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Body of a critical essay

 

 

The body of a critical essay should have a logical sequence. This helps the reader to follow the development of the argument, as stated in the introduction. Your argument determines what evidence you select from your research, how you develop your reasoning, and what citations you include to support your position.

Consider others’ analyses of the work and identify the strengths or weaknesses of your reasoning. Use evidence to support your views and acknowledge any arguments against them.

Paragraphs are used to group and categorise your evidence. In the example below, note how the linking sentence of the first paragraph connects to the topic sentence of the following paragraph.

Each paragraph should:

  • relate back to the thesis (argument)
  • use key words to express the concepts and themes from the framework
  • use a structure such as TEEL to clearly express your ideas to the reader.


Click on the buttons to explore through each part of the paragraph.

Modernist Brasilia: A utopian paradox

Modernism in Brazil arose from optimistic visions of progress and stability. Brasilia, the new federal capital, was based on modernist principles on a very large scale. Commissioned to be the ‘capital of hope’ (Wheeler 2007, p. 64), it was meant to fulfil forecasts for an optimistic future, to be an ‘elegy to progress, to modernity’ (Madeleno 1996, p. 274). With these clearly modernist principles of promise and progress, Costa and Niemeyer developed the formal layout in the ‘pilot plan’ for Brasilia. The space was ordered into zones defined by two main axes: the ‘monumental’ and the ‘highway’ that intersected in a cross shape ‘resulting in the modernist analogy to the wings of an aeroplane’ (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). The spaces between were then ordered following Le Corbusier’s principles of the functional city: spaces for specific purposes (Le Corbusier, cited in Mumford 2000). Hence, residential dwellings and places of work were separated and industry was removed to the outskirts of the city; cultural precincts were established near the green and open residential precincts; and the movement of pedestrians and vehicles was separated (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). This initial planning was to be repeated in the utopian vision for the interior spaces.

Modern planning is derived from the design rationality: informed by the context of a site and the organisation of interior spaces according to the needs of the inhabitants (Treib 1993). Therefore it is apparent that the function of spaces and the links between these, and the users of the spaces, is paramount for the modern ideology for living (Eckbo, cited in Trieb 1993). In Brasilia, these ideals resulted in zoning separate sectors to accommodate differing civic amenities and functions. The residential areas are made up of self-contained ‘super-blocks’ of uniform height. Dwellings are separated from the work sectors with ample green space, offset from roadways. The separation of living and working areas was devised to fulfil the citizens’ needs for rest, as Le Corbusier (cited in Mumford 2000) claimed that urban residents required spaces of natural greenery and freedom from noise and air pollution in order to live and work together without discord.The separation of space and purpose is illustrated by Costa’s attempts to order aspects of daily life following his modernist, functional ideology.


Below is an example of an body paragraph. The features explored are:

  • topic sentence
  • evidence
  • example
  • link
  • explain

[Topic sentence] Modernism in Brazil arose from optimistic visions of progress and stability. Brasilia, the new federal capital, was based on modernist principles on a very large scale. [End topic sentence] [Evidence] Commissioned to be the ‘capital of hope’ (Wheeler 2007, p. 64), it was meant to fulfil forecasts for an optimistic future, to be an ‘elegy to progress, to modernity’ (Madeleno 1996, p. 274). [End evidence] [Example] With these clearly modernist principles of promise and progress, Costa and Niemeyer developed the formal layout in the ‘pilot plan’ for Brasilia. [End example] [Evidence] The space was ordered into zones defined by two main axes: the ‘monumental’ and the ‘highway’ that intersected in a cross shape ‘resulting in the modernist analogy to the wings of an aeroplane’ (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). The spaces between were then ordered following Le Corbusier’s principles of the functional city: spaces for specific purposes (Le Corbusier, cited in Mumford 2000). [End evidence] [Example] Hence, residential dwellings and places of work were separated and industry was removed to the outskirts of the city; cultural precincts were established near the green and open residential precincts; and the movement of pedestrians and vehicles were separated (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). [End example] [Link] This initial planning was to be repeated in the utopian vision for the interior spaces. [End link]


Modernist Brasilia: A utopian paradox

Modernism in Brazil arose from optimistic visions of progress and stability. Brasilia, the new federal capital, was based on modernist principles on a very large scale. Commissioned to be the ‘capital of hope’ (Wheeler 2007, p. 64), it was meant to fulfil forecasts for an optimistic future, to be an ‘elegy to progress, to modernity’ (Madeleno 1996, p. 274). With these clearly modernist principles of promise and progress, Costa and Niemeyer developed the formal layout in the ‘pilot plan’ for Brasilia. The space was ordered into zones defined by two main axes: the ‘monumental’ and the ‘highway’ that intersected in a cross shape ‘resulting in the modernist analogy to the wings of an aeroplane’ (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). The spaces between were then ordered following Le Corbusier’s principles of the functional city: spaces for specific purposes (Le Corbusier, cited in Mumford 2000). Hence, residential dwellings and places of work were separated and industry was removed to the outskirts of the city; cultural precincts were established near the green and open residential precincts; and the movement of pedestrians and vehicles was separated (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349).This initial planning was to be repeated in the utopian vision for the interior spaces.

Modern planning is derived from the design rationality: informed by the context of a site and the organisation of interior spaces according to the needs of the inhabitants (Treib 1993). Therefore it is apparent that the function of spaces and the links between these, and the users of the spaces, is paramount for the modern ideology for living (Eckbo, cited in Trieb 1993). In Brasilia, these ideals resulted in zoning separate sectors to accommodate differing civic amenities and functions. The residential areas are made up of self-contained ‘super-blocks’ of uniform height. Dwellings are separated from the work sectors with ample green space, offset from roadways. The separation of living and working areas was devised to fulfil the citizens’ needs for rest, as Le Corbusier (cited in Mumford 2000) claimed that urban residents required spaces of natural greenery and freedom from noise and air pollution in order to live and work together without discord. The separation of space and purpose is illustrated by Costa’s attempts to order aspects of daily life following his modernist, functional ideology.

Key words
(themes,
concepts and
framework)


Now see what keywords have been used. These include, themes, concepts andframeworks.

Modernism in Brazil arose from optimistic visions of [Keyword] progress [End keyword] and [Keyword] stability [End keyword]. Brasilia, the new federal capital, was based on modernist principles on a very large scale. Commissioned to be the [Keyword] ‘capital of hope’ [End keyword] (Wheeler 2007, p. 64), it was meant to fulfil forecasts for an [Keyword] optimistic future, [End keyword] to be an ‘elegy to [Keyword] progress, [End keyword] to modernity’ (Madeleno 1996, p. 274). With these clearly modernist principles of [Keyword] promise [End keyword] and [Keyword] progress, [End keyword] Costa and Niemeyer developed the formal layout in the ‘pilot plan’ for Brasilia. The space was ordered into [Keyword] zones [End keyword] defined by two main axes: the [Keyword] ‘monumental’ [End keyword] and the ‘highway’ that intersected in a cross shape ‘resulting in the modernist analogy to the wings of an aeroplane’ (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). The spaces between were then ordered following Le Corbusier’s principles of the [Keyword] functional [End keyword] city: spaces for specific purposes (Le Corbusier, cited in Mumford 2000). Hence, residential dwellings and places of work were separated and industry was removed to the outskirts of the city; cultural [Keyword] precincts [End keyword] were established near the green and open residential precincts; and the movement of pedestrians and vehicles were separated (Wright & Turkienicz 1998, p. 349). This initial planning was to be repeated in the [Keyword] utopian [End keyword] vision for the interior spaces.