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‘The book is clearly written in a compelling, engaging style that…’ What are its limitations? You should critique a piece of writing within its own terms of reference – that is, against what it claims to do.
Jun 3, 2024 · Therefore, writing a book review is a three-step process: 1) carefully taking notes as you read the text; 2) developing an argument about the value of the work under consideration; and, 3) clearly articulating that argument as you write an organized and well-supported assessment of the work.
- Reviewing books maintains one’s sense of being part of a larger, longer, scholarly conversation. It should be as much of a regular responsibility of academic life as peer reviewing (relative to opportunity).
- Everyone should write book reviews, at all academic career stages. It’s not just a practice recommended for graduate students needing free books. It keeps one in the habit of close, critical, cover-to-cover reading.
- Conflicts of interest, actual or perceived, are best avoided. Book reviewers should disclose anything that could be viewed as such. I have reviewed friends’ books before, to try to lend support to and foster engagement with colleagues’ and collaborators’ work.
- Attend to power imbalances. If you are an established academic, don’t review a first book or a book of an early career researcher with which you fervently disagree.
The goal of any well-written book review should be to take the reader of the review through the major argument or arguments of the book with a critical eye, enabling readers of the review to locate the book within scholarly traditions.
Things to Avoid in a Book Review. Do not simply summarize the work. Avoid writing a research paper rather than a book review. Remember the goal is to review how the author(s)/editor(s) of a book interpreted an event/topic rather than presenting a research report on the topic yourself.
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Jun 10, 2020 · Although a chapter-by-chapter summary is not required, the genre of a book review does require the writer to say what the book is about. This needs to be done in moderation and interwoven with evaluative comments.
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First, a review gives the reader a concise summary of the content. This includes a relevant description of the topic as well as its overall perspective, argument, or purpose. Second, and more importantly, a review offers a critical assessment of the content.
