BOOK AND FILM REVIEW

Question 1

It is a short piece of text describing what the book is about, the intentions or aims of the author in writing the book, whether the aims were successfully achieved or not, how it is written and whether it suits a certain readership and how does it compare to other comparable works in the same field.

Answer 1

• book review

Question 2

what are the six (6) steps in writing a book review?

Answer 2

1. Scan the book’s preliminaries

• Title - What does it suggest?
• Preface - Provides important information on the author’s purpose in writing thebook and will help you to determine the success of the work.
• Table of Contents - Tells you how the book is organized and will aid in determining the author’s main ideas and how they are developed -chronologically, topically, etc.

2. Read the text – Record impressions as you read and note effective passages for quoting.

Keep these questions in mind:
- What is the general field or genre, and how does the book fit into it? (Use
outside sources to familiarize yourself with the field, if necessary.)

• From what point of view is the work written?
• What is the author’s style? Is it formal or informal? Does it suit the intended
  audience? If a work of fiction, what literary devices does the author use?
• If a work of fiction, make notes on such elements as character, plot, and setting,
  and how they relate to the theme of the book. How does the author delineate
  his characters? How do they develop? What is the plot structure?
• If relevant, make note of the book’s format - layout, binding, typography, etc.
  Are there maps, illustrations? Do they aid understanding?
• Finally, what has the book accomplished? Is further work needed? Compare the
  book to others by this author or by others. (Use the listing in the bibliography.)

3. Consult additional sources – Try to find further information about the author - his/her reputation, qualifications, influences, etc. - any information relevant to the book being reviewed and could help to establish the author’s authority. Knowledge of the literary period and of critical theories can also be helpful to your review. Your professor and/or reference librarian will be able to suggest sources to use.
4. Prepare an outline – Carefully review your notes and unify your impressions into a statement that will describe the purpose or thesis of your review. Then, outline the
   arguments that support your thesis.
5. Write the draft – Skim your notes again; then, using the outline as a guide and referring to notes when necessary, begin writing.
6. Revise the draft –Carefully read through the text, looking for clarity and coherence. Correct grammar and spelling.

Question 3

What are the four (4) parts of a book review?

Answer 3

1. Preliminary Information – the complete bibliographic citation for the work such as title in full, author, place, publisher, date of publication, edition statement, pages, special features, price, and International Standard Book Number or ISBN.
2. Introduction – Try to capture the reader’s attention with your opening sentence. The introduction should state your central thesis, and set the tone of the review.
3. Development – Develop your thesis using supporting arguments as set out in your outline. Use description, evaluation, and if possible, explanation of why the author
   wrote as he/she did. Use quotations to illustrate important points or peculiarities.
4. Conclusion – If your thesis has been well argued, the conclusion should follow naturally. It can include a final assessment or simply restate your thesis. Do not introduce new material at this point.

Question 4

These are assessments of the aesthetic, entertainment, social, and cultural merits and significance of a current film or video. Reviews tend to be short to medium length articles, often written by a single staff writer for a particular publication. In most cases, the chief aim of a review is to tell the reader whether the film is worth seeing or buying on dvd.

Answer 4

• Film reviews

Question 5

what are the four (4) steps in writing a film review?

Answer 5

1. Studying your source material
   - Gather basic facts about the movie.

• Watch it. Take notes on the movie as you watch it.
• Watch it one (1) more time.

2. Drafting your review
   - Start with a compelling fact of opinion on the movie: compare it to relevant
   event or movie or provide a context or background information

• Give a clear, well-established opinion early on and back it up with specific
  evidence.
• Move beyond obvious plot analysis, so observe and study the film’s
  cinematography, tone, music and sound, acting, etc.

3. Composing your review
   - Create an original thesis based paragraph on your analysis. Give it some
   personality.

• Move into your analysis of the movie. Use plenty of examples to back up your
  points.
• Wrap up your review with a conclusion.

4. Polishing your piece
   - Edit and proofread your review.

Question 6

what are the five (5) parts of a film review?

Answer 6

1. Introduction – In the opening of your review, provide some basic information about the film. You may include film’s name, year, director, screenwriter, and major actors. - Your introduction, which may be longer than one paragraph, should also begin to evaluate the film, and it should allude to the central concept of the review. A film review does
   not have to contain a thesis or main claim, but it should focus on a central analysis and assessment.
2. Plot’s Summary – Remember that many readers of film reviews have not yet seen the film. While you want to provide some plot summary, keep this brief and avoid specific details that would spoil the viewing for others.
3. Description – While the plot summary will give the reader a general sense of what the film is about, also include a more detailed description of your particular cinematic
   experience watching the film. This may include your personal impression of what the film looks, feels, and sounds like. In other words, what stands out in your mind when you think about this particular film?
4. Analysis – In order to explain your impression of the film, consider how well the film utilizes formal techniques and thematic content. How do the film’s formal techniques
   (such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scène, lighting, diegetic and non- diegetic sound, genre, or narrative) affect the way the film looks, feels, and sounds to you? How
   does the thematic content (such as history, race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment) affect your experience and interpretation? Also, do the formal techniques
   work to forward the thematic content?
5. Conclusion/Evaluation – The closing of your film review should remind the reader of your general thoughts and impressions of the film. You may also implicitly or explicitly
   state whether or not you recommend the film. Make sure to remind the reader of why the film is or is not worth seeing.