When critiquing a set of shorter writings (drabbles, poems, etc.)
I generally comment on each piece individually and if I notice a trend, comment on the set as a whole.
Subjects to specifically consider for a poem (for a drabble see story):
~ Rhyme
~ Rhythm
~ Mood
~ Atmosphere
~ Meter
~ Flow
~ Relatability


When critiquing a story
Here there is a plot and characters that need constant supervision. ( Just kidding- kind of.)
These are pieces that are read mostly for enjoyment, but can have meaning to them. As a result they can either be easy or hard to get critiqued. If it is on a subject not many are familiar, or fond of, there may be few willing to read the piece, but these are no less deserving of constructive criticisms.
Things to specifically consider for a story:
~ Plot (flow, development, depth, sensibility)
~ Character (depth, understanding, consistency, interaction, development)
~ Use of humor
~ Mood
~ Atmosphere


When critiquing an academic paper
Grammar and spelling are the first two obvious things to look for. But following a logical thought process through out the paper is important as well. Knowledge of the author is required to assess the level at which you should be criticizing their work. Generally one writing such a paper is looking for both those knowledgeable on the subject, and those who are not to assess the paper. A reader who is knowledgeable on the subject will be able to point out errors. A reader who as of yet has no knowledge on the subject will be able to assess how easy it is to understand the paper.
Things to look for specifically for academic papers (bearing in mind the author and intended audience.)
~ Thesis statement (Topic sentence)
~ Valid support of argument
~ Logical progression leading up to proving the point
~ Repetition of thesis at the end
~ Conclusion
~ Arguments (a strong argument will acknowlage the counter arguments, and negate them logically)
~ Formality/ Use of “I” or “You” (here we have something for authors starting in older high school- avoid using I or You- it makes it too personal, and therefore less objective. To be formal replace “You” with “One”.) The over use of “That” can also be considered informal along with contractions- though both are arguable and mainly depend on the preference of the teacher/ instructor/ professor.