An evaluation essay is a type of writing in which you make assessments about a subject with a collection of criteria. The primary goal is simply to “evaluate.”

Step 1: Criteria, judgment, evidence

This type of essay requires you to define a set criteria, make your judgments, and present evidence to justify your evaluation.

1. Defining criteria for evaluation

The criteria should determine what is ideal for the product, service, or brand you are evaluating.

In order to find this out, consider the best potential example of a comparable good or service. What would be their best qualities?

Let’s evaluate Starbucks throughout this guide.

Criteria for evaluating Starbucks

The criteria for a good coffee shop could be quality coffee, reasonable prices, quick service, calm atmosphere, talented baristas, comfortable seating etc.

These criteria are our benchmarks, and we will use them to evaluate our subject.

2. Judgment process

In this section, we determine whether or not the criteria have been met.

For our Starbucks example, we can start by judging if Starbucks has quality coffee or not.

3. Presenting evidence for judgments

This section is essential as we must have evidence to support our judgments.

Showing evidence is critical

In our Starbucks example, if the quality of the coffee does not match our expectations, we must present evidence to prove this statement.

When writing this type of essay, it’s common to have each paragraph focused on a particular criterion.

So with each paragraph, clarify the criteria, make specific judgments, and include supporting evidence (APA or MLA).

Step 2: Topic and thesis statement

Unless your teacher or instructor assigns you with a particular topic, you need to choose one yourself. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing your topic:

Writing the thesis statement

Thesis statements are the main argument of any essay type. So, in your thesis statement, state the criterion to judge the subject as well as its worth.

While choosing your criteria, pay attention to the below points.

Evaluation essasy thesis statement example

Introduction

....(introduction starts)
....(introduction continues)
....(introduction continues)
Starbucks has effectively built a distinct brand identity via its dedication to high-quality goods, customized customer service, and a welcoming environment, distinguishing it in the highly competitive coffee sector. Thesis statement, which is usually the last sentence of your introduction

Step 3: Write an introduction

Your introduction is an essential section of your evaluation essay as it is the part that convinces your reader to keep reading your essay.

Evaluation essay introduction example

With 31.256 stores worldwide, Starbucks is the largest coffee shop chain in the world. Hook: An interesting fact about the topic. It is widely regarded as the epitome of America’s second generation of coffee culture. Background: Provide background information about your subject. But does it deserve its popularity? There are a number of qualities a good coffee shop chain should have, and it seems that Starbucks has most of these qualities. Transition: Make a subtle transition to your paper and your arguments. Starbucks has effectively built a distinct brand identity via its dedication to high-quality goods, customized customer service, and a welcoming environment, distinguishing it in the highly competitive coffee sector. Thesis statement: State your main argument and present the thesis statement.

Checklist for the introduction

Step 4: Body paragraphs

In each one of your supporting paragraphs, talk about one of the criteria and evaluate if the subject meets the expectations/criteria. Don’t forget to make use of topic sentences, transition sentences, words, and phrases to create a nice flow of ideas.

Evaluation essay body paragraph example

A calm atmosphere is one of the most critical aspects people look for in a coffee shop. Topic sentence: Start the paragraph by revealing your criteria for evaluation. In the case of Starbucks, the atmosphere is one of the strong suits of the franchise. Judgement: Evaluate your topic based on the presented criteria. People find the atmosphere of Starbucks to be homey, and suitable for both studying and chatting with friends. Evidence: Present your evidence for the evaluation. However, despite the large amount of coffee shops the franchise has all over the world, Starbucks can sometimes get too crowded and loses its quiet and cozy atmosphere. Downside: State a downside about the subject based on the criteria you talked about. Therefore, the strong suit of Starbucks in terms of atmosphere can sometimes show itself as a negative attribution as well. Concluding sentence: Finish the paragraph by bringing the key points of the paragraph together.

Step 5: Write a conclusion

To wrap it up, you’ll need to make one definitive evaluative statement in your conclusion. This evaluation statement needs to offer a comprehensive assessment of your essay’s topic.

Evaluation essay conclusion example

As we can see from the evaluation of the stated criteria, Starbucks deserves its place as arguably the most popular coffee shop in the world, although it has some shortcomings. Restatement: Return to the statement in your introduction and definitive evaluation. There are a number of factors that allow this. Starbucks maintains the highest levels of quality in their coffee obtaining, roasting, and distribution and provide quick service to their customers. The seating in all Starbucks stores is comfortable and cozy. The atmosphere is exactly what people would expect from a good coffee shop, but sometimes it gets too crowded to ensure the calm atmosphere. Summary: Overview of the points made in your essay. It is clear that Starbucks will continue to dominate popular culture in the upcoming years, and it is expected that the franchise will succeed in overcoming its shortcomings. Concluding sentence: Finish your essay with a memorable, catchy sentence.

Checklist for conclusion paragraph

Cheat sheet

Best practices for evaluation essays

Things to avoid when writing

Ibrahim Akturk

Content editor at Tamara Research. Translation major, huge coffee and baking nerd. Addicted to good music and great articles.

How to write an evaluation essay

Step 1: Criteria, judgment, evidence

1. Defining criteria for evaluation

Criteria for evaluating Starbucks

2. Judgment process

3. Presenting evidence for judgments

Showing evidence is critical

Step 2: Topic and thesis statement

Writing the thesis statement

Evaluation essasy thesis statement example

Step 3: Write an introduction

Evaluation essay introduction example

Checklist for the introduction

Step 4: Body paragraphs

Evaluation essay body paragraph example

Step 5: Write a conclusion

Evaluation essay conclusion example

Checklist for conclusion paragraph

Cheat sheet

Best practices for evaluation essays

Things to avoid when writing

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