Book Review Instructions

A Book Review is NOT A BOOK REPORT.  A book review gives only a limited report on the "story" while it focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the book.  You are expressing your opinion in a book review, but you must EXPLAIN why you have formed that opinion of the book.  To write an good book review, you must do the following:

• Identify the Author and his/her qualifications/credentials to write on the topic
• BRIEFLY summarize the book and state the author's thesis
• Describe the author's point of view and purpose
• Identify the (most important) evidence the author gives to support his/her thesis
• Evaluate the evidence presented by this author
• Identify any counter evidence either addressed or not addressed by the author
  • compare this book with other books, articles, etc with which you may be familiar
  • locate counter evidence through research
• Discuss the validity of this author's point of view
• Conclude with an evaluation of the book
  • It was good/bad because . . .
  • Identify who might find this book useful or interesting and why

Your book review must clearly be your own work. 

Plagiarized work will receive a zero and other Duchesne guidelines for plagiarism

will be strictly followed.

source: Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 3rd ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's. 2001