History 130

History 130 2 Critical Book Review Assignment Writing a Critical Book Review One almost universal assignment in a college - level history class is the critical book review. A review demonstrates several key objectives of the course : effective writing, knowledge of a particular historical event, an understanding of historical research, and an ability to think critically about the works of others. Book reviews evaluate written works. They offer a brief description of a book’s key points and provide an a ppraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the book. Readers sometimes confuse book reviews with book reports, but the two are not identical. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the majo r plot, characters, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K - 12 assignment. A book review gives readers a sneak peek at what a book is like, whether or not the reviewer enjoyed it, and details on reading the book. Typical book revie w/critique range s from three to five pages. If you exceed five pages, edit. No more than five pages. This writing assignment is a critical review of the book, Coming of Age in Mississippi , by Anne Moody. Before You Read We will use MLA format for this writing assignment. If you need assistance, see the UP Library website: LoneStar.edu/UP - Library. Scroll down to MLA. Refer to the Citation Guide. You m ay also use Purdue ’ s OWL (online writing lab) , https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ . See MLA Guide. Before you begin to read, consider the elements you will need to be included in your review. The followi ng items may help: Author: Who is the author? What else has s/he written? Has this author won any awards? The best place to find information about a particular author is in the Contemporary Authors database by Gale. To find it: from Lone Star College’s Homepage, click on Library. Next, click Find. Then select Article Databases; find Contemporary Authors. You will be asked for your LSC library card number. Once you are in the database, fill in the author’s name; you will receive a lot of information about the author. It is a requirement that you use this source for your paper. Do not rely on Wikipedia for author information. You must document your research; use MLA format. Genre: What type of book is this: fiction, nonfiction, a utobiography, etc.? Who is the intended audience for this work? What is the purpose of the work? This is usually found in the preface, forward, or introduction. An author’s purpose is important. You will more easily be able to determine if the author achieved that goal , which is a primary objective of the assignment. Key Ideas: What is the main idea of the work? What makes it good, different, or groundbreaking? Characters: Are there characters in the work? Who are the principal characters? How do they affect the story? Do you empathize with them? Read the book! Read critically. Identify the author’s thesis, the main argument presented in the book. See how the author uses evidence and examples to support arguments. Does the author use pr imary or secondary sources? Consider the author’s style and presentation. Is the book well - organized? You might think about taking notes as you read. As You Read As you read, determine how you will structure the summary portion or background structure of your review. Be ready to take notes on the book’s key points, characters, and/or themes. Be ready to cite significant details in the body of your paper. Do not use direct quotations in your paper. Do give the “essence” of the quote, in your own words. U se MLA format in “giving credit where credit is due”. You are critiquing someone’s work; give that person credit for the ideas. When You Are Ready to Write You r work should be original, but should reflect what you gleaned from the book. In using the author’s ideas, do document those ides. Use (MLA) citations/ documentation throughout your paper. That should be a requirement in any college - level course. Do in clude a works cited page. Consider this outline ; however, it is not a model that you have to follow. Your paper must be in essay format, not showing this outline. See My Writing Guide for scoring guidelines. Your might want to be famil iar with this bef ore you submit your paper. I. Introduction A. Background on the author B. Author’s purpose in writing the book II. Critical Summary A. Determine the thesis of the book B. Enough summary of content to support the author’s thesis C . Find examples, “nuggets” ( anecdotes ) to support his/her thesis III. Style and P resentation A . U se the format outlined in my Writing Guide to a ssist in your writing the paper B. Pay attention to the “friendly reminders” C. Type your p aper. Use double spacing. Use a 12 point font; use either Arial or Times New Roman. D. Use MLA format for your documentation. IV. Conclusion A. Historical contribution of the book B. Overall worth of the book. As a “historian - in - training” , would you recommend the book to others? Why or why not? After writing, critique your own work. Is there too much/ not enough summary? Does your argument about the t hesis make sense? Do your “nuggets” support/enhance your critique ? Do “proof” your work. Use spell/grammar check and read over your paper. The paper’s length should run between three and five pages. If it is longer than five pages, edit it. Remember, no more than five pages is acceptable. Submitting the Paper (See cal endar for due dates of the assignments) 1. You will need a cover sheet, to include: the paper’s title, your nam e, your class (name and time), and the name of your instructor. 2 . Paper must be turned in both electronically, to the Dropbox (see below) , and to me as a hard copy of the paper. If you do not submit your paper electronically, you r grade will be halved!