Common problems
- Too many quotes = breaking up flow
- Too few quotes = giving opinions in Wikivoice
- Repetitive wording is boring
- Repetitive, or lack of, sentence structure is boring and hard to follow
- A collection of opinions without organization is hard to follow and inefficient
Quoting
- Avoid quotes longer than a sentence unless it's really necessary for context.
- Descriptions/observations (anything that's akin to a fact) should generally not be quoted
- Opinions, such as "fantastic" or "unique" should generally be quoted
- Try to prioritize concise summaries over unusual turns of phrase
Wording
Bold = common, unformatted = use for variety
Strong positive
- Acclaimed, lauded
- Hailed, applauded, celebrated
Positive
- Praised, commended, spoke favorably of, expressed approval of
- Positively reviewed, was enthused by, enjoyed
Neutral
- Noted, wrote, stated, said
- Remarked
Mixed
- Was ambivalent about, offered a mixed assessment of
- Expressed reservations towards
Negative
- Criticized, was critical of, disliked, was disappointed/unenthused by, disapproved of
- Reviewed unfavorably, found fault with
Strong negative
- Rejected, dismissed, was sharply critical of
- Lambasted
Analytical
- Observed, found, examined, commented on, discussed
- Highlighted, emphasized, singled out, identified
Evaluative
- Described, characterized, regarded, considered
- Deemed, judged
Argumentative
- Contended, argued, opined
Comparative analysis
For when grouping two critics' opinions together
Similar
- Concurred, offered a similar assessment
Neutral
- While, and
Comparative
- More/less favorable, more/less positive
Contrasting
- Whereas, in contrast, however
Structure
See WP:RECEPTION for more examples.
- Organize paragraphs by thematic topic (characters, plot, genre approach, animation, legacy/influence, etc.)
- Within each topic, signpost at the beginning with a topic sentence, such as "The animation was generally well-received".
- Use demonstrative quotes/opinions from critics in accordance with due weight. For example, if almost every critic says the same thing, then use two quotes that establish a consensus.
- If you don't have enough sources to confidently say the sample is representative, then try saying "several critics [verb]" or "[adjective] by several reviewers".
Topic sentences
Strongly positive (don't use unless you have a third-party source saying this, otherwise it's WP:SYNTH)
- Was universally acclaimed
Positive (almost all available reviews say similar things)
- Acclaimed, enthusiastically received, lauded, commended
Mostly positive (many reviews say similar things)
- Praised, well-/positively/favorably/warmly received, approved of
Somewhat positive (a majority of reviews say similar things)
- Met with mostly favorable reactions, generally well-/positively/favorably/warmly received
Mixed
- Mixed, divided on, disagreed, varied
Somewhat negative
- Mixed-to-negative, leaned negative
Mostly negative
- Disapproved of, were unenthused by
Negative
- Criticized, disliked, largely negative
Strongly negative (once again, use a third-party source for this)
- Was universally criticized, panned, lambasted