{"id":2863,"date":"2015-11-18T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-11-19T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?post_type=essay-writing-blog&p=2863"},"modified":"2019-04-22T06:54:39","modified_gmt":"2019-04-22T13:54:39","slug":"what-is-an-evaluation-essay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/what-is-an-evaluation-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is an Evaluation Essay and Why Should You Care?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If I asked why you love the pizza place across town but hate the pizzeria two blocks away, you\u2019d be able to give me a list of reasons, right?<\/p>\n

So what is an evaluation essay, and why should you care?<\/p>\n

Here to help me explain (almost) everything you need to know about evaluation essays is Al, a hip business man who takes pride in evaluating most things in his daily life.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

What Is an Evaluation Essay?<\/h2>\n

An evaluation essay is similar to a review, but it is more specific.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re writing a review (on Yelp perhaps), you can simply explain why you did or did not like something. You don\u2019t need any specific criteria or reasons.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re writing an evaluation essay, you\u2019ll need to choose a topic and explain both positive and negative aspects of the topic. You\u2019ll need to develop specific criteria and offer solid evidence to convince your readers to agree with your evaluation. (Sounds a little like an argumentative essay<\/a>, doesn\u2019t it?)<\/p>\n

Now that you have a basic understanding of the purpose of an evaluation essay, let\u2019s get into the details and start writing.<\/p>\n

How to Write an Evaluation Essay in 3 Easy Steps<\/h2>\n

Step 1: Choose a Topic<\/b><\/h3>\n

Unless your professor specifies what you should be evaluating, your options for an evaluation essay are pretty much endless. Just about any person, place, or thing works for a topic.<\/p>\n

That being said, choose your topic carefully. You want to write about something you know about and something you have a strong opinion about.<\/p>\n

If you have no opinion and no knowledge as to whether or not the new Ford F-150 is a great truck, it\u2019s probably best not to use it as your topic for an evaluation essay. If you\u2019ve owned three F-150s and swear you\u2019ll never buy another type of truck, then you may have a good idea for a topic.<\/p>\n

(If coffee and cafes aren\u2019t your thing and you need some topic ideas for your <\/i>essay, read 20 Evaluation Essay Topics to Help Spark Your Next Paper<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Step 2: Determine Your Criteria<\/b><\/h3>\n

Create about three to five categories of clear and specific criteria to evaluate. These are the standards by which you\u2019ll judge or evaluate your topic.<\/p>\n

Using too few categories won\u2019t provide you with enough information to effectively evaluate your topic.<\/p>\n

Using too many categories, on the other hand, means you\u2019ll be overwhelmed with information and won\u2019t have enough time or space to develop sufficient evidence to support your judgments.<\/p>\n

Did I mention that your criteria should be specific? (I know I did, but I\u2019m saying it again for emphasis, so pay close attention!)<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a quick example to illustrate the importance of choosing <\/b>specific<\/i><\/b> criteria.<\/b><\/p>\n

This type of statement is too broad and doesn\u2019t provide any criteria to evaluate your topic. How do you evaluate \u201cgreat\u201d?<\/p>\n

This statement uses lighting<\/i> as a specific criteria and lets you judge whether or not the lighting is effective.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to follow my advice and choose specific criteria, but you should. It\u2019s good advice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His list of potential criteria looks like this: coffee, food, atmosphere, cafe patrons, service, location, price, and evening entertainment.<\/i><\/p>\n

Al\u2019s list has a total of 8 possible criteria.  This is far too many, so he needs to narrow the criteria to 3 or 4 that he feels are most important.<\/i><\/p>\n

Al narrows his final list to: location, coffee, and atmosphere.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

This specific list allows Al to use three points (location, coffee, and atmosphere) to make a judgment as to whether or not the cafe is a good one.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Step 3: Include Evidence to Support Your Judgment<\/b><\/h3>\n

Whether you have a positive or negative opinion on your subject, you\u2019ll need to provide evidence to convince your readers.<\/p>\n

If you tell your friends, \u201cYou really should watch Psycho<\/i> some day because the acting is great,\u201d your friends are going to ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s so great about the acting?\u201d You\u2019ll need to give them reasons to support your opinion.<\/p>\n

The same is true when writing an evaluation essay. You\u2019ll need evidence to support your judgment of each criteria you\u2019ve created for your evaluation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an example of how he might develop evidence to support his judgments about each.<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Location:<\/i><\/b> The cafe is two miles from Al\u2019s home and about four miles from his office. The cafe is on a quiet side street in a low-traffic area. This means Al can get to the cafe quickly and enjoy a quiet cup of coffee almost any day of the week. This is solid evidence. Others visiting the cafe will appreciate its location and quiet charm too, so it\u2019s reason enough for Al to give the location a favorable evaluation.<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Coffee:<\/i><\/b> Al has a passion for a good strong cup of black coffee. He doesn\u2019t like frappuccinos, anything served \u201cgrande,\u201d and doesn\u2019t want a toffee nut latte with 1% milk and cinnamon sprinkles.This cafe offers two options for coffee: regular or dark roast. That alone means Al will write a positive evaluation of the coffee. He knows others might not appreciate the lack of choices, but he informs readers that this cafe appeals to those who like simple, black coffee. (Of course, he will consider price and taste, too.)<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Atmosphere: <\/i><\/b>The inside of the cafe is filled with dark mahogany. There are only a few over-stuffed chairs surrounding the fireplace. The roomy cafe is quiet and peaceful with only a low murmur of patrons\u2019 voices. Al loves to sit quietly and contemplate as he sips his coffee. He likes the fact that he can easily have a conversation with the person across the table. He knows others will appreciate the quiet space too, so Al will give a thumbs up to the atmosphere.<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It looks like Al gives this cafe 5 stars and a glowing evaluation. (Of course, his writing was made easier by his topic choice and use of specific criteria.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Turn Your 5-Star Review into a 5-Star Evaluation Essay<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you happen to give your topic a stellar rating, that\u2019s great. Even if it\u2019s 4 stars or closer to 2 stars, that\u2019s fine, too. Your task is to provide an honest evaluation using the criteria you\u2019ve established.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve chosen your topic, developed criteria, and supported your judgments with evidence, it\u2019s time to turn your notes into an \u201cA\u201d paper.<\/p>\n

If you have lots of great ideas and already know what you\u2019re going to write but are feeling a little rusty about how to format your paper, read the Essay Format Survival Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For a quick overview of the evaluation essay, click here<\/a>. If you need some help structuring your essay, try one of these outlines<\/a> or use the 5-paragraph essay outline<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, our 5-star Kibin editors can review your paper<\/a> to make sure your professor gives it a positive evaluation!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If I asked why you love the pizza place across town but hate the pizzeria two blocks away, you\u2019d be able to give me a list of reasons, right? If you can answer this question, then you can write an evaluation essay. Okay, it\u2019s a little bit harder than telling someone why you love a … <\/p>\n

Read more<\/b> “What Is an Evaluation Essay and Why Should You Care?”<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":8774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[93],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is an Evaluation Essay and Why Should You Care<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So what is an evaluation essay, and why should you care? 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