GuidelİNE FOR Writing A BOOK REVİEWl;kl PDF

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GUIDELINE FOR WRITING A BOOK REVİEW

There are two approaches to book reviewing: 1) Descriptive reviews: They give the essential information about a book. This is done with description and exposition, by stating the perceived aims and purposes of the author, and by quoting striking passages from the text. 2) Critical reviews: They describe and evaluate the book, in terms of accepted scholarly standards, and supports this evaluation with evidence from the text.

Your book reviews, broadly speaking, have to be critical. This does not mean, however, that they may not have descriptive aspects. In fact, critical reviews include descriptive aspects, as well. The best way is to mingle description and assessment. What is a book Review So, a book review is both a description and an evaluation of a book. A book review -describes - gives a concise summary of the content -analyzes -evaluates.

It should focus on the book's -contents -purpose (what does the book aim at?) -perspective (from within what perspective was the book written?; what is the approach to the subject (topical, analytical, chronological, descriptive)?; what research method was used (qualitative or quantitative; discourse analysis, content analysis etc). -argument (what is the thesis-or main argument-of the book?) -authority (a good or a bad study; how does it compare or contrast to the world you know? what has the book accomplished? Does the author cover the subject adequately? Does the author cover all aspects of the subject in a balanced fashion?

A review conveys an opinion, supporting it with evidence from the book. It is a considered judgment. It must have a thesis about the book it reviews based on: 1) Reviewer's understanding of the author's purpose (not to mean conspiracy theories ) 1

2) How well the reviewer feels the author's purpose has been achieved 3) Evidence to support the reviewer's judgement of the author' achievement. Basic Requirements 1) Knowing the work under review by heart: - Knowledge of the author; her expertise and previous studies. Knowing her political position my help. At the same time, that may cause a bias in the reviews. After all, you are reviewing the book, not the author. So a fine balance must be achieved in that respect. - Reviewer must have comprehended the book fully before writing a review.

2) Having enough knowledge of the relevant literature: A book review is not a simple summary. It is an assessment. Therefore, to make a review you must know the subject of the book. 3) Keep in mind the need for a single impression which must be clear to the reader. Your review must have a main idea about the book. 4) Make sure your review is clear and coherent. 5) Put quoted material in quotation marks, or indented, and properly footnoted, etc etc. 6) Mention grammatical, punctuation, reference-wise mistakes as you find them in the book under review. 7) What has the book accomplished? Is further work needed? Compare the book to others by this author or by others. Worth (not) Doing… 1) Better not to review books by people you know, love, or hate  2) Pay attention to the -title of the book (what is suggests) -preface or Introduction (provides important information on the author's purpose in writing the book and will help you to determine the success of the work; can you identify any limitations? Has the author ignored important aspects of the subject?).

-table of Contents - Tells you how the book is organized and will aid in determining the author's main ideas and how they are developed - chronologically, topically, etc.

3) Allow time to assimilate what you read so that the book can be seen in perspective. 2

4) Highlight quotable passages and quote them in your review (not too many). 5) Record impressions as you read and note effective passages for quoting. Keep these questions in mind. 6) You may read other reviews on the same book Points require attention 1) The general field or genre; how does the book fit into it? From what point of view is the work written? 2) Author's style: formal or informal; suits the intended audience 3) Are concepts clearly defined? 4) How well are the author's ideas developed? 5) What areas are covered/not covered? 6) How accurate is the information in the book? 7) What sources did the author use - primary or secondary? How does he make use of them? Make note of important omissions. Structure of the Review The very first introduction of the book: The following may be used as a frame. (Name of the book) Great Catastrophe: Armenians and Turks in the Shadow of Genocide (Author) Thomas de Waal New York: Oxford University Press, 2015, 313 pages ISBN: 9780199350698 Language: English Amazon.com price (hardcover) $22.17 (01.02.2015).

Introduction Try to capture the reader's attention with your opening sentence. The introduction should state your central thesis, and set the tone of the review. 1) Discuss the author: Biographical information should be relevant to the subject of the review and enhance the reader's understanding of the work under discussion. Try to find further information about the author - his/her reputation, qualifications, influences, etc.

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2) Opening paragraphs set the tone of the paper. To do that, the following must be mentioned, briefly: - Thesis of the book (do you agree with the thesis or not) - Authorial purpose (why the book was written; to achieve what) -Topicality of the work or its significance -Comparison of the work to others by the same author or within the same genre - A good or a bad book

3) Give basic information -With what particular period does the book deal? -What were the sources used? -Is the account given in broad outline or in detail? - What is the author's style? Formal? Informal? Suitable for the intended audience? Is the language clear and convincing? - For what group is the book intended (textbook, popular, scholarly, etc.)? -Are maps, illustrations, charts, etc. used and how are these to be evaluated? -If there are footnotes, do they provide important information? Do they clarify or extend points made in the text? -Is the treatment superficial or profound? -What areas are covered, not covered? -Are concepts well defined? -Are the ideas developed? -How accurate is the information and claims? -Is the author's concluding chapter, the summary, convincing? -What did the book accomplish? Is more work needed? Compare the book to others by this author, or books in this field by other authors.

4) Would you recommend this book to another person? 5) What type of person would like this book? Body The body of the review logically develops your thesis that you hinted in the introduction. Therefore, the body can be thought as the enlarged version of the introduction. The aim should be to push your central point. 4

Develop your thesis using supporting arguments as set out in your outline. Use description, evaluation, and if possible explanation of why the author wrote as he/she did. Use quotations to illustrate important points or peculiarities. Conclusion Concluding paragraphs sums up or restates your thesis or it may make a final judgment regarding the book. It can include a final assessment or simply restate your thesis. -Do not introduce new information or ideas in the conclusion.

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