Once you’ve identified and organized your evidence, you’re ready to determine how well your subject measures up to the criteria you’ve selected. The quality of your judgments depends not only on the number and kinds of criteria you’ve defined and the amount and types of evidence you’ve collected but also on your commitment to being fair and reasonable. If you are applying quantitative evidence to a small number of criteria, making your judgments might be a fairly straightforward process. However, if you are making multiple judgments on the basis of qualitative evidence, it might take significantly more time and effort to complete your evaluation. The challenge you face in making your judgments will also depend on how much impact your decision has on your life or the lives of others. For example, weighing which of three job offers to accept is of far greater consequence than comparing the features and costs of two video game systems.

To make judgments about your subject, list your criteria and examine the evidence you’ve assembled. Write down your judgments in as much detail as possible so that you can draw on them as you draft your essay.