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African American History Book Review Assignment – Fall 2022
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This is just a short list of the things I will be looking for in your book review papers. If you have specific questions about how to structure your paper, please see me. Also remember that you can get help at the Paper Guidelines: your paper should be double-spaced with one-inch margins all around. Please do not include a title page or any type of a cover; they just get in the way. On the top left corner of your paper list the following: your name, the course name, the author’s name, and the title of the book. Please staple the pages together. The body of the paper should be 750 words. |
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Content: You must address three areas in your paper. 1. A basic description or synopsis of the book – generally speaking, what was it about? This is pretty straightforward, but do not let this become the bulk of your paper. This is not a book report – it is a book review. Getting caught up in this section can really hurt the rest of your paper. If your whole paper is a description of the book, you are not doing the assignment and will be graded accordingly. A general guide is to limit this section of the paper to no more than 350 words. 2. Critically and analytically evaluate the author and their work. Authors write books because they are interested in a topic and want you to understand their point of view or the conclusions they draw about the event, person, period, etc. You can usually find out what it is they are up to by closely reading the introduction and/or conclusion of the book. In this section you need to be able to identify their argument(s) or point of view. What major points did they make in the book? Do you agree with the author’s point of view or the conclusions they draw regarding the topic? In what way do you disagree with the author? If you are reading a play or a historical fiction book, the author is still trying to convince you of something…a major or recurring theme, the moral of the story, etc. Comment on these in a similar fashion. This section should be about 250 words. 3. Explain your opinion of the book and the subject discussed in it. In this section, spend a bit of time assessing the topic. What do you think about the topic discussed? What is your point of view? Has this book changed your opinion regarding its topic? Did you enjoy the book? The use of phrase like: “this was a good book…I liked it…it was well written, had good ideas, and was interesting…or it was boring…the author used big words…the chapters were too long” tell me nothing! Tell me specifically WHAT you liked or disliked, and WHY you liked or disliked it! This section should be about 150 words. |
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At some point you will be asked, at work or in other classes, to express your opinions in a clear and concise manner in writing. Your papers should make sense, be cogent, logical, and concise. Consistently bad spelling and poor grammar are signs of too little attention being paid to the paper itself and your grade will reflect this inattention. Please take the time to proofread your papers; your grade will depend on how well you communicate your ideas. A better approach would be to have someone else do it for you. Any draft submitted to me must be submitted at least one week before the paper is due. Once again, if you have any questions, please come and see me. Plagiarism, especially from the Internet, will be dealt with according to College guidelines. |
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