Writing a Review
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
• Relevant information about the subject
• Criteria for the evaluation
• Awareness of the ethics of reviewing
CONSIDER YOUR RHETORICAL SITUATION
Think about what your audience knows and expects. If your review is for an
assignment, consider your instructor to be your primary audience (unless he or she
specifies otherwise) and know what’s expected of a review in your discipline. If,
• What do they probably know about your subject? What background information
will you need to provide?
• Will the subject matter to your audience? If not, how can you persuade them that
it matters?
Think about your purpose. Why are you writing this review? If it’s for a class, what
motivations do you have beyond getting a good grade? To recommend a book or film?
Consider your stance. Think about your overall attitude about the subject and how
you want to come across as an author. Are you extremely enthusiastic about your
Think about the larger context. What, if any, background information about your
subject should you consider—other books on the same subject or by the same author?
Consider media. Whether or not you have a choice of medium—print, spoken, or
electronic—you need to think about how your medium will affect what you can do in
your review. If you’re presenting it online or to a live audience, you may be able to
Consider matters of design. If you are writing for an academic assignment, be sure to
follow the format requirements of the discipline you’re writing in. If you’re writing for a
particular publication, you’ll need to find out what design options you have. But if you