Criticism is the art of disclosing the qualities of events or objects the connoisseur perceives. Criticism is not negative appraisal, nor a list of unfavorable judgements; its essence is illumination. The key characteristics of criticism used as an evaluation method are: (1) inherent subjectivity; (2) reliance on the perception of the critic (its quality is a function of that person's ability); (3) descriptive, interpretative, and evaluative qualities; and (4) intent to educate others so that their appreciation and understanding of the critiqued work will be enhanced. Criticism techniques should be used when: (1) the purpose of the study is to convey to others the nature and qualities of a program or a set of materials; (2) an expert opinion can illuminate and educate others about the program; (3) the intent of the evaluation is to discover what the program is, how it is what it is, rather than what it does; and (4) a subjective and qualitative appraisal of a program is satisfactory. (JAZ)