Poetry critiques often prove some of the most challenging because effectively critiquing poetry requires not only an evaluation of the poem's merits but also an exploration of the effectiveness of the poetic devices the author uses. Select a poem of which you are fond to serve as a topic of your critique paper. Start by discussing the theme and explaining whether or not the writer effectively explored this theme in his poem. Then look at the poem more critically, judging the author's use of poetic devices, discussing the ones he used and explaining whether they made the poem more pleasing to the ear.
Turn your television viewing experience into fodder for a class assignment by critiquing a TV show. Select a single episode or an entire series to critique. In your critique, discuss different elements of the show, including the setting, the plot and the characters, talking about whether each element is effectively developed, believable and entertaining. Conclude your critique of this show by offering suggestions for improvement.
Take a trip to the theater as you prepare to write your critique. Take notes while you watch the play. When critiquing this artistic form, discuss the play itself along with casting and set choices. As you critique each of these things, explain what the play's producers could have done to improve the experience for their viewers.
Focus your critique on an article in a newspaper or magazine. If completing this critique for a class other than English, select an article about a topic relevant to that class. For example, critique an article about cloning for your science class. When critiquing this piece, discuss both the effectiveness of the author's writing as well as the factual correctness of the article, consulting other resources to determine whether the information presented is true.