(L-3): Book review or article critique

• Book review or article critique

  Gives essential information about a book (fiction or nonfiction) or an article (e.g. from newspapers, magazines, academic journals) and provides an evaluation or a critical analysis of it
• Parts of a Book Review or Article Critique

  • Introduction
  • Body
  • Conclusion
• Introduction


  1. Know the context or information in which the material was written

  2. Mention the title, year/date of publication, and author's name

  3. State the main argument or author's purpose

  4. Come up with a thesis statement indicating the evaluation

  5. Briefly summarize the book or the main points of the article
• Body


  1. Analyze and evaluate the material

  2. For book reviews: Discuss setting, theme(s), plot, characterization, literary devices, strengths and weaknesses, personal experience, comparison to other books

  3. For article critiques: Evaluate clarity and convincingness of ideas, evidence used, achievement of purpose, structure and organization, strengths and weaknesses, contribution to knowledge
• Conclusion


  1. Summarize the overall evaluation of the material

  2. Cite references used
• Literature review


  A survey of scholarly articles, books, or other sources that pertain to a specific topic, area of research, or theory. It offers brief descriptions, summaries, and critical evaluations of each work, in the form of a well-organized essay.
• Purpose of a literature review

  • Provide an overview of the most significant recent literature published on a topic
  • Trace the evolution of certain debates or intellectual problems within a field
  • Understand the background of one's research, problem, experiment or investigation
  • Analyze critically and synthesize other published writings to one's work or research
• Before writing a literature review

  1. Identify the issue to be discussed

  2. Determine the problem statement, main questions, research/problem findings, and scope

  3. Collect materials from credible sources

  4. Evaluate and categorize the information gathered

  5. Ensure the information contributes to understanding and is supported by evidence
• Questions to ask when choosing related articles

  • Does the article have a clear thesis statement and is it supported by a well-organized argument using convincing evidence?
  • What strategies or methodologies does the author use?
  • Was the article published in a respected academic journal?
  • Is the author reliable?
  • How recently was the article published?
  • What original contribution does the article make to the discussion?