• Length: 4-6 pages (MS word, Letter, Times New Roman, 12point, double spaced)
• Paragraph: Each Paragraph (400-500 Words) Please stick to 400-500 Words each paragraph.
• Topic Sentence: Topic sentence at the beginning of every paragraph. Topic sentence must contain and convey the central message—what you want to say—in the paragraph following it.
• Sentences: No complex sentences. Short and simple sentences + long and elaborated sentences are okay as well. Sentences must be clear.
• Main Argument: The primary task of this book review is to summarize and assess the book’s MAIN ARGUMENT—the argument that the author ultimately wants to say through their book.
• Summarize & Assess the Book (Summary and Assesment): The book review consists of two parts:
1) A summary of the book’s main points—topic(s), argument(s), theme(s), and main narrative
2) The review’s assessment of them. The summary part could be longer or shorter than the assessment part—or vice versa. Generally speaking, the summary and assessment are equally divided in many book reviews or the assessment is a little longer than the summary (say, the assessment two-thirds of a book review verses the summary one-third). But either way is fine.
• Assessment: you may want to assess the various features of the book. Please keep in mind the following principles
1. Balanced & Fair-minded: Try to assess both strengths(merits) and weaknesses(limitations). Be critical but not too captious or fault-finding. Praise good things in the book while criticizing bad things.
2. Low-levelassessment: In the essay, you can talk about such basic things as sentences, paragraphs, graphs, etc.
3. For example, “One of this book’s merits is its sentences, which are generally clear and easy to follow.” Or, “Despite many of its virtues, the book is not free of criticism. The author discusses the U.S. West Coast while not providing a map. At times this makes readers hard to follow his discussion.”
4. Criticism of the book’s main argument: Such low-level assessment is good but not enough. A good review essay must contain criticism of the book’s main argument. Try to find some weaknesses or limitations or exaggerations or overstatement or incoherencies in the book’s main argument.
5. Criticism should be grounded: Try to make the assessment and criticism persuasive and convincing. To do so, your assessment and criticism should be solidly based on evidence. FOR EXAMPLE: “One of the most serious weaknesses of this book is that it does not give an adequate attention to the experiences of women.” (GIVE EVIDENCE) You must give some concrete examples: “For example, in Chapter 3 that discusses X, the author focuses almost exclusively on such male figures as A and B, while largely ignoring those women who engaged with X.” The prior sentence is just an example.
• Structure: a book review consists of introductory part (one or two paragraphs), main body, and conclusion (one or two paragraphs). The goal of introductory part is to INTRODUCE the author and book (as if you introduce someone to others). The main body, you summarize, analyze, and criticize the book. And in conclusion, you briefly summarize what you have been saying above and provide some implications for today.
• Quotations: Try to find some good quotes from the book of your choice and use them in your review. PLEASE Follow such format: Justin Hart claims that “McCarthy’s barrage delivered the final blow to the public diplomacy shop at the State Department(5).” / This book explores “the philosophical assumptions about foreign relations” that led to the creation of a national security state(66).
• Title: think about an attractive title that contains the core message of your book review.
• Be Confident: Do NOT say like “because of my lack of knowledge” or “I don’t know well about this topic but…”