READING AND WRITING

PURPOSEFUL WRITING IN THE

DISCIPLINES AND FOR
PROFESSIONS
Identify the unique features of and requirements in composing texts that are
useful across disciplines
EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12

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LESSON 2

WRITING A BOOK
REVIEW OR
ARTICLE CRITIQUE
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 Objectives
In writing a review/critique you must:
O provide a summary of the contents of the piece of
writing under review;
O provide a general evaluation of the text;
O discuss each point you want to make about the
text; and
O conclude by telling the readers if the text is worth
reading or not. In addition, you must polish your
writing by considering the properties of a well
written text. 3
Input •READING

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BOOK REVIEW
or
ARTICLE
CRITIQUE5
 CRITIC
-is a person who expresses
an opinion
VS
CRITIQUE
-a formal evaluation that
includes both positive &
negative 6
A book review or article
critique is a specialized form of
academic writing in which a
reviewer evaluates the
contribution to knowledge of
scholarly works such as academic
books and journal article.
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A book review tells not only
what a book is about, but also
how successfully the book
explains itself. Professors often
assign book reviews as practice
in careful, analytical reading.
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A book review or article critique,
which is usually ranges from 250
to 750 words, is not simply a
summary. It is a critical
assessment, analysis, or
evaluation of a work.

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 Structure of a
Book Review or
Article Critique

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 Heading

Ending Introduction

BOOK
REVIEW
Background
Evaluation
information

Summary 11
 HEADING
OTitle. Author. Place of
publication: publisher,
date of publication.
Number of pages.
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 Introduction
(around 5% of the paper)

OBRIEF OVERVIEW
OPURPOSE OR AUDIENCE
FOR THE BOOK
OGENERAL REACTION AND
EVALUATION
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 SUMMARY
(around 10% of the paper)

OMain points of the book

OQuotes and paraphrases
key phrases from the
author
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 Evaluation
(Around 75% of the paper)
Ohow well the book has achieved its goal
• what possibilities are suggested by the
book • what the book has left out • how
the book compares to others on the
subject • what specific points are not
convincing • what personal experiences
you’ve had related to the subject.
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 DIRECT COMMENT
(around 10% of the paper)

O ties together issues

raised in the review
in a conclusion
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 general rule of
thumb
Othe first one-half to two-
thirds of the review should
summarize the author’s main
ideas and at least one-third
should evaluate the book.
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Supporting evidence includes the
following:
O Factual Knowledge - Information that is
verifiable and agreed upon by almost everyone.
O · Statistical Inferences - Interpretation and
examples of an accumulation of facts. ·
O Informed Opinion - Opinion developed
through research and/or expertise of the claim.
O Personal Testimony - Personal experience
related by a knowledgeable party.

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QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
OWhat are the author’s viewpoint and
purpose?
OWhat are the author’s main points?
OWhat kind of evidence does the author
use to prove his or her points?
OHow does this book relate to other
books on the same topic?
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QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
ODoes the author have the necessary
expertise to write the book?
OWhat are the most appropriate
criteria by which to judge the book?
How successful do you think the
author was in carrying out the
overall purposes of the book?
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All subjects are difficult to
TEACH. Difficult, but not
impossible.

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 SUPPLEMENTARY
KNOWLEDGE
What is a Book Review?

A book review is a descriptive and critical or

evaluative account of a book.
It is an analysis of a book that includes its subject,
strengths and weaknesses and context.
A book review gives essential information about a
book (fiction or nonfiction) and provides an
evaluation or a critical analysis of it.
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 Here are just a few important things to remember
before we start writing a bookreview:
 Read and understand the material first. Read actively,
intelligently, and analytically. (This is different from the regular
way of reading from those which require mere pleasure of
reading)

 Take down notes as you read.

 Write down the following elements which will be used later in

your
review or critique: the title, the theme(s), the summary/plot, the
characters, mood, and tone. Also include the author’s writing 23

style,
 Here are just a few important things to remember
before we start writing a bookreview:
 Formulate questions about the content (maybe about
concepts that you
did not fully understand, or you want to elaborate more in your
analysis.)

 Read the material more than once for an in-depth

understanding of
what the author is trying to convey.

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NOTE:
The book review/critique should give
a comprehensive analysis of the
material. It should be more than just a
summary of the book. Be mindful of the
structure of your critique. It should be
neatly organized with the introduction,
body, and conclusion.
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 The Parts Of The Book Review
INTRODUCTION:
1. Mention the title of the book, year or date of publication, and
author’s name. You can include some information about the
author, which can help your reader understand the content,
especially if it is a work of nonfiction. For example, what are
the author's credentials of his or her influences or beliefs?

2. Come up with a thesis statement which will indicate what your

main argument or evaluation of the book will be: whether it is a
positive, negative, or mixed review.

3. Briefly summarize the book or the main points of the article.26

 The Parts Of The Book Review
Below is a sample introduction of a book review for the
story Trash,
written by Andy Mulligan.

“Trash by Andrew "Andy" Mulligan, a British theatre

director, drama
teacher and now novelist, has published in 2010 a
powerful story about unthinkable poverty—and the kind
of hope and determination that can transcend it. Trash
really is like a movie. As you delve into its pages, you27
are taken deeper and deeper into the sights, sounds
and smells of the poor, where boys and girls fossick
 The Parts Of The Book Review
BODY:
This is the analysis and evaluation part of the review. Here are some
questions that can help in your critical evaluation:

1. What is the setting, theme(s), plot, characterization, and other significant

literary devices used by the author?
2. How do these literary elements contribute to the overall meaning of the
book?
3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the books?
4. What significant human experience and relationships can you relate In an
unnamed Third World country, in the not-so-distant future, three
“dumpsite boys” make a living picking through the mountains of garbage
on the outskirts of a large city. Although there is no mention about it in
the book, Trash is most probably set in the Philippines.
5. How is the book similar and/or different from other books of the same 28
genre?
6. Is the book informative, entertaining, or meaningful? Would you
 The Parts Of The Book Review
Below is the sample body part of the book review for Trash:

In an unnamed Third World country, in the not-so-distant future, three

“dumpsite boys” make a living picking through the mountains of garbage on the
outskirts of a large city. Although there is no mention about it in the book, Trash is
most probably set in the Philippines.
This is not surprising considering that the author, Andy Mulligan, who is British,
had worked as a teacher in the Philippines. One unlucky-lucky day, Raphael finds
something very special and very mysterious. So mysterious that he decides to keep it,
even when the city police offer a handsome reward for its return. That decision brings
with its terrifying consequences, and soon the dumpsite boys must use all their
cunning and courage to stay ahead of their pursuers. It is up to Raphael, Gardo, and
Rat—boys who have no education, no parents, no homes, and no money— to solve the
mystery and right a terrible wrong. Andy Mulligan has fitted a lot of action into quite a
short novel and he describes the unique setting of his story in such detail that you can
really picture it in your mind, although I must warn you that some of the descriptions29
are not very pleasant – especially the prison cages. He makes you believe in the
bravery and loyalty of his characters as they try to do the right thing, battling against
a corrupt system.
 The Parts Of The Book Review
CONCLUSION:

 This is a summary of you overall discussion or

evaluation of the book. You may include here the
main strengths and weakness that you stated about
the book.
 Do not give away the ending to the readers. Do not
give simple opinions and make sure you support your
opinions with evidence.
 After writing the review, do not forget to cite the
sources/references that was used (if there was any)
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for the book.

 The Parts Of The Book Review
Let us look at this Conclusion part:

I would say that this book would appeal equally to boys and girls,
probably from age 11 upwards as there are some descriptions of police
brutality which might upset younger children. It was a brilliant book. Readers
will find themselves racing through the adventure with the three boys as they
try to sort through opaque clues (and even break a difficult code). At the
same time, they will be swept up in the details of their trash city, known as
Behala, where trash "mountains go right from the docks to the marshes" and
the boys support themselves and their families by "picking through the stuff
this city throws away. We clearly see the boys and their world in our mind's
eye and not only that - but we also feel their pain and angst and
determination in an almost visual way. It is there on their faces and
irreversibly burned into our minds. 31
 Group Activity Performance
Instructions:
1. Write a book review by following the writing
Task
process outlined provided in ACTIVITY 3 -P10-11 in
your module).
2. You may assume the persona of a university
professor writing a review for a particular book or
article in your chosen field.
3. Prepare a three-minute PowerPoint presentation
of your book review.
4. Present in the class and be prepared for possible
questions
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