R&W 1st Discussion

• Reading and Writing a Book Review and Article Critique
• Presented by: Group 1
• Book Review


  a thorough and critical analysis of the quality, content, way of delivery or presentation -significance of a book
• Book Review


  Aims to offer a persuasive opinion
• Book Review

  reviews generally range from 500-750 words
• Two General Approaches

  • Descriptive review
  • Critical review
• Descriptive review


  presents the content and structure of a book as objectively as possible
• Descriptive review


  describing essential information about a book's purpose and authority
• Descriptive review


  done by stating the perceived aims and purposes of the study
• Critical review


  describes and evaluates the book in relation to accepted literary and historical standards
• Critical review


  include a statement about what the author has tried to do
• Critical review


  evaluate how well you believe the author has succeeded in meeting the objectives of the study, and presents evidence to support this assessment
• Article Critique


  genre of academic writing that provides critical evaluation through intensive analysis of an article
• Article Critique


  involves giving a brief summary of the article - helps an audience to understand the key points of the article, and the author's ideas and intentions
• Article Critique


  indicates the perceived success of an article and analyses its strengths and weaknesses
• Considerations in Writing a Book Review or an Article Critique

  • Unique Features of the Text
  • Purpose and Audience
  • Pattern of Development
• Unique Features of the Text

  intends to provide a critical evaluation of a text
• Unique Features of the Text

  write a summary of its content, title and the author
• Unique Features of the Text

  state your general evaluation as the main idea of your preview or critique
• Unique Features of the Text

  main idea must be supported by specific points
• Unique Features of the Text

  highlight the significance and contributions to the field
• Purpose and Audience


  to persuade the readers of a particular genre (whether read the book/article or not)
• Purpose and Audience


  tells how useful and credible a book or an article is
• Purpose and Audience

  consider the intended audience (general readers, scholars, researchers)
• Purpose and Audience


  tailor your writing style and tone to match the audience's expectations
• Pattern of Development

  follow the persuasion pattern in your writing
• Pattern of Development


  state your main idea or argument clearly
• Pattern of Development


  support it with specific points and evidence from the text
• Pattern of Development


  use additional evidence from other sources to strengthen your argument
• WRITING THE BOOK REVIEW OR ARTICLE CRITIQUE

  1. Prewriting

  2. Drafting

  3. Structure
• Prewriting


  Organize your ideas by completing the outline below.
• Drafting


  Begin writing your book review or article critique.
• Structure


  • Introduction (around 5% of the paper)
  • Title of the book/article
  • Writer's name
  • Writer's thesis statement
• WRITING THE BOOK REVIEW OR ARTICLE CRITIQUE

  1. Summary (around 10% of the paper)

  2. Writer's objective or purpose

  3. Methods used (if applicable)

  4. Major findings or claims
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a timeless literary masterpiece that exposes the darker side of the American Dream
• The Great Gatsby

  • Evocative prose
  • Complex characters
  • Critique of the Jazz Age
• Themes explored in The Great Gatsby

  • Love
  • Wealth
  • Social class
  • Pursuit of the elusive American Dream
• The Great Gatsby serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition and the fleeting nature of material wealth
• Scholarly value of The Great Gatsby

  Garnering critical acclaim and widespread study in academic settings
• The Great Gatsby offers

  A glimpse into the excesses and moral complexities of the Roaring Twenties