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History 3300: Introduction to Historical Methods
Dr. Gerald D. Saxon
Book Review Guidelines for the Course

Note: The following guidelines are for book reviews for my History 3300 course. Other instructors will have different preferences and requirements, and you should always make sure that you know those before turning in any work.

Basic Information: Mastery of content and appraisal of value is what a book review is about. Unlike the book reports that you may have done in high school where you summarized the contents of the book you read, a book review seeks not just a summary of content but more importantly an analysis of the author’s arguments and the degree to which the author effectively communicated his/her ideas and made a convincing case.

Elements of the Book Review: Just as every book is different, so every review is different. There is no template, no cookie-cutter approach, appropriate for every book. Your review must be tailored to the book that you are reviewing. There are, however, six elements that every review should address to one degree or another: 1. Topic, Theme, and Scope; 2. Thesis; 3. Organization and Content; 4. Sources; 5. Author; and 6. Value. Other elements may or may not be addressed depending on the quality and intention of the book, such as size, appearance, and illustrations.

1. Topic, Theme, and Scope. Every book has a topic, theme, and scope—essentially a purpose for which it was written. Sometimes this is easy to figure out from its title, table of contents, or foreword, preface, and introduction. Sometimes it is not. In every case, you should read these portions of the book because this is where the author often discusses his/her reasons for writing the book and some of his/her basic arguments. When reading your book, ask yourself what is the subject covered in the book and what years does the book cover? Your review should explicitly state what you believe to be the author’s topic, theme, and scope.
2. Thesis. When reading a history book, try to ascertain the author’s thesis or major interpretations and conclusions. While factual information is important, it is the author’s interpretation that makes the book distinctive and is the glue that ties together the facts that are presented. Usually you can determine the thesis by a careful reading. If you can’t then the author has done a poor job presenting his ideas. As stated above, always read the foreword, preface, and introduction for clues or explicit statements about the thesis. Don’t confuse the book’s topic (what the author is writing about) with the thesis (the author’s central argument).
3. Organization and Content. It is important for you to understand how the book is organized. It is in discussing the organization of the book that you will briefly summarize the contents and the facts the author includes to prove the thesis. Content and organization go hand-in-hand. Authors try to present material in the best possible way by choosing the most effective organization. The better you understand what the book is saying and how it is saying it, the more succinctly and clearly you will be able to describe its contents in a general way. While many history books are organized chronologically, by no means are all of them. Many are organized topically or thematically. Poorly organized books are characterized by repetition, disjointedness, and a lack of balance and readability. A well organized book can be easily read and easily understood.
4. Sources. When reading the book pay attention to the author’s notes and bibliography. Ask yourself what kinds of sources did the author use to support his thesis? Were they primary sources, secondary, or a combination? Did he/she use a preponderance of one type over another? Did he/she use one specific source over all others? Comment on the sources. This section need not be long; a few sentences should suffice. Please keep in mind, however, that what you have to say about documentation is not a count of the notes and a listing of the number of pages in the bibliography.
5. Author. In your review talk about the author and his/her credentials. Conduct some basic research about the author. What publications has he/she done? What field are they in or what subjects do they cover? Has the author spent a career researching and writing on the same subject and is he/she considered an expert in the field, or is this his/her first book on the subject? Is the author a teacher, journalist, university professor, etc.?
6. Value. Be honest here. I want to know how you feel about the book and why. I don’t expect you to like every book, but I do want to know why you either liked or disliked it. Be specific. If you found the book boring then say so but tell me why you found it boring. If you found it deeply moving and meaningful then tell me why. It is in this concluding part of the review where you will give some indication of the best audience for the book. Do you feel that the book should be read by college students, general readers, historians with a specialized interest in the subject, or some other groups? Tell me why.

Please note that your review should not be in a question and answer format. I am raising questions above just to get you thinking about the elements of the review and your book. Try to infuse your review with grace, and please proofread your review carefully before turning it in.

Mechanics and Format: Book reviews have a different look than longer written assignments. For one thing they should not have a cover page. Also, they should not have footnotes or a bibliography. Place the information about the book you are reviewing at the top of the first page of your review. E.g.:

Chipman, Donald E. Spanish Texas, 1519-1821. Austin: The University of Texas Press, 1992. 343 pp.

1. The header of the review consists of the name of the author (last name first), the title (in italics), place of publication followed by the name of the publisher, and then include the year your book was published. The last element is the total number of pages in the book (this means the last numbered page, usually the final page of the index). Punctuate the header information exactly as above.
2. The body of the review should be double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides. The first page of the review should not have a page number on it but the subsequent pages should.
3. The review should be no longer than 3 pages—and I mean it!
4. At the end of your review you should skip a space and type your name along the left margin, with the course title and semester immediately below. E.g.:

Gerald D. Saxon
History 3300: Introduction to Historical Methods
Fall 2012

Grading: Your book reviews will be graded for spelling, grammar, organization, format, and content (see rubric below). I will distribute the rubric that I will use to grade your papers early in the semester.Don’t waste time by procrastinating and putting them off; get them done! I will return the reviews with my comments and suggestions. If you have made a “B” or lower on any review then you will have the option to rewrite it for a better grade. If the revised review is appreciably better than the first one turned in then I will raise your score by one letter grade.

Need Help? Have questions? Contact me at [email protected]

Book Review Rubric
Standard Low = D to C- (60-73) Average = C to C+ (74-79) Above Average = B to B+ (80-89) High = A- to A (90-100)
Format Incorrect format 2-4 format errors 1 format error No format errors
Grammar 5 grammar errors 2-4 grammar errors 1 grammar error No grammar errors
Spelling 5 or more misspelled words 2-4 misspelled words 1 misspelled word No misspelled words
Content Does not identify topic and thesis of the book or provide analysis Identifies topic and thesis, but provides no supporting evidence Identifies topic and thesis and provides some supporting evidence and analysis Identifies topic and thesis with sufficient evidence and analysis
Opinion Does not give an opinion of the book Gives an opinion with no justification for it Gives an opinion and provides some supporting evidence Gives an opinion and supports it with sufficient evidence
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