A Guide To Choosing Evaluation Essay Topics

What Is an Evaluation Essay?

How to write an evaluation essay? There are a lot of different types of essays, from narrative to descriptive and argumentative to rhetorical. In evaluation essays, students have to make a critical analysis and judgments on a particular subject. An important aspect of these essays is that you need to provide justifications for your analysis as well. Simply stating your opinion is not enough; you have to provide evidence supporting your analysis.

It is similar to a review but differs on two factors. The first one is that you state your personal opinion and experience in a review, whereas, in an evaluation essay, you have to justify your opinion as well. Secondly, a review is a lot more general, but this essay demands an in-depth explanation of your evaluation. So, they are a lot more challenging to formulate and write about. They require a lot of time and effort. As a result, students leave it for the very end, which is a grave mistake.

Choosing a Topic For Your Evaluation Essay

Deciding what to write an essay about is never easy for any student. This, coupled with students' tendency to leave writing essays to the very last moment possible, provides quite the challenge. Choosing an essay topic sets the entire tone for your work. When going through topic ideas, one should take into account the following factors;

• It should be interesting and relevant,
• It should be something the majority of your audience would know about,
• It should be creative and meaningful,
• It shouldn’t be anything too generic like food, but rather something more like evaluating fast-food restaurants in the U.S.

Your professors have written a lot more papers than you and know quite a few tips and tricks. Therefore, be sure to ask them for help if you face any issues regarding what to write about or looking for sources.

Finding What To Write About

Once you have understood what factors your topic should have, it’s time to start your search. We live in a time when we all have access to technology. This will be your best asset in finding the perfect evaluation essay topic. We can use the internet to help us find various subjects that fit your criteria. It is best to select a few and research about them. You can then use the one which appeals to you the most and has enough data to write a compelling argument. But remember to choose a subject that will be interesting to the audience and also to you. By writing about something that interests you, you will keep yourself motivated.

Attention To The Details

Since this type of essay involves a lot of analysis, you have to look at every detail. The creative topics should never be too broad as it makes your work too vague. While your essay topic is too narrow, you will not have enough to write about or support your arguments. The technicalities matter a lot. It should be simple enough that most of your audience can easily understand it even if they are not well-versed in the topic.

Be sure to choose one that is meaningful and has a purpose. The purpose could be to educate people, provide a different perspective on things, or explain something. A good example would be writing about the success of campaigns like Black Lives Matter. Your essay should also provide a solution to the question in your topic. This doesn’t mean it has to solve the problem entirely but provides some answers. For example, it may involve evaluating major fast-food chains in Los Angeles to determine its healthiest.

The Right Sources

Evaluation essays need a lot of research because you need hard evidence to support your statements and arguments. Choose something that you can find adequate information about. It should be detailed enough that you can do an in-depth analysis. For this purpose, you need to look up scientific papers, books, journals, and articles. Try to use reliable sources as they will add credibility to your work. Avoid using websites like Wikipedia. Always be careful about who wrote the sources and when. Try to use recent sources while avoiding any that are a decade or older.

Great Evaluation Essay Topic Ideas

We already know that choosing a topic is quite a difficult task for a lot of students. Many have a general idea of what they would like to write about but can’t structure it into a topic. Here are some suggestions about what category you can choose and how to transform it into the very best.

Society And Culture

Society and culture have a significant impact on our lives and shape us into the people we become. The cultural dynamics between different societies and even within a single society are so diverse. Any topic related to this will end up being providing an insight into these dynamics. Some good options about culture would be;

1. Heritage of Native Americans.
2. Super Bowl becoming a tradition.
3. Impact of postal ballots on the 2020 elections.
4. Cultural and ethnic diversity in the United States.
5. Importance of campaigns like Black Lives Matter.
6. How has the rise of social media impacted society's perception of body image and beauty standards?
7. To what extent has Hollywood's portrayal of minority representation in films and TV shows contributed to societal racism and discrimination?
8. How has the #MeToo movement sparked a larger conversation about the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment in our society?
9. How has the concept of cancel culture impacted our ability to have constructive dialogue about controversial topics?
10. To what extent has cultural appropriation perpetuated harmful stereotypes and marginalized groups?
11. How has the rise of automation and artificial intelligence impacted the job market and the economy as a whole?
12. How has the globalization of fast fashion contributed to the exploitation of garment workers and environmental degradation?
13. Are traditional gender roles still relevant in today's society, or do they hinder progress towards gender equality?
14. How has the COVID-19 pandemic revealed and exacerbated existing inequalities in our healthcare system and society as a whole?
15. To what extent has the rise of nationalism and xenophobia in global politics impacted our ability to create a more inclusive and diverse society?

Internet And Social Media

We are no strangers to social media. In just a few years, social media has come to dominate the world. The internet has truly revolutionized our world and our thinking. It’s created a wide array of opportunities for people all over the globe. Due to the widespread influence of the internet, it makes a fascinating topic. You can incorporate a lot into the essay with this. As this progression is fairly recent; therefore, most of the information you will come across will be current. A few choices to help you are;

1. How using YouTube has become a career.
2. Reasons for using social media applications like Facebook and Twitter.
3. Transformation of the retail sector due to Amazon.
4. The effectiveness and accessibility of social media marketing.
5. The Internet has changed how we perceive communication.
6. What are the economic implications of the increasing prevalence of remote work facilitated by the internet?
7. In what ways has the internet changed the landscape of entertainment, specifically in regard to streaming services?
8. How has the rise of online education impacted traditional classroom learning?
9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping compared to traditional shopping?
10. To what extent has the internet increased or decreased cultural diversity?
11. How has the internet affected our ability to form and maintain interpersonal relationships?
12. What are some potential negative consequences of the algorithmic filtering and personalization of content on social media platforms?
13. To what extent do internet memes and viral content contribute to the spread of misinformation and fake news?
14. How can parents monitor and guide their children's use of social media in a way that promotes healthy habits and positive interactions?
15. In what ways do social media platforms enable or hinder democratic processes?

Entertainment: Media And Art

Media has become a huge industry in the world and can be the basis of perfect essays. The increase in popular movies and TV shows has made them interested in almost everyone, especially with how easy it has become to watch movies and TV shows using platforms like Netflix and HBO.

However, entertainment isn’t only on the screen for us. If we move off-screen, we find it in various forms, like at the plays on Broadway. You may write about the different elements of the entertainment industry, like;

1. Are historical films educational?
2. How the entertainment industry is dealing with the wage gap between men and women.
3. Analyze the role of Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Great Gatsby".
4. An analysis on the Broadway play "Hamilton".
5. How stand-up comedy has been a huge genre.
6. Is social media impacting the quality of artwork produced, positively or negatively?
7. How accurate are media portrayals of artists and the creative process?
8. To what extent do media critics impact public opinion of art and artists?
9. How is technology changing the way we consume and create art?
10. What role does media censorship play in limiting artistic expression?
11. How has the rise of online streaming services affected the film industry?
12. Is the proliferation of memes and internet humor impacting the art of comedy?
13. How has social media impacted the way we view and interact with celebrity culture?
14. Do art museums and galleries have a responsibility to exhibit challenging or controversial works?
15. To what extent do advertising and commercialism impact the integrity of art and media content?

Food And Restaurants

Food is something everyone likes. This topic is so vast that you can easily find one aspect to focus on. You can choose anything from the ingredients used and their preparation for the restaurants that use them. You can elaborate on the menu choices of certain places or maybe the food preferences of different people. With food, the choice of topic is diverse, and you can write on quite a few of them, like:

1. Are there more vegan options available in LA than other cities in California.
2. Who has a more diverse menu, McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A.
3. Starbucks using their secret menu as a marketing ploy.
4. What foods make the Thanksgiving meal complete.
5. Frozen meals vs. food deliveries.
6. To what extent has the farm-to-table movement changed our relationship with food?
7. How effective are restaurants in accommodating dietary restrictions and preferences?
8. Was the rise of fast food a positive or negative development for the food industry?
9. In what ways has technology impacted the way we produce and consume food?
10. How has the globalization of food affected local cuisine and restaurant culture?
11. What role do celebrity chefs play in shaping our understanding of food and cuisine?
12. How has sustainability become a driving force in the modern food industry?
13. Should restaurants be held accountable for the health and wellness of their customers?
14. Has the rise of food delivery services changed the way we dine out and the expectations we have of restaurants?
15. In what ways has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted restaurants and our relationship with food?

Education

Education is a difficult topic to write about, but that’s what makes it all the more alluring and exciting. Students come in contact with the education system on a day-to-day basis and write about it from an insider’s perspective. Students can use their own experience with the teaching methods, homework, social interactions, etc., to write about whether in high school or college. Following is a list of a few topics that may help you understand better;

1. How mental health classes should be incorporated into the American education system.
2. Bullying in schools.
3. What factors affect a student’s performance in school.
4. The drawbacks within the American education system.
5. The cost of a college education: being in debt.
6. How effective is e-learning in delivering quality education?
7. Has the No Child Left Behind policy been successful in improving education for all students?
8. Should standardized testing be the primary tool for assessing student knowledge and progress?
9. How well are schools preparing students for the workforce?
10. What role do extracurricular activities play in a student's overall education?
11. Is it necessary for students to learn a second language in school?
12. How has technology impacted the way we learn and teach in the 21st century?
13. Are teachers properly trained and supported to handle diverse student populations?
14. How has the implementation of Common Core standards affected education in America?
15. Should college tuition be free or subsidized by the government to make education more accessible?

Sports And Games

Sports essay topics everyone has an interest in. There are so many sports out there that you are bound to like at least one. Even if you don’t like sport, there is undoubtedly a game you would like. In this category, writing about individual players or team performances is very common and an easy go-to for many people. You can write about;

1. How Cristiano Ronaldo performed in the FIFA World Cup 2018,
2. Evaluate the four major tennis championships,
3. Are marathons worth all the hype,
4. Evaluate the performance of the New York Knicks in the last season,
5. Analyze the career of Tiger Woods.
6. How effective is the use of technology in modern sports?
7. Is the tradition of hazing in college sports harmful or beneficial?
8. Should student-athletes be paid for their contributions to their school's sports program?
9. Is the use of performance-enhancing drugs unethical in professional sports?
10. How has the popularity of e-sports impacted the traditional sports industry?
11. Is the use of personal foul language and trash-talking in sports acceptable behavior?
12. How has the pandemic affected the sports industry and the athletes involved?
13. Is it fair to disqualify an athlete due to a positive drug test from a contaminated supplement?
14. Should athletes be held accountable for their off-field behavior in professional sports?
15. How has the rise of social media affected the way athletes are perceived and evaluated by the public?

Technology

In the last decade, technology has progressed so much. We now have so many things in the palm of our hands that we overlook. And with each passing year, things are getting more and more advanced. We even have self-driving cars today. You can write about so much when it comes to technology, but some options are;

1. Android or iOS,
2. How different generations have adapted to today’s technology,
3. Is the new PlayStation 5 worth it,
4. How has Google managed to dominate search engines,
5. Advantages and disadvantages of online classes.
6. The economic and environmental impacts of e-waste recycling techniques.
7. Are voice assistants like Siri and Alexa making us lazier or more efficient?
8. Are video games a viable form of artistic expression?
9. How has virtual reality impacted the tourism industry?
10. Is online privacy a myth or a legitimate concern in the age of big data?
11. What ethical concerns arise from the use of facial recognition technology?
12. Has mobile technology transformed education and learning for the better?
13. Are e-books replacing traditional books and libraries, and is that a good thing?
14. How has machine learning changed the face of customer service in businesses?
15. What are the implications of automation on the job market, and what can be done to mitigate those effects?

How To Write An Evaluation Essay

Introduction

An evaluation essay is still an essay, so it consists of three main parts. It starts with an introduction, followed by the body, and finally, the conclusion. In the introductory paragraph, you provide the background of your topic. Be sure to add a summary of your primary idea while incorporating a fascinating fact. This way, the reader will develop an interest in your topic. The last part of your introduction should be the thesis statement. This statement states the central concept of your essay while answering the question of the topic. A helpful tip is to write the introduction after the main body. This enables you to create a summary to write in your introduction efficiently.

Body

The second and largest part is the main body. For an evaluation essay, it is good to create criteria or a set of standards. You can use these, especially when comparing two or more things. For example, if comparing restaurants, you can set criteria such as hygiene, ambiance, taste, menu diversity, prices, etc. Once you have set the criteria, then you begin to evaluate it.

You judge whether it meets the criteria or not. After the judgment, you have to provide a reason for your analysis and back it with evidence. This evidence can be in the form of journals and books or any other sources you have used. So, you can structure your body so that each criterion is mentioned, then your judgment on that criterion and evidence to support it. Try to go from general information to specific in your body paragraphs.

Conclusion And Proofreading

The last part is the conclusion. In this paragraph, you aim to mention your findings briefly and emphasize the answer to your topic. Try to keep this as concise as possible and do not introduce any new ideas or themes into your conclusion. Try to write it so that it targets a particular audience. If you write it without a target audience in mind, you run the risk of being too vague. Always format your essay according to the guidelines your instructor gives. Usually, you can ask your instructors for college essay examples to help with formatting and referencing. The last step for every essay is proofreading it. It does not matter how skilled a writer you are; you will make a mistake. So it’s helpful to proofread it. You can also ask a friend or colleague to proofread it for you as this will give feedback from a different perspective.

Evaluation essays pose a significant challenge to students, from choosing what to write about to proofreading it. Using these tips, you will be able to select a topic that interests you and write a thrilling essay that will keep the reader glued to it.