It is always hard to write under pressure, but some assignments are easier to write in a hurry than others. For example, you would not really want to work on a research paper in a limited amount of time! However, if there is one piece of writing that is possible when you have no time, it is an evaluation essay, because an evaluation essay is dependent not so much on research, but on your ability to reason in an informed but objective way. So, no time, evaluation to write, how to go about it?
The first step to a good piece of work is always selecting the appropriate and most efficient topic. Be very, very specific, because this will make evaluation much easier. For example, do not examine ‘music’, but ‘pop music from 1984’. This limits your field and reduces vague and general statements.
Tell the reader how you will be evaluating the topic in hand. What does it mean to be good pop music? What would you expect to find? What do others say about this criteria? What is essential? When you have told the reader how you will be evaluating, this prevents your judgments from being unaccountable and arbitrary!
Then, simply, apply the above criteria to the topic at hand: ‘in good pop music, we would expect to see A, B, and C. However, in the case of X, this criteria clearly has not been met, and therefore it is not “good” pop music’.
Counter any possible charge that you have misinterpreted or misapplied your criteria, and have come to an erroneous conclusion. Say, for example: ‘It could be suggested that these actually are present in the form of …., but that is not the case, as we can see from looking at …’ Be comprehensive.
Never give way to passionate and emotional claims. Always remain impartial, as your rationality is fundamental to reassuring your reader that your evaluation is valid.
As you can see, writing an evaluation essay when you have no time is not actually a problem. You need only to use your informed and reasoned opinion to judge something against a given criteria. Do this well, and your tutor would never know that you were in a rush!