View source for Criticism

{{Short description|Practice of judging the merits and faults of something}}
{{redirect|Criticize|another use|Criticize (song)}}
{{Distinguish|Critical thinking}}
[[File:Julio Ruelas - Criticism - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|''La Crítica'', a 1906 self-portrait by [[Julio Ruelas]] where criticism is depicted as a creature atop his head.]]

'''Criticism''' is the construction of a judgement about the negative or positive qualities of someone or something. Criticism can range from impromptu comments to a written detailed response.<ref name="Cambridge">{{cite web |title=Criticism|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/criticism |publisher=Cambridge Dictionary}} | ''the act of giving your opinion or judgment about the good or bad qualities of something or someone or the act of saying that something or someone is bad''</ref> Criticism falls into several overlapping types including "theoretical, practical, impressionistic, affective, prescriptive, or descriptive".<ref name="Oxford">{{cite web |title=Criticism|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095648600|publisher=Oxford Dictionary}} | ''"The reasoned discussion of literary works, an activity which may include some or all of the following procedures, in varying proportions: the defence of literature against moralists and censors, classification of a work according to its genre, interpretation of its meaning, analysis of its structure and style, judgement of its worth by comparison with other works, estimation of its likely effect on readers, and the establishment of general principles by which literary works can be evaluated and understood."''</ref>

Criticism may also refer to an expression of disapproval of someone or something.<ref name="Cambridge"/> When criticism of this nature is constructive, it can make an individual aware of gaps in their understanding and it can provide distinct routes for improvement.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Fong|first1=Carlton J.|last2=Warner|first2=Jayce R.|last3=Williams|first3=Kyle M.|last4=Schallert|first4=Diane L.|last5=Chen|first5=Ling-Hui|last6=Williamson|first6=Zachary H.|last7=Lin|first7=Shengjie|date=July 2016|title=Deconstructing constructive criticism: The nature of academic emotions associated with constructive, positive, and negative feedback|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.05.019|journal=Learning and Individual Differences|volume=49|pages=393–399|doi=10.1016/j.lindif.2016.05.019|issn=1041-6080|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Winstone|first1=Naomi E.|last2=Nash|first2=Robert A.|last3=Parker|first3=Michael|last4=Rowntree|first4=James|date=2017-01-02|title=Supporting Learners' Agentic Engagement With Feedback: A Systematic Review and a Taxonomy of Recipience Processes|journal=Educational Psychologist|language=en|volume=52|issue=1|pages=17–37|doi=10.1080/00461520.2016.1207538|issn=0046-1520|doi-access=free|hdl=10536/DRO/DU:30171632|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Shute|first=Valerie J.|date=2008-03-01|title=Focus on Formative Feedback|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0034654307313795|journal=Review of Educational Research|volume=78|pages=153–189|language=en|doi=10.3102/0034654307313795|hdl=20.500.12749/2996|s2cid=145188268|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Research supports the notion that using feedback and constructive criticism in the learning process is very influential.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kluger|first1=Avraham N.|last2=DeNisi|first2=Angelo|date=March 1996|title=The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory.|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.2.254|journal=Psychological Bulletin|volume=119|issue=2|pages=254–284|doi=10.1037/0033-2909.119.2.254|issn=1939-1455|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|date=2014-06-27|title=The Power of Feedback|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315813875|doi=10.4324/9781315813875|isbn=9781315813875}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=Gavin T.L.|last2=Harris|first2=Lois R.|last3=Harnett|first3=Jennifer|date=October 2012|title=Teacher beliefs about feedback within an assessment for learning environment: Endorsement of improved learning over student well-being|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.05.003|journal=Teaching and Teacher Education|volume=28|issue=7|pages=968–978|doi=10.1016/j.tate.2012.05.003|issn=0742-051X|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In French, German, or Italian, no distinction is drawn between the terms [[critique]] and criticism. The two words both translate as ''critique'', ''Kritik'', and ''critica'', respectively.<ref name="Vattimo90p57">[[Gianni Vattimo]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=i7QOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA57 ''Postmodern criticism: postmodern critique''] in David Wood (1990) ''Writing the future'', pp. 57–58</ref> In the English language, philosopher [[Gianni Vattimo]] suggests that "criticism" is used more frequently to denote [[literary criticism]] or [[art criticism]] while "critique" refers to more general writing such as [[Immanuel Kant|Immanuel Kant's]] ''[[Critique of Pure Reason]]''.<ref name="Vattimo90p57"/> Another distinction that is sometimes made{{by whom|date=December 2025}} is that "critique" is never personalized nor ''[[ad hominem]]''<ref name="Vattimo90p57"/>{{Fact or opinion|date=December 2025}} and is presented in a way that encourages rebuttal or expansion of the ideas expressed. Nonetheless, the distinctions are subtle and ambiguous at best.<ref name="Vattimo90p57"/>{{Weasel inline|date=December 2025}}

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The term "brickbat" is sometimes used to mean "an unfavourable criticism, unkind remark or sharp put-down". The term originated in the 17th century, derived from the practice of throwing bricks as projectiles at a person who was disapproved of.<ref>{{cite web | title=Shashi Tharoor's Word Of The Week: Brickbat|first=Shashi |last=Tharoor | website=Hindustan Times | date=7 February 2020 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/columns/shashi-tharoor-s-word-of-the-week-brickbat/story-1y8pKf15BvfAvyvXSbDPkO.html |author-link=Shashi Tharoor| access-date=16 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="Etymology">{{cite web |title=brickbat |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/brickbat |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary |access-date=10 February 2022}}</ref>

In some contexts, such as [[literary criticism]] and [[art criticism]], the word "criticism" is used as a neutral word that is synonymous with "evaluation."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brians.wsu.edu/2016/05/31/criticism/|title=Common Errors in English Usage: criticism|date=May 31, 2016}}</ref>

==By field==

===Criticism of religion===
{{Excerpt|Criticism of religion|paragraphs=1|only=paragraphs}}

===Criticism of science===
{{Excerpt|Criticism of science|paragraphs=1|only=paragraphs}}

=== Critical theory===
[[Critical theory]] criticizes [[power structure]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Critical theory |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/critical-theory |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Britannica |language=en}}</ref> The [[critical legal studies]] include criticism of the distinction between political argument and legal argument (popularized by the phrase [[the personal is political]]),<ref name="Price">[https://doi.org/10.1017/S0008197300105318 Price, David Andrew. "Taking rights cynically: a review of critical legal studies." The Cambridge Law Journal 48.2 (1989): 271-301.]</ref> [[rule of law]] and [[separation of powers]].<ref>[https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/uwolr24&i=81 Belliotti, Raymond A. "The rule of law and the critical legal studies movement." UW Ontario L. Rev. 24 (1986): 67.]</ref> See also [[Critical theory#Criticism|criticism of Critical theory]].

=== Postmodernism===
[[Postmodernism]] criticizes [[rationalism]] and [[objective reality]].<ref name="Bryant, Johnston & Usher">{{Cite book |last1=Bryant |first1=Ian |title=Adult Education and the Postmodern Challenge: Learning Beyond the Limits |last2=Johnston |first2=Rennie |last3=Usher |first3=Robin |date=2004 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |page=203}}</ref> See also [[criticism of postmodernism]].

== Criticism of criticism ==
Journalist and writer [[H. L. Mencken]] argued that "criticism is little more than a branch of [[homiletics]]. They judge a work of art, not by its clarity and sincerity, not by the force and charm of its ideas, not by the technical virtuosity of the artist, not by his originality and artistic courage, but simply and solely by his orthodoxy."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Criticism of Criticism of Criticism |url=http://bactra.org/Mencken/criticism-of-criticism-of-criticism/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=bactra.org}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Controversy]]
* [[Film criticism]]
* [[Self-criticism]]
* [[Social criticism]]
* [[Theatre criticism]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wiktionary|critic|critical|critique}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Criticism |volume= 7 |last= Gosse |first= Edmund William |author-link= Edmund William Gosse| pages = 468&ndash;470 |short = 1}}

{{Criticism}}
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