Book Review Assignment
Write a 750-word to 1,000- word (3 to 5 typed, double-spaced pages) critical book review of the book The Prince.
Once you have read the book, please follow these instructions exactly:
-Typed and double-spaced.
-Margins should be 1 1/4" to 1 1/2".
-The format of the review will be exactly as follows. Label each section with the appropriate Roman numeral and then provide the required information.
I. Bibliographic information on the book. Please use this bibliographic format: Author's name Title. (Place of Publication: Publisher, copyright date. Number of pages.). Use Noodle Express or Citation Machine to complete in Chicago Style.
II. Identification of the author's thesis. What was the main point of the book? What was the author's argument? This section can be accomplished in one paragraph.
III. Evidence to support the thesis. Present some of the more striking evidence the author put forth to prove the thesis. This will be the major portion of your review (2 to 3 pages).
Provide a page number for each piece of evidence you include (regardless if it is a quote or paraphrased evidence).
This is important as these page numbers represent informal footnotes. The references need to be from passages throughout the book. If you do not follow these instructions you will lose substantial credit on the evidence section grade.
Please keep direct quotations to a minimum.
Remember: a critical review is not a mere summary of the book (that would be a book report.) You need to analyze the evidence and thesis. Avoid lengthy quotations. Use quotes sparingly--I want your words.
IV. Your personal reaction to the author's thesis. Did the author prove the thesis? Did the evidence make sense to you? Did the thesis "fit" with your knowledge of this portion of our history? Why? Why not? What type of sources did the author use to prove the thesis? Please do not preach in this section. This is a scholarly endeavor--not a forum for personal or political agendas. Remember: This section of the review goes beyond saying the book was "good" or the book was "not interesting."