The document provides guidelines on how to critically review a book or article, emphasizing that a review should be an evaluative commentary rather than just a summary. Key points to consider include the major themes, the author's perspective, the clarity of concepts, and the contribution of the work to existing knowledge. The author also suggests practical steps for reviewing, such as careful reading, note-taking, and summarizing the work effectively.

1. How to Review a Book / Article
Dr. Amit Verma
Assistant Professor
Sangeet Bhawan,
Visva Bharati University
Shantiniketan, West Bengal
Email: kr.amitverma@gmail.com

2. What is Review
A review is a critical evaluation of a text,
event, object, or phenomenon. Reviews can be
consider in many forms - books, articles, art,
fashion, policies, exhibitions, performances
etc.
Above all, a review makes an argument. The
most important element of a review is that it is
a commentary, not merely a summary. It
allows you to enter into dialogue and
discussion with the creator’s work.

3. One should try to focused on the following
points, while go for Review-
 What is/are the major theme(s) of book/article?
 What is the point of view of the author?
 Are concepts clearly defined in the book/article?
 What areas are covered/not covered? Why? This helps to
establish the book's authority.
 How are author revealed and developed issue(s) in
book/article?
 What are the intellectual, emotional and aesthetical qualities
of his writing?

4. Cont….
 How accurate is the information in the book?
 Information about the author should be
observed. Who is the author? Nationality,
political persuasion, training, intellectual
interests, personal history, and historical context
may provide crucial details about how a work
takes shape.

5. Cont….
 Does any of the author’s information or
conclusions conflict with other books you’ve
read, courses you’ve taken or just previous
assumptions you had of the subject?
 How has this book helped you understand
the subject? Would you recommend the
book to your reader?
 Is it contributing something new in the
existing body of knowledge?

6. One may follow the following points for review a
book or article-
 Read the book or article with care.
 Preface and table of content impart an
important role in review of any book. Preface
provides important information on the author’s
purpose in writing the book. Table of content
tells how the book is organized, it
chronological development and how many
areas are covered in main theme of book.

7. Conti…
 Go through the book and write brief, purposeful notes.
What happens in the first chapter—and what was its
effect on you as a reader? When you passed from one
part of the book to the next—chapter or section—what
kept your attention? Note your impressions as you read.
 Highlight quotable passages.
 You may explain how the book as a whole affected you.
 Allow time to assimilate what you read so that the book
can be seen in perspective.

8. Cont….
 Now sum up the book. Put the book in a nutshell. Keep
summarizing it until you've got everything covered
clearly.
 Finally, give the result of your analysis. The main theme
of book and its limitation. What categories does this
book fall into? Is it the first of its kind or an imitation?
What does it contributes in existing body of knowledge?
Why the readers should read this book, etc, may be
discussed in result.

9. Thanks to Listen Carefully
For any query or suggestion you may contact:
Dr. Amit Verma
Assistant Professor
Sangeet Bhawan,
Visva Bharati University
Shantiniketan, West Bengal
Email: kr.amitverma@gmail.com
Mob. 9547933029