I believe that this article should be an assigned reading for most college students. Whereas we are taught in most English classes to provide ‘positive criticism’ on one’s work, we are never guided as to how to do that. By providing this sort of criticism, one can better his/her work without feeling like he/she failed.

I would like to mostly concentrate on the point that Berkun makes in the section, “Shut up. Just shut up and listen.” Most students, as I know I do, feel that there is a need to defend their argument, and to imply to their audience that their work is a final masterpiece, when it likely is not. This section has compelled me to think of a way to accept this criticism, as I know that I am sometimes inclined to defend my work. This easily relates to the author’s next section, “Ask clarifying questions.” Today, when I receive criticism from classmates, I will make sure to concentrate on the positive and negative attributes in my work and how I could possibly improve them.