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Quality Criteria for Critical Reviews (CR):

The areas suggested for assessing critical reviews include 1) criticalness; scholarship; 3)

connections to experience; and 4) professionalism. Each reviewer should assign 2 points to

each of the four areas if the author has adequately addressed the questions posed in this area

except professionalism will be assessed 4 points. Thus, the highest point for a critical review is

10 points.

Criticalness involves looking at the underlying assumption in the article and posting a critique

that makes explicit these assumptions. The intention of a critical review is not to summarize the

reading, but rather to show learning from what has been read. The reviewer will select salient

issues from the text to reflect on, not all issues are expected to be addressed. Suggested

questions to help focus the assessment include:

• Does the review show that the writer has read the assignment?

•

Is the text examined critically looking at the implication of what is written and discussing

both positive and negative contributions?

•

Is the discussion provocative, does it raise questions in the reader’s mind?

Scholarship involves showing that one is a member of the learning communities. Two specific

communities are involved, first the professional community of the course content, and secondly

the learning community of the class. Questions include:

• Does the writer show membership in the community of the text writing through

connection to other readings?

•

Does the writer show membership in the class community through referencing of others

contributions?

Connection to experience includes experiences as a teacher and as a learner that illustrate ideas

discussed in the readings to the teachers “real world” of teaching and learning. The questions

asked to guide the assessment of this component are:

• Does the writer connect to his/her teaching/learning experiences?

•

Does the writer connect to his/her research experiences?

Professionalism is a...