9.0/10 (118375 reviews)
Save Time Editing Documents. Fast, Easy & Secure. Edit PDF Files on the Go. Try Now! Upload, Edit & Sign PDF Documents Online. Start 30 days Free Trial!
A Must Have in your Arsenal - cmscritic
Search results
Book reviews have quite a few purposes, but they usually inform fellow scholars of the quality, purpose, and argument of a book and explain how it fits into the current literature. A book review can be helpful for fellow researchers so they can decide whether or not to read or purchase the material.
- 159KB
- 7
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.
- 133KB
- 7
What is a critical review? A critical review (sometimes called a critique, critical commentary, critical appraisal, critical analysis) is a detailed commentary on and critical evaluation of a text. You might carry out a critical review as a stand-alone exercise, or as part of your research and preparation for writing a literature review. The ...
- What Is A Review?
- Common Problems with Academic Reviews
- Getting Started: Approaches to Reading and Notetaking
- Understand and Analyze The Work
- Organizing and Writing The Review
A scholarly review describes, analyzes, and evaluates an article, book, film, or performance (through this guide we will use the term “work” to refer to the text or piece to be reviewed). A review also shows how a work fits into its disciplines and explains the value or contribution of the work to the field. Reviews play an important role in schola...
A review is not a research paper
Rather than a research paper on the subject of the work,an academic review is an evaluation about the work’s message, strengths, and value. For example, a review of Finis Dunaway’s Seeing Greenwould not include your own research about media coverage of the environmental movement; instead, your review would assess Dunaway’s argument and its significance to the field.
A review is not a summary
It is important to synthesize the contents and significance of the work you review, but the main purpose of a review is to evaluate, critically analyze, or comment on the text. Keep your summary of the work brief, and make specific references to its message and evidence in your assessment of the work.
A review is not an off-the-cuff, unfair personal response
An effective review must be fair and accurate. It is important to see what is actually in front of you when your first reaction to the tone, argument, or subject of what you are reviewing is extremely negative or positive. You will present your personal views on the work, but they must be explained and supported with evidence. Rather than writing, “I thought the book was interesting,” you can explain why the book was interesting and how it might offer new insights or important ideas. Further,...
Pre-Reading
Pre-reading helps a reader to see a book as a whole. Often, the acknowledgments, preface, and table of contents of a book offer insights about the book’s purpose and direction. Take time before you begin chapter one to read the introduction and conclusion, examine chapter titles, and to explore the index or references pages. Read more about strategies for critical and efficient reading
Reverse outline
A reverse outline helps a reader analyze the content and argument of a work of non-fiction. Read each section of a text carefully and write down two things: 1) the main point or idea, and 2) its function in the text. In other words, write down what each section says and what it does. This will help you to see how the author develops their argument and uses evidence for support.
Double-entry notebook
In its simplest form, the double-entry notebook separates a page into two columns. In one column, you make observations about the work. In the other, you note your responses to the work. This notetaking method has two advantages. It forces you to make both sorts of notes — notes about the work and notes about your reaction to the work — and it helps you to distinguish between the two. Whatever method of notetaking you choose, do take notes, even if these are scribbles in the margin. If you do...
It is extremely important to work toward seeing a clear and accurate picture of a work. One approach is to try to suspend your judgment for a while, focusing instead on describing or outlining a text. A student once described this as listening to the author’s voice rather than to their own. Ask questions to support your understanding of the work.
A review is organized around an assessment of the work or a focused message about its value to the field. Revisit your notes and consider your responses to your questions from critical reading to develop a clear statement that evaluates the work and provides an explanation for that evaluation. For example: X is an important work because it provides...
Feb 20, 2022 · Abstract. [PLEASE USE WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT] Written for students - I overview the skill of writing a critical review (from my book *Study Skills for International Postgraduates* (2nd Edition ...
1 of 5 . Peer Review Strategies and Tips . This handout will (1) explain what peer review is and (2) walk through the basic steps of an engaging and holistic peer review process that focuses on asking questions, building relationships, and paying attention to the writing process.
People also ask
What is an academic book review?
What information should a student learn from a book review?
How do you write an academic book review?
Why do scholars write a book review?
What is the purpose of a book review?
What is a critical review?
How to read and write book reviews. A book review provides an evaluation of a book, and by the end of it the reader should know: The bibliographic details of the book (author, date, title, publisher information, price) A summary of what the book is about – what it focuses on and what approach it takes (e.g. style, format/layout, target audience)
