards the advertisement making the advertised behaviour more appealing and taking action more tempting. On the contrary, the more negative an ad is, the less likable it is and the less likely viewers are to take action (i.e. share on social media). Therefore, coactive emotional appeals come in the middle, they are more effective than negative appeals but less effective than positive appeals ( Alhabash et al. , 2013 ). Interestingly, the two studies including coactive appeals in their experiments focused on viral sharing behaviour. Taking the target behaviour in consideration, their results can be interpreted more specifically. Previous studies found both emotional valence and arousal to affect content sharing and virality of advertisements ( Berger, 2011 ; Berger and Milkman, 2012 ). More specifically, content that are emotionally arousing (either positive or negative) are more likely to be shared with others than those less arousing. Furthermore, ads that are more positive in nature are more likely to be shared than negative ads ( Berger and Milkman, 2012 ). Moreover, the use of positive emotions along with negative emotions helps reduce the defensive responses of the audience resulting in a higher persuasion effect ( Mukherjee and Dubé, 2012 ). Hence, the studies included in this systematic review found coactive appeals to be more effective than negative appeals. When testing behaviour beyond sharing and virality, Yousef et al (2021) found positive appeals and coactive appeals to have similar effect on behaviour. Target audience plays a role in different appeals effectiveness, including coactive appeals. Studying advertising effect on young adults road safety perceptions and behaviour intentions, Yousef et al (2021) found coactive appeals to be more effective than single emotional appeals. The limited and mixed evidence for coactive appeals effectiveness is mainly due to the limited studies including such appeals in their experiments. More evidence is needed to determine coactive appeals effectiveness in other contexts and behaviours.

Applying theories and moving beyond fear and humour appeals

Over the years, advertising researchers have been under pressure to deliver relevant and practical findings that practitioners can follow and utilize ( Pitt et al. , 2005 ). It is argued that advertising research has formulated theories with ‘a high level of generality’ which makes them difficult to apply in practice ( Cornelissen and Lock, 2002 ). As a corollary, and due to the empirical nature of the included studies, these issues may have led to the limited application of theoretical frameworks. Pitt et al. (Pitt et al. , 2005 ) found only a minority of papers published in an 11-year period made explicit use of theories. Our findings confirm their research with more than half of the included studies lacking a theoretical base. Examples exist indicating how and where theory has been applied by researchers in intervention design, recruitment, implementation and evaluation [see ( Willmott et al. , 2019 )]. For example, Wadsworth and Hallam (Wadsworth and Hallam, 2010 ) applied social cognitive theory to an e-communication intervention identifying which theoretical constructs led to a physical activity increase. Theory did not only inform their study but was tested, refined and built on by the authors. This type of theory application can enhance study outcomes, better inform future research and systematically identify which theories are effective and for which audiences ( Willmott et al. , 2019 ).

Similarly, limited studies explored emotions beyond the heavily investigated emotions of fear and humour. Little is known about how other emotions effectiveness such as anger, disgust, guilt, love, joy and pride appeals deliver (or not) behavioural change. This reinforces past studies which have identified the limited use of emotions in advertising messages ( Tay, 2005 ; Dunstone et al. , 2017 ), not because other emotions are less effective but because there is limited evidence of effectiveness. When studies explore more emotions, new evidence emerges enabling practitioners to innovate and capture the attention of their audience. For example, Previte et al. ( Previte et al. , 2015 ) found a persuasive advantage for love and happiness (two emotions that are rarely examined in the advertising literature) over fear and shame appeals in moderate drinking advertising message, highlighting the potential of other emotions to yield desired results.

Enhancing study rigour to deliver a stronger evidence base for advertising effectiveness

Study quality assessment frameworks provide tools to assess the quality of research. The stronger the study, the more the policy, practitioner and research community can rely on the study findings. This study applied the EPHPP quality assessment tool ( Effective Public Health Practice Project, 2019 ) to assess study quality. Of particular concern is that no one study overall was rated as strong in the current review. In general, the methodological quality of the included studies was low. In the absence of strong evidence any conclusions drawn in the present evidence review and earlier meta-analytic and systematic literature reviews should be interpreted with caution until stronger study designs emerge. Within the present review notable, methodological problems included selection biases, weak study designs and invalid data collection methods.

A common issue with sampling is the use of student samples and samples from a specific region for convenience, resulting in selection bias. While calls for adoption of probability sampling procedures in the academic literature have been made ( Plant et al. , 2011 ; Sarstedt et al. , 2018 ), limited adoption of non-probability sampling is evident. In the absence of replication across samples or regions his reduces the generality of these studies making them bound to their sample and regional characteristics. Furthermore, the use of cross-sectional study designs contributed to the overall weak rating for most studies in this review. Including only a post-test immediately after exposure to the tested advertisements can lead to different result compared to testing over a delayed period of time ( Lewis et al. , 2008 ) making the results incomplete and the findings less comprehensive. Researchers are encouraged to include more than one time point for data collection to measure behaviour change over time. Finally, the validity and reliability of data collection methods used in the included studies are mostly weak. This is a reflection of the limited use of theories, with more studies bringing in their own measures without testing their validity or reliability before conducting their evaluations. Future research should focus on increasing the validity of their studies by utilizing previously validated measures from the literature ( David and Rundle-Thiele, 2018 ). This makes the study easier to replicate and its findings more reliable. Taken together, future research should aim to address these issues and improve the methodological quality of advertising evaluation studies to enhance empirical evidence.

Limitations

This study is restricted by several important limitations, which should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, the study is limited by the search parameters utilized and the study quality frameworks applied. For example, the review only includes studies that empirically test advertising appeal effectiveness (positive, negative, coactive), using behavioural measures (e.g. purchase intentions) that have been published in peer-reviewed English literature. Hence studies that rely on other measures (e.g. attitudes) or evaluate other message tactics (e.g. framing) and non-English and non-peer-reviewed studies, were excluded. Grey literature may contribute important information and future studies may benefit from examining these sources. The study focused mainly on emotional appeals, hence rational appeals were not included. Future reviews should compare rational and emotional appeals for more comprehensive findings. Second, due to the heterogeneity in the tested appeals, study populations and reporting of results, a meta-analysis was not possible, and a qualitative description of study outcomes was provided. Few studies included effect sizes and odds ratios, limiting our ability to compare effectiveness for the different advertising appeals. Third, results of the current review are collected from different contexts and behaviours and generalization of findings cannot be extended beyond this review. Moreover, pre-tests should be carried out before adopting any advertising appeal for any specific context, behaviour and target audience. Finally, based on the quality assessment of the included studies there is a clear absence of strong rigour experiments, hence any conclusions drawn in the present review should be interpreted with caution.

Future research

Future research should examine appeals effectiveness by utilising and applying advertising theories, investigating emotions beyond fear and humour in advertising appeals, increase the strength of their studies by following EPHPP guidelines, or other study quality frameworks, to design rigorous experiments and ensure that valid replicable analysis is reported. More effort should be made to draw representative samples, ensuring valid data collection methods and designing strong experiments that test effectiveness pre, post and after a delayed period of time following exposure. Furthermore, more studies should include coactive appeals in their evaluations to confirm their effectiveness compared to single appeal use as only a limited number of studies explored this type of appeal.

Future systematic literature reviews should build on this study by including other advertising tactics such as non-emotional appeals and gain and loss framing which can provide a wider picture of advertising effectiveness. Moving forward, consensus on advertising effectiveness outcome measures should be generated by the advertising research community. By agreeing on standard outcome measures, as occurs in tobacco control research, the research community could then advance understanding further via meta-analyses. Any effort that can reduce data transformation practices will serve to ensure synthesis studies can advance knowledge through delivery of the highest quality research that can inform policy and advertising practices.

This systematic review examined advertising appeals effectiveness based on the literature up to August 2019. Our findings support previous meta-analytic reviews in confirming positive appeals effectiveness over negative appeals. We extend on their findings however by including coactive advertising appeals. Across different contexts and behaviours, this review found positive appeals to be effective more often than negative appeals and coactive appeals. When all three appeals are studied, evidence suggest coactive appeals are more effective than negative appeals and less effective than positive appeals. Specifically, this review highlighted the scarce of theory use in advertising research signalling the need for more attention to embed theory into advertising design and evaluation. Moreover, a major concern raised by this review is the quality of the published papers. A greater focus should be made by authors to utilize valid data collection methods, representative samples and strong study designs. This research has contributed to a better understanding of advertising appeal effectiveness and may be of interest to policy makers, advertising professionals and designers and researchers who are interested in maximizing return on investment.

Supplementary material is available at Health Promotion International online.

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