Guidelines for Writing Book Reviews
Purpose of the Guidelines
The purpose of these guidelines is threefold:
- To provide a basis for reviewing textbooks for the CJRT
- To maintain objective comments as well as to encourage constructive criticism
- To maintain consistency in the writing the reviews
A book review is usually done by a professional in the field.
The Review Process
In reviewing a book, try to maintain objective and constructive comments.
The following guidelines are intended to help you in preparing the review:
- State the scope and nature of the book, that is, briefly state for whom the book is written, and give a description of its contents.
- State the author’s purpose of the book and whether he/she has achieved such purpose
- Comment on how the book fits in the filed or particular discipline
- Comment on the following
- Style and accuracy of the material
- Whether the diagrams and photographs are clear and whether they enhance the subject matter of the book
- How the book compares with other books in the field on the same subject matter
- Whether the references are helpful to the user of the book
- Note the credentials of the author (s)
- Finally, you may want to make a personal comment on the usefulness of the book to the field and whether you found the book enjoyable and easy to read, etc
- Last but not least, refrain from making destructive personal remarks even if you know and do not respect or like the author(s)
“Remember that scholars and their work will be remembered long after the work of critics” (Smith, 1984)
Reviews should be limited to about two double-spaced typewritten pages.
Completed reviews should be forwarded within 6 weeks to:
Rita Hansen
CJRT Managing Editor
400 - 331 Cooper St.
Ottawa,ON K2P 0G5
Email: rhansen@csrt.com
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