Reading and Writing Skills Evaluative Statements

What is Critical Reading?

Reading critically does not, necessarily, mean being critical of what you read – about some idea,
argument, or piece of writing - claiming that it is somehow faulty or flawed.
Critical reading means engaging in what you read by asking yourself questions such as, ‘what is the
author trying to say?’ or ‘what is the main argument being presented?’ It involves presenting a reasoned
argument that evaluates and analyzes what you have read. Being critical, therefore - in an academic
sense - means advancing your understanding, not dismissing, and therefore closing off learning.
To read critically is to exercise your judgment about what you are reading – that is not taking
anything you read at face value.
When reading academic material, you will be faced with the author’s interpretation and opinion.
Different authors will, naturally, have different slants. You should always examine what you are reading
critically and look for limitations, omissions, inconsistencies, oversights, and arguments against what
you are reading.

Evaluative Statements
An evaluative statement is a way of giving a better explanation to show the strength and weaknesses
of something through writing. It presents value judgment based on a set of criteria. It is the writer’s
way of explaining why strength is strength and weakness is a weakness based on the evidence
gathered (Belino, 2017). Further, according to Hernandez et al. (2017), an evaluative statement is an
objective and tactful way of reacting to a text.
Identifying Assertions
A way to convince a critical reader to accept the writer's claims to formulate assertions. Assertions,
as defined by Tiongson (2016), are “declarative sentences that claim something is true about
something else.” These sentences may either be statements of truths or opinions.
Read the following examples:
 The Sampaguita's roots are used for medicinal purposes, such as anesthetic and a sedative.
 The Sampaguita belongs to the genus Jasmin of the family Oleaceae.
 The popularity of the Sampaguita flowers is most evident in places of worship.
 Sampaguita is the most beautiful and most fragrant of all flowers.

Four types of Assertion (by Tiongson)

1. Fact
 This is a claim or statement which can produce objective proof or evidence through
direct experience, testimonies of witnesses, verified observations, or results of research.
Since this type of assertion can be easily checked through consulting various sources,
people usually agree on the truth it provides.
 The Sampaguita's roots are used for medicinal purposes, such as anesthetic and a
sedative.
The statement is a fact because it can be directly verified by experience or reliable
research reports.
 Reading and Writing Skills Evaluative Statements

2. Convention
 This is referred to as “a way in which something is done, similar to traditions or norms.”
These assertions solely rely on existing laws, rules, usage, customs, and historical
precedent available. Unlike facts, there are differing interpretations on varying beliefs,
thus verifying the truth convention assertions can be crucial. Often, these statements are
said to sound “factual” primarily because the truth of it depends on what is socially
acceptable.
 The Sampaguita belongs to the genus Jasmin of the family Oleaceae.
This statement is a convention because it is based on a classification system made
up by scientists and is acceptable to the scientific community.
3. Opinion
 This statement is based on facts. While facts can be proven to be objective, opinions are
hard to prove as this would have to rely on reliable and soundproofs. Tiongson (2016)
said, “The more ambiguous an opinion is, the more difficult it is to verify.” The
statements commonly leave room for discussion and disputes.
 The popularity of the Sampaguita flowers is most evident in places of worship.
The above statement is an opinion because it is based on the observation that
needs to be proven by studies and repeated observations; there are too many factors
involved that make explicit judgment difficult.
4. Preference
 relies on personal choice. These are completely subjective assertions that cannot be
objectively proven.
 Sampaguitas are the most beautiful and most fragrant of all flowers.
This statement is a preference because it says a lot about the type of flowers that
the writer likes, instead of objectively comparing the qualities of sampaguitas to that of
other flowers.

In writing believable assertions, you must need to take note of the following tips:
1. Be knowledgeable.
To make the reader believe in what you are trying to stand up for, examine the topic thoroughly.
Explore both sides of the topic, research as much information as you can.
2. Back it all up.
To make your assertion stable and solid, it must have strong foundations in the form of research
findings. Be careful and leave out any irrelevant evidence referenced in the text to avoid confusion
for the readers.
3. Be clear and concise.
Get straight to the facts. Let them know what you want them to know and present them complete
with supporting details to your claim/s.
 Reading and Writing Skills Evaluative Statements

Formulating Counterclaims
A critical reader does not only focus on the claim of a written text. Analyzing an argument must
also involve the understanding of the evidence presented by the writer as well as its counterclaims.
Counterclaims, as defined by Tiongson (2016), are “claims made to rebut a previous claim.” This
point of view contrasts with previous claims made by the author.
According to the same writer, it takes the familiarity of the topic being discussed in the text as
one of the ways to spot the counterclaims of the writer. To present objectivity, the writer must be
aware of the counterclaims to his or her claims. Considering the other side of the argument may help
you identify the weaknesses and strengths of your claim, giving you the leeway to open more details
to make the reader believe.
The counterclaims in the text are usually presented straightforwardly. After spotting these
statements, you, as a reader or writer, can clearly define your position on a particular topic.
Tiongson gave the following questions that can help you formulate a counterclaim:
 What are the major points on which you and the author can disagree?
 What is their strongest argument? What did they say to defend their position?
 What are the merits of their view?
 What are the weaknesses or shortcomings in their argument?
 Are there any hidden assumptions?
 Which lines from the text best support the counterclaim you have formulated?
You must recognize the value of hedges when you state your counterclaims. According to Belino
(2017), a hedge is a word or phrase that minimizes the negative impact of criticism. It is used to give a
courteous tone in your writing. Hedges could come in different forms such as a) modals – may, could,
would, should, etc.; b) Frequency adverbs – usually, generally, commonly; and c) Probability adverbs –
probably, possibly, presumably.
Look at the following examples of claims and counterclaims.
Claim: Students should not be allowed to bring cellphones to school because they are distracting and
can be used for cheating.
Counterclaim: Students should be able to bring cellphones to school because digital literacy can be
used for educational purposes.