Further On Writing Book Reviews

Featured: Featured Stories | Picture Gallery

WikiDirectory/LinksBetweenAlphabeticCategories | Minolta Digital Cameras

Chat11.com Web Bible11.com MyBibleCenter.com

Further On Writing Book Reviews

A book review is a critical analysis of a secondary text, not a summary of the work's content. In a book review, you should evaluate the way in which the author handled the subject and the contribution of the book to your understanding of the issues discussed.

Ask yourself;

• What is the author's theme or thesis? What is the purpose in writing the book?

• What are the author's values and biases? From what point of view does the author write?

• Are the author's assumptions and assertions in agreement with those generally held in the field? If not, are deviations clearly identified, well motivated, and overtly justified?

• What impact does this work have in its field? Does it contribute something original? Will it have lasting value?

Methodology;

The author's method includes the rules employed in organising the evidence, the kinds of questions asked by the author, and the approach utilised in answering them.

• What are the sources of the author's data?

• Are these sources adequate?

• What are the limitations of the data, any inherent biases or problems that must be taken into consideration in its use?

• What kinds of questions does the author ask about the subject. Are there questions that remain unasked, or questions asked but unanswered?

Style;

The author's style has to do with the writing and organisation of the book.

• Is the book well written? Are there passages of eloquence or elegance?

• Is the book well argued? Does the author clearly articulate and answer questions raised in the book? How well does the author's point come across and does it convince you?

• Is the book accessible to an intelligent reader or only to a specialist?

Personal evaluation;

Think about your own approach to the subject, your own values, and your preferred method. Reading is not a passive experience, but an interaction between author and reader.

• What is your response to the author's point of view?

• What do you think to be the greatest strength of the work, and the greatest weakness?

• What does the book contribute to your understanding of the subject?

The form of a book review is an essay. You should begin with an introduction that both grabs the reader's attention and provides a statement of the points you intend to make (a thesis statement).

Finally, you will want to provide a conclusion for your essay that sums up your argument.

For more about writing book reviews, please see our page Writing Book Reviews (Search for Reviews)

Bobsgear - Get A Free Enterrpise Wiki Space!
Review: The Bobsgear Project was started to develop a variety of Confluence plugins. This installation of the Confluence Enterprise wiki includes flexible attachments, many Confluence plugins, personal blogs, interesting articles, and more. Bobsgear already has spaces related to politics, art and photography wiki, technical issues wiki, ediscovery wiki, health, Christian theology and Sabbath School wiki, the bible, book reviews, and quotations. Bobsgear allows free signup, and invites anyone to create a free hosted Confluence wiki space.

NEW USERS CLICK HERE! for a quick introduction to Wiki.

Elapsed:0