Evaluation arguments

characteristics

• Similar to definition arguments in that the writer must determine a set of criteria

characteristics

• The writer must also show how someone or something meets or does not meet those criteria.

characteristics

• However, in an evaluation argument, the writer is concerned with quality, not definition.

characteristics

• While we often think of quality in terms of "good," "bad," "best," and "worst," the range of evaluative terms can be much broader.

Aesthetic

Aesthetic criteria

• When evaluating something based on aesthetics, we determine criteria based on qualities that are pleasing to us.

Aesthetic criteria

• For example, a film might be evaluated for its cinematography, its characters, or the story it portrays.

Aesthetic criteria

• Very basically, we assess whether something is well constructed according to the conventions of that genre.

Aesthetic criteria

• For example, we might say that a particular Woody Allen film is better than another Woody Allen film.
• Comparison is appropriate here.

Aesthetic criteria

• For example, we might say that a particular Woody Allen film is better or worse than another comedy.
• Comparison is appropriate here, too.

Aesthetic criteria

• It would be unfair, however, to evaluate a Woody Allen comedy by comparing it to a murder mystery or action film.

Aesthetic criteria

• Aesthetic criteria are usually based on the conventional view of what makes that "thing" good, whatever it is.

Practical

Practical criteria

• Practical criteria are usually based on something's usefulness or feasibility.

Practical criteria

• Terms that you may find yourself using if establishing these criteria may be:

Practical criteria

• Efficient/inefficient
• Cost effective/ expensive
• Practical/impractical

Ethical

Ethical criteria

• When you use ethical standards, you evaluate something based on its moral worth, its rightness, or its wrongness.

Ethical criteria

• These criteria are often established according to religious, moral, or ideological values.

Ethical criteria

• For example, if you are evaluating a new law or policy, your political affiliation is likely to play a role in the criteria you establish.

Ethical criteria

• When establishing criteria, ask:

Ethical criteria

• Is this right or wrong?
• Is this course of action worth following?
• Is this behavior worth imitating?