Witchology Team Projects

If you are already a member of the Witchology Team, then this is the page just for you, with ideas, guidelines and suggestions on how to help out at Witchology.com.

Witchology Guide to Writing a Review

The following questions are designed to help you generate and focus your ideas when writing a book, movie, or film review. You won't need to answer all of these questions, but many of the answers will help you discover information and focus your thinking.

What?

• What are you reviewing? What is it about? What's the plot?<
• What's the theme?
• What is the author's/director's purpose?
• What genre or classification does it fit?
• What is the tone? What is the point of view? What's the mood?

When?

• When was this done? Or when does the action take place?
• Where was this done? Or where does the action take place?

Who?

• Who wrote it, directed it, or acted in it? What else have they done?
• Who are the main characters?
• Who's the intended audience?
• Who has said what about this? Why?

How?

• How does it convey its main point, mood, or theme? How did the audience react to it?
• How well does it fulfill its purpose?

Evaluating

• Did I like this in general? Why?
• Did I agree with the main theme/purpose? Why or why not?
• What specifically did I like/dislike? Why?
• Did the author/actors/director do a good job? Why or why not?
• How could it be improved? Why would particular changes help?

After you have answered these questions, begin selecting and organizing the information that you'll include in your paper.

Once you've done the prewriting, you're ready to think about the requirements and structure of a review.

Writing a Good Book Review

Introduce the Subject, Scope and Type of Book

• Identify the book by author, title, and sometimes publishing information.
• Specify the type of book (for example, fiction, nonfiction, biography, autobiography). Help your readers to review with perspective.
• Mention the book's theme.
• Background: sometimes you will need to include background to enable reader(s) to place the book into a specific context. For example, you might want to describe the general problem the book addresses or earlier work the author or others have done.

Briefly Summarize the Content

• For a nonfiction book, provide an overview, including paraphrases and quotations, of the book's thesis and primary supporting points.
• For a work of fiction, briefly review the story line for readers, being careful not to give away anything that would lessen the suspense for readers.

Give Your Reactions to the Book

• Describe the book. Is it interesting, memorable, entertaining, instructive? Why?
• Respond to the author's opinions. What do you agree with? And why? What do you disagree with? And why?
• Explore issues the book raises. What possibilities does the book suggest? Explain. What matters does the book leave out? Explain.
• Relate your argument to other books or authors. Support your argument for or against the author's opinions by bringing in other authors you agree with.
• Relate the book to larger issues. How did the book affect you? How have your opinions about the topic changed?
• How is the book related to your own course or personal agenda.

Conclude by Summarizing Your Ideas

• Close with a direct comment on the book, and tie together issues raised in the review. Briefly restate your main points and your thesis statement if your teacher requires it. If you like, you can offer advice for potential readers.