Instructions for Writing a Book Evaluation

Writing a book evaluation is a different task than writing a book review. The most important aspect of a book evaluation is its brevity and concise writing. The following information will be required for writing a book evaluation for this course:

The evaluation will be limited to two-pages. Normal page margins (1-inch) will be used and text size will be 12-pt., double-spaced.

The evaluation will include three sections: A) Author’s argument/purpose for writing, 2) Support for Argument, and 3) Evaluation and conclusion.

The author’s argument should encompass the overall argument of the book. Why did the author write the book? What point was the author trying to make to the reader?

When writing the Support for Argument section, the student should be very concise in their writing. Take the author’s argument and explain how the author supported that argument in the book. Don’t retell parts of the book. This section requires you to look at the big picture and determine the author’s overall approach to convincing the reader of their argument. What materials did the author use to write the book? Did he/she use official reports? Newspapers? Personal papers? Other books? This is important for the reader to know in order to determine the validity of the author’s argument.

The final section, Evaluation and Conclusion, requires the student to evaluate whether or not the author was convincing enough to support their argument. This section should be brief, concise, and leave no doubt in a reader’s mind as to the value of the book.

The written book evaluation should be limited to two pages. And your evaluation must be written as an essay. If, after writing your evaluation, your paper is longer than two pages, you must edit the paper to tighten the narrative and limit the writing to your strongest arguments and statements.

Avoid using the pronouns “I” or “me” in your writing. The reader will assume that everything written in the document is your own original work and includes your own evaluation of the book. Keep the tone very academic and professional. This isn’t a reflection paper. It is an evaluation of the book and a recommendation as to whether it is a book that others should read.

Don’t feel that you should go online and find other opinions/evaluations/reviews of the book. This paper should only include your evaluation of the book.