Use objective criteria when making an evaluative judgment. For example, if you are an employer, set aside your personal feelings (whether you like the employee or not), your biases (with respect to the employee's age, gender and race) and your presuppositions about how well you expect the employee to perform. Minimize emotion in favor of a sober examination of the facts.
In evaluating an argument, test its logical consistency. Determine whether the argument engages in fallacies, for example, by being contradictory, begging the question, engaging in ad hominem attacks or confusing cause and effect. If you are evaluating a process, use logical criteria to determine whether the steps of the process are consistent with its goals.
Use context to evaluate the quality of a product or performance. Take into consideration all of the factors that influenced its production, and balance this evidence with an awareness of its broader significance. For example, in evaluating a performance, take note of such factors as the occasion and the professional ability of the artists involved. In evaluating a work of art, pay attention to genre, its resemblance to other examples and its relationship to the artist's previous work.
Use reason and evidence to shape your beliefs. Test the fitness of your beliefs by asking yourself whether you can give clear reasons for believing as you do. Review the steps that led to your conclusions to make sure you can repeat them. If you are an employer, test your judgment by stating clearly and consistently the reasons for your evaluation. If you are a critic, explain the principles of the art form and how well the work of art conforms to those standards.