Article Review Instructions

You should start your Review by making sure you indicate the #, Title, & Author, of the article you have read. Please put this information on a title page or on the top of the first page.

Why this one? You can include a personal reaction to the issue/topic and the article itself here.

I suggest you write this immediately after reading your article...when it is freshest in your mind. Summaries are difficult for most of us to do...so think of it as your "impression" of what it is about. This is not the place for detail after detail...that's not a summary. A summary contains a balanced presentation of relevant ideas about the article so that...another person is able to tell what it is about. The suggested length is 1/2 to 1 page...much over a page and you are really beyond summarizing.

This is the core of the Review. I want you to assess the article critically...which doesn't necessarily mean negatively. "Critically" here means going beyond surface reactions, delving into the why's and wherefore's of the author's thoughts and writing. For instance, what did you think of the article...what about the main theses/purposes of the author? How well did the author(s) state and support their position? What do they use to do so? What else do you feel needs to be said or examined besides the points the author(s) made? Are there identifiable paradigms and/or theoretical perspectives being used? How "radical" is the analysis? What can you critically presuppose from what is said? What level(s) of reality is the author focused on? Does the author engage in empathetic analysis? In other words, utilize the "Sociological Concepts" to write an assessment. Don't just give a superficial treatment of plusses or minuses...go into depth.

As you read the article keep track of statements you find particularly interesting or meaningful...to you. Select two (2) of them and analyze/react to them. Indicate the page number of the article from which you take the quote.

NOTE

You may handwrite or type this Review...although I certainly prefer typing. The maximum length of the Review is...seven (7) pages...no more! (Of course, this seven does not include title pages or any blank sheets...just the written part!!) Part of writing is to learn to say what you have to say in concise and precise language.

Also, you may be as creative as you want in writing this Review. You can simply follow the 4-part format indicated above...no muss/no fuss. However, you can mix it up a bit...creatively speaking...but just make sure the 4 parts are there. Be especially careful not to mix the Reason for Choosing and the Summary with the Assessment.