Book Reviews
What this handout is about.
This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews.
What is a review?
A review is a critical evaluation of a text, event, object, or phenomenon. Reviews can consider books, articles, entire genres or fields of literature, architecture, art, fashion, restaurants, policies, exhibitions, performances, and many other forms. This handout will focus on book reviews. For a similar assignment, see our handout on literature reviews .
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 work’s creator and with other audiences. You can offer agreement or disagreement and identify where you find the work exemplary or deficient in its knowledge, judgments, or organization. You should clearly state your opinion of the work in question, and that statement will probably resemble other types of academic writing, with a thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Typically, reviews are brief. In newspapers and academic journals, they rarely exceed 1000 words, although you may encounter lengthier assignments and extended commentaries. In either case, reviews need to be succinct. While they vary in tone, subject, and style, they share some common features:
- First, a review gives the reader a concise summary of the content. This includes a relevant description of the topic as well as its overall perspective, argument, or purpose.
- Second, and more importantly, a review offers a critical assessment of the content. This involves your reactions to the work under review: what strikes you as noteworthy, whether or not it was effective or persuasive, and how it enhanced your understanding of the issues at hand.
- Finally, in addition to analyzing the work, a review often suggests whether or not the audience would appreciate it.
Becoming an expert reviewer: three short examples
Reviewing can be a daunting task. Someone has asked for your opinion about something that you may feel unqualified to evaluate. Who are you to criticize Toni Morrison’s new book if you’ve never written a novel yourself, much less won a Nobel Prize? The point is that someone—a professor, a journal editor, peers in a study group—wants to know what you think about a particular work. You may not be (or feel like) an expert, but you need to pretend to be one for your particular audience. Nobody expects you to be the intellectual equal of the work’s creator, but your careful observations can provide you with the raw material to make reasoned judgments. Tactfully voicing agreement and disagreement, praise and criticism, is a valuable, challenging skill, and like many forms of writing, reviews require you to provide concrete evidence for your assertions.
Consider the following brief book review written for a history course on medieval Europe by a student who is fascinated with beer:
Judith Bennett’s Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England: Women’s Work in a Changing World, 1300-1600, investigates how women used to brew and sell the majority of ale drunk in England. Historically, ale and beer (not milk, wine, or water) were important elements of the English diet. Ale brewing was low-skill and low status labor that was complimentary to women’s domestic responsibilities. In the early fifteenth century, brewers began to make ale with hops, and they called this new drink “beer.” This technique allowed brewers to produce their beverages at a lower cost and to sell it more easily, although women generally stopped brewing once the business became more profitable.
The student describes the subject of the book and provides an accurate summary of its contents. But the reader does not learn some key information expected from a review: the author’s argument, the student’s appraisal of the book and its argument, and whether or not the student would recommend the book. As a critical assessment, a book review should focus on opinions, not facts and details. Summary should be kept to a minimum, and specific details should serve to illustrate arguments.
Now consider a review of the same book written by a slightly more opinionated student:
Judith Bennett’s Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England: Women’s Work in a Changing World, 1300-1600 was a colossal disappointment. I wanted to know about the rituals surrounding drinking in medieval England: the songs, the games, the parties. Bennett provided none of that information. I liked how the book showed ale and beer brewing as an economic activity, but the reader gets lost in the details of prices and wages. I was more interested in the private lives of the women brewsters. The book was divided into eight long chapters, and I can’t imagine why anyone would ever want to read it.
There’s no shortage of judgments in this review! But the student does not display a working knowledge of the book’s argument. The reader has a sense of what the student expected of the book, but no sense of what the author herself set out to prove. Although the student gives several reasons for the negative review, those examples do not clearly relate to each other as part of an overall evaluation—in other words, in support of a specific thesis. This review is indeed an assessment, but not a critical one.
Here is one final review of the same book:
One of feminism’s paradoxes—one that challenges many of its optimistic histories—is how patriarchy remains persistent over time. While Judith Bennett’s Ale, Beer, and Brewsters in England: Women’s Work in a Changing World, 1300-1600 recognizes medieval women as historical actors through their ale brewing, it also shows that female agency had its limits with the advent of beer. I had assumed that those limits were religious and political, but Bennett shows how a “patriarchal equilibrium” shut women out of economic life as well. Her analysis of women’s wages in ale and beer production proves that a change in women’s work does not equate to a change in working women’s status. Contemporary feminists and historians alike should read Bennett’s book and think twice when they crack open their next brewsky.
This student’s review avoids the problems of the previous two examples. It combines balanced opinion and concrete example, a critical assessment based on an explicitly stated rationale, and a recommendation to a potential audience. The reader gets a sense of what the book’s author intended to demonstrate. Moreover, the student refers to an argument about feminist history in general that places the book in a specific genre and that reaches out to a general audience. The example of analyzing wages illustrates an argument, the analysis engages significant intellectual debates, and the reasons for the overall positive review are plainly visible. The review offers criteria, opinions, and support with which the reader can agree or disagree.
Developing an assessment: before you write
There is no definitive method to writing a review, although some critical thinking about the work at hand is necessary before you actually begin writing. Thus, writing a review is a two-step process: developing an argument about the work under consideration, and making that argument as you write an organized and well-supported draft. See our handout on argument .
What follows is a series of questions to focus your thinking as you dig into the work at hand. While the questions specifically consider book reviews, you can easily transpose them to an analysis of performances, exhibitions, and other review subjects. Don’t feel obligated to address each of the questions; some will be more relevant than others to the book in question.
- What is the thesis—or main argument—of the book? If the author wanted you to get one idea from the book, what would it be? How does it compare or contrast to the world you know? What has the book accomplished?
- What exactly is the subject or topic of the book? Does the author cover the subject adequately? Does the author cover all aspects of the subject in a balanced fashion? What is the approach to the subject (topical, analytical, chronological, descriptive)?
- How does the author support her argument? What evidence does she use to prove her point? Do you find that evidence convincing? Why or why not? 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 does the author structure her argument? What are the parts that make up the whole? Does the argument make sense? Does it persuade you? Why or why not?
- How has this book helped you understand the subject? Would you recommend the book to your reader?
Beyond the internal workings of the book, you may also consider some information about the author and the circumstances of the text’s production:
- 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. Does it matter, for example, that the biographer was the subject’s best friend? What difference would it make if the author participated in the events she writes about?
- What is the book’s genre? Out of what field does it emerge? Does it conform to or depart from the conventions of its genre? These questions can provide a historical or literary standard on which to base your evaluations. If you are reviewing the first book ever written on the subject, it will be important for your readers to know. Keep in mind, though, that naming “firsts”—alongside naming “bests” and “onlys”—can be a risky business unless you’re absolutely certain.
Writing the review
Once you have made your observations and assessments of the work under review, carefully survey your notes and attempt to unify your impressions into a statement that will describe the purpose or thesis of your review. Check out our handout on thesis statements . Then, outline the arguments that support your thesis.
Your arguments should develop the thesis in a logical manner. That logic, unlike more standard academic writing, may initially emphasize the author’s argument while you develop your own in the course of the review. The relative emphasis depends on the nature of the review: if readers may be more interested in the work itself, you may want to make the work and the author more prominent; if you want the review to be about your perspective and opinions, then you may structure the review to privilege your observations over (but never separate from) those of the work under review. What follows is just one of many ways to organize a review.
Introduction
Since most reviews are brief, many writers begin with a catchy quip or anecdote that succinctly delivers their argument. But you can introduce your review differently depending on the argument and audience. The Writing Center’s handout on introductions can help you find an approach that works. In general, you should include:
- The name of the author and the book title and the main theme.
- Relevant details about who the author is and where he/she stands in the genre or field of inquiry. You could also link the title to the subject to show how the title explains the subject matter.
- The context of the book and/or your review. Placing your review in a framework that makes sense to your audience alerts readers to your “take” on the book. Perhaps you want to situate a book about the Cuban revolution in the context of Cold War rivalries between the United States and the Soviet Union. Another reviewer might want to consider the book in the framework of Latin American social movements. Your choice of context informs your argument.
- The thesis of the book. If you are reviewing fiction, this may be difficult since novels, plays, and short stories rarely have explicit arguments. But identifying the book’s particular novelty, angle, or originality allows you to show what specific contribution the piece is trying to make.
- Your thesis about the book.
Summary of content
This should be brief, as analysis takes priority. In the course of making your assessment, you’ll hopefully be backing up your assertions with concrete evidence from the book, so some summary will be dispersed throughout other parts of the review.
The necessary amount of summary also depends on your audience. Graduate students, beware! If you are writing book reviews for colleagues—to prepare for comprehensive exams, for example—you may want to devote more attention to summarizing the book’s contents. If, on the other hand, your audience has already read the book—such as a class assignment on the same work—you may have more liberty to explore more subtle points and to emphasize your own argument. See our handout on summary for more tips.
Analysis and evaluation of the book
Your analysis and evaluation should be organized into paragraphs that deal with single aspects of your argument. This arrangement can be challenging when your purpose is to consider the book as a whole, but it can help you differentiate elements of your criticism and pair assertions with evidence more clearly. You do not necessarily need to work chronologically through the book as you discuss it. Given the argument you want to make, you can organize your paragraphs more usefully by themes, methods, or other elements of the book. If you find it useful to include comparisons to other books, keep them brief so that the book under review remains in the spotlight. Avoid excessive quotation and give a specific page reference in parentheses when you do quote. Remember that you can state many of the author’s points in your own words.
Sum up or restate your thesis or make the final judgment regarding the book. You should not introduce new evidence for your argument in the conclusion. You can, however, introduce new ideas that go beyond the book if they extend the logic of your own thesis. This paragraph needs to balance the book’s strengths and weaknesses in order to unify your evaluation. Did the body of your review have three negative paragraphs and one favorable one? What do they all add up to? The Writing Center’s handout on conclusions can help you make a final assessment.
Finally, a few general considerations:
- Review the book in front of you, not the book you wish the author had written. You can and should point out shortcomings or failures, but don’t criticize the book for not being something it was never intended to be.
- With any luck, the author of the book worked hard to find the right words to express her ideas. You should attempt to do the same. Precise language allows you to control the tone of your review.
- Never hesitate to challenge an assumption, approach, or argument. Be sure, however, to cite specific examples to back up your assertions carefully.
- Try to present a balanced argument about the value of the book for its audience. You’re entitled—and sometimes obligated—to voice strong agreement or disagreement. But keep in mind that a bad book takes as long to write as a good one, and every author deserves fair treatment. Harsh judgments are difficult to prove and can give readers the sense that you were unfair in your assessment.
- A great place to learn about book reviews is to look at examples. The New York Times Sunday Book Review and The New York Review of Books can show you how professional writers review books.
Works consulted
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
Drewry, John. 1974. Writing Book Reviews. Boston: Greenwood Press.
Hoge, James. 1987. Literary Reviewing. Charlottesville: University Virginia of Press.
Sova, Dawn, and Harry Teitelbaum. 2002. How to Write Book Reports , 4th ed. Lawrenceville, NY: Thomson/Arco.
Walford, A.J. 1986. Reviews and Reviewing: A Guide. Phoenix: Oryx Press.
Make a Gift
Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers
Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓
Blog – Posted on Friday, Mar 29
17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.
It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?
As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!
In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.
Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.
Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:
Should you become a book reviewer?
Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!
What must a book review contain?
Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)
In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:
- A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book.
- A book review will offer an evaluation of the work.
- A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience.
If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.
Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.
How much of a book nerd are you, really?
Find out here, once and for all. Takes 30 seconds!
Book review examples for fiction books
Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .
That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.
Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.
Examples of literary fiction book reviews
Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :
An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.
His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.
This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.
Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:
YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.
This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.
I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]
The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :
Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.
The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.
Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]
Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :
In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.
An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.
Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.
The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.
As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.
This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.
Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.
Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.
The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :
I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.
Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim. To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]
Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews
The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :
♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.
In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.
♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]
The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :
Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.
Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.
“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]
James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!
This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.
The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.
Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :
This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.
Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.
Examples of genre fiction book reviews
Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:
4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.
I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.
The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.
I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.
I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.
Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:
“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”
Holy hell, what did I just read??
➽ A fantasy military school
➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history
➽ Shamans and gods
➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters
➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors
That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.
Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).
Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.
Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:
In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?
In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.
Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.
Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :
Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.
The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.
Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.
Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.
Book review examples for non-fiction books
Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.
Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!
The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :
The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”
Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.
All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]
Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :
I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.
The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.
Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]
Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :
Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.
In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.
To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]
Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :
WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5
SUBJECT: 4/5
CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5
RELEVANCE: 3.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5
“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.
Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]
Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:
Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.
This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.
I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.
And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.
She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.
I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.
Hopefully, this post has given you a better idea of how to write a book review. You might be wondering how to put all of this knowledge into action now! Many book reviewers start out by setting up a book blog. If you don’t have time to research the intricacies of HTML, check out Reedsy Discovery — where you can read indie books for free and review them without going through the hassle of creating a blog. To register as a book reviewer , go here .
And if you’d like to see even more book review examples, simply go to this directory of book review blogs and click on any one of them to see a wealth of good book reviews. Beyond that, it's up to you to pick up a book and pen — and start reviewing!
Continue reading
More posts from across the blog.
11 Best Ernest Hemingway Books in Chronological Order
When puzzling over what the best Ernest Hemingway books are, a reader might not be burdened by a mountain of publications — as with trying to determine the best Stephen King no...
How to Find Kindle Unlimited Audiobooks (And 20 of Our Favorites)
We all love reading, but with more people working from home than ever before and screen time at all time high, giving your eyes a break is extra important — and that’s where audiobooks come in.
25 Best Bookshelves Money Can Buy
Sit back and browse some of the best bookshelves money can buy! Whether you wish to flaunt your bold personality at work or add a rustic flair to your home, you’ll surely find your ideal bookshelf here.
Heard about Reedsy Discovery?
Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.
Or sign up with an
Or sign up with your social account
- Submit your book
- Reviewer directory
7 Steps for How to Write an Evaluation Essay (Example & Template)
In this ultimate guide, I will explain to you exactly how to write an evaluation essay.
1. What is an Evaluation Essay?
An evaluation essay should provide a critical analysis of something.
You’re literally ‘evaluating’ the thing you’re looking up.
Here’s a couple of quick definitions of what we mean by ‘evaluate’:
- Merriam-Webster defines evaluation as: “to determine the significance, worth, or condition of usually by careful appraisal and study”
- Collins Dictionary says: “If you evaluate something or someone, you consider them in order to make a judgment about them, for example about how good or bad they are.”
Here’s some synonyms for ‘evaluate’:
So, we could say that an evaluation essay should carefully examine the ‘thing’ and provide an overall judgement of it.
Here’s some common things you may be asked to write an evaluation essay on:
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Really, you can evaluate just about anything!
Get a Pdf of this article for class
Enjoy subscriber-only access to this article’s pdf
2. How to write an Evaluation Essay
There are two secrets to writing a strong evaluation essay. The first is to aim for objective analysis before forming an opinion. The second is to use an evaluation criteria.
Aim to Appear Objective before giving an Evaluation Argument
Your evaluation will eventually need an argument.
The evaluation argument will show your reader what you have decided is the final value of the ‘thing’ you’re evaluating.
But in order to convince your reader that your evaluative argument is sound, you need to do some leg work.
The aim will be to show that you have provided a balanced and fair assessment before coming to your conclusion.
In order to appear balanced you should:
- Discuss both the pros and cons of the thing
- Discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of the thing
- Look at the thing from multiple different perspectives
- Be both positive and critical. Don’t make it look like you’re biased towards one perspective.
In other words, give every perspective a fair hearing.
You don’t want to sound like a propagandist. You want to be seen as a fair and balanced adjudicator.
Use an Evaluation Criteria
One way to appear balanced is to use an evaluation criteria.
An evaluation criteria helps to show that you have assessed the ‘thing’ based on an objective measure.
Here’s some examples of evaluation criteria:
- Strength under pressure
- Longevity (ability to survive for a long time)
- Ease of use
- Ability to get the job done
- Friendliness
- Punctuality
- Ability to predict my needs
- Calmness under pressure
- Attentiveness
A Bed and Breakfast
- Breakfast options
- Taste of food
- Comfort of bed
- Local attractions
- Service from owner
- Cleanliness
We can use evaluation criteria to frame out ability to conduct the analysis fairly.
This is especially true for if you have to evaluate multiple different ‘things’. For example, if you’re evaluating three novels, you want to be able to show that you applied the same ‘test’ on all three books!
This will show that you gave each ‘thing’ a fair chance and looked at the same elements for each.
3. How to come up with an Evaluation Argument
After you have:
- Looked at both good and bad elements of the ‘thing’, and
- Used an evaluation criteria
You’ll then need to develop an evaluative argument. This argument shows your own overall perspective on the ‘thing’.
Remember, you will need to show your final evaluative argument is backed by objective analysis. You need to do it in order!
Analyze first. Evaluate second.
Here’s an example.
Let’s say you’re evaluating the quality of a meal.
You might say:
- A strength of the meal was its presentation. It was well presented and looked enticing to eat.
- A weakness of the meal was that it was overcooked. This decreased its flavor.
- The meal was given a low rating on ‘cost’ because it was more expensive than the other comparative meals on the menu.
- The meal was given a high rating on ‘creativity’. It was a meal that involved a thoughtful and inventive mix of ingredients.
Now that you’ve looked at some pros and cons and measured the meal based on a few criteria points (like cost and creativity), you’ll be able to come up with a final argument:
- Overall, the meal was good enough for a middle-tier restaurant but would not be considered a high-class meal. There is a lot of room for improvement if the chef wants to win any local cooking awards.
Evaluative terms that you might want to use for this final evaluation argument might include:
- All things considered
- With all key points in mind
4. Evaluation Essay Outline (with Examples)
Okay, so now you know what to do, let’s have a go at creating an outline for your evaluation essay!
Here’s what I recommend:
4.1 How to Write your Introduction
In the introduction, feel free to use my 5-Step INTRO method . It’ll be an introduction just like any other essay introduction .
And yes, feel free to explain what the final evaluation will be.
So, here it is laid out nice and simple.
Write one sentence for each point to make a 5-sentence introduction:
- Interest: Make a statement about the ‘thing’ you’re evaluating that you think will be of interest to the reader. Make it a catchy, engaging point that draws the reader in!
- Notify: Notify the reader of any background info on the thing you’re evaluating. This is your chance to show your depth of knowledge. What is a historical fact about the ‘thing’?
- Translate: Re-state the essay question. For an evaluative essay, you can re-state it something like: “This essay evaluates the book/ product/ article/ etc. by looking at its strengths and weaknesses and compares it against a marking criteria”.
- Report: Say what your final evaluation will be. For example you can say “While there are some weaknesses in this book, overall this evaluative essay will show that it helps progress knowledge about Dinosaurs.”
- Outline: Simply give a clear overview of what will be discussed. For example, you can say: “Firstly, the essay will evaluate the product based on an objective criteria. This criteria will include its value for money, fit for purpose and ease of use. Next, the essay will show the main strengths and weaknesses of the product. Lastly, the essay will provide a final evaluative statement about the product’s overall value and worth.”
If you want more depth on how to use the INTRO method, you’ll need to go and check out our blog post on writing quality introductions.
4.2 Example Introduction
This example introduction is for the essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society.
“Facebook is the third most visited website in the world. It was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his college dorm. This essay evaluates the impact of Facebook on society and makes an objective judgement on its value. The essay will argue that Facebook has changed the world both for the better and worse. Firstly, it will give an overview of what Facebook is and its history. Then, it will examine Facebook on the criteria of: impact on social interactions, impact on the media landscape, and impact on politics.”
You’ll notice that each sentence in this introduction follows my 5-Step INTRO formula to create a clear, coherent 5-Step introduction.
4.3 How to Write your Body Paragraphs
The first body paragraph should give an overview of the ‘thing’ being evaluated.
Then, you should evaluate the pros and cons of the ‘thing’ being evaluated based upon the criteria you have developed for evaluating it.
Let’s take a look below.
4.4 First Body Paragraph: Overview of your Subject
This first paragraph should provide objective overview of your subject’s properties and history. You should not be doing any evaluating just yet.
The goal for this first paragraph is to ensure your reader knows what it is you’re evaluating. Secondarily, it should show your marker that you have developed some good knowledge about it.
If you need to use more than one paragraph to give an overview of the subject, that’s fine.
Similarly, if your essay word length needs to be quite long, feel free to spend several paragraphs exploring the subject’s background and objective details to show off your depth of knowledge for the marker.
4.5 First Body Paragraph Example
Sticking with the essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society , this might be your paragraph:
“Facebook has been one of the most successful websites of all time. It is the website that dominated the ‘Web 2.0’ revolution, which was characterized by user two-way interaction with the web. Facebook allowed users to create their own personal profiles and invite their friends to follow along. Since 2004, Facebook has attracted more than one billion people to create profiles in order to share their opinions and keep in touch with their friends.”
Notice here that I haven’t yet made any evaluations of Facebook’s merits?
This first paragraph (or, if need be, several of them) should be all about showing the reader exactly what your subject is – no more, no less.
4.6 Evaluation Paragraphs: Second, Third, Forth and Fifth Body Paragraphs
Once you’re confident your reader will know what the subject that you’re evaluating is, you’ll need to move on to the actual evaluation.
For this step, you’ll need to dig up that evaluation criteria we talked about in Point 2.
For example, let’s say you’re evaluating a President of the United States.
Your evaluation criteria might be:
- Impact on world history
- Ability to pass legislation
- Popularity with voters
- Morals and ethics
- Ability to change lives for the better
Really, you could make up any evaluation criteria you want!
Once you’ve made up the evaluation criteria, you’ve got your evaluation paragraph ideas!
Simply turn each point in your evaluation criteria into a full paragraph.
How do you do this?
Well, start with a topic sentence.
For the criteria point ‘Impact on world history’ you can say something like: “Barack Obama’s impact on world history is mixed.”
This topic sentence will show that you’ll evaluate both pros and cons of Obama’s impact on world history in the paragraph.
Then, follow it up with explanations.
“While Obama campaigned to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, he was unable to completely achieve this objective. This is an obvious negative for his impact on the world. However, as the first black man to lead the most powerful nation on earth, he will forever be remembered as a living milestone for civil rights and progress.”
Keep going, turning each evaluation criteria into a full paragraph.
4.7 Evaluation Paragraph Example
Let’s go back to our essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society .
I’ve decided to use the evaluation criteria below:
- impact on social interactions;
- impact on the media landscape;
- impact on politics
Naturally, I’m going to write one paragraph for each point.
If you’re expected to write a longer piece, you could write two paragraphs on each point (one for pros and one for cons).
Here’s what my first evaluation paragraph might look like:
“Facebook has had a profound impact on social interactions. It has helped people to stay in touch with one another from long distances and after they have left school and college. This is obviously a great positive. However, it can also be seen as having a negative impact. For example, people may be less likely to interact face-to-face because they are ‘hanging out’ online instead. This can have negative impact on genuine one-to-one relationships.”
You might notice that this paragraph has a topic sentence, explanations and examples. It follows my perfect paragraph formula which you’re more than welcome to check out!
4.8 How to write your Conclusion
To conclude, you’ll need to come up with one final evaluative argument.
This evaluation argument provides an overall assessment. You can start with “Overall, Facebook has been…” and continue by saying that (all things considered) he was a good or bad president!
Remember, you can only come up with an overall evaluation after you’ve looked at the subject’s pros and cons based upon your evaluation criteria.
In the example below, I’m going to use my 5 C’s conclusion paragraph method . This will make sure my conclusion covers all the things a good conclusion should cover!
Like the INTRO method, the 5 C’s conclusion method should have one sentence for each point to create a 5 sentence conclusion paragraph.
The 5 C’s conclusion method is:
- Close the loop: Return to a statement you made in the introduction.
- Conclude: Show what your final position is.
- Clarify: Clarify how your final position is relevant to the Essay Question.
- Concern: Explain who should be concerned by your findings.
- Consequences: End by noting in one final, engaging sentence why this topic is of such importance. The ‘concern’ and ‘consequences’ sentences can be combined
4.9 Concluding Argument Example Paragraph
Here’s a possible concluding argument for our essay question: Write an Evaluation Essay on Facebook’s Impact on Society .
“The introduction of this essay highlighted that Facebook has had a profound impact on society. This evaluation essay has shown that this impact has been both positive and negative. Thus, it is too soon to say whether Facebook has been an overall positive or negative for society. However, people should pay close attention to this issue because it is possible that Facebook is contributing to the undermining of truth in media and positive interpersonal relationships.”
Note here that I’ve followed the 5 C’s conclusion method for my concluding evaluative argument paragraph.
5. Evaluation Essay Example Template
Below is a template you can use for your evaluation essay , based upon the advice I gave in Section 4:
6. 23+ Good Evaluation Essay Topics
Okay now that you know how to write an evaluation essay, let’s look at a few examples.
For each example I’m going to give you an evaluation essay title idea, plus a list of criteria you might want to use in your evaluation essay.
6.1 Evaluation of Impact
- Evaluate the impact of global warming on the great barrier reef. Recommended evaluation criteria: Level of bleaching; Impact on tourism; Economic impact; Impact on lifestyles; Impact on sealife
- Evaluate the impact of the Global Financial Crisis on poverty. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on jobs; Impact on childhood poverty; Impact on mental health rates; Impact on economic growth; Impact on the wealthy; Global impact
- Evaluate the impact of having children on your lifestyle. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on spare time; Impact on finances; Impact on happiness; Impact on sense of wellbeing
- Evaluate the impact of the internet on the world. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on connectedness; Impact on dating; Impact on business integration; Impact on globalization ; Impact on media
- Evaluate the impact of public transportation on cities. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on cost of living; Impact on congestion; Impact on quality of life; Impact on health; Impact on economy
- Evaluate the impact of universal healthcare on quality of life. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on reducing disease rates; Impact on the poorest in society; Impact on life expectancy; Impact on happiness
- Evaluate the impact of getting a college degree on a person’s life. Recommended evaluation criteria: Impact on debt levels; Impact on career prospects; Impact on life perspectives; Impact on relationships
6.2 Evaluation of a Scholarly Text or Theory
- Evaluate a Textbook. Recommended evaluation criteria: clarity of explanations; relevance to a course; value for money; practical advice; depth and detail; breadth of information
- Evaluate a Lecture Series, Podcast or Guest Lecture. Recommended evaluation criteria: clarity of speaker; engagement of attendees; appropriateness of content; value for monet
- Evaluate a journal article. Recommended evaluation criteria: length; clarity; quality of methodology; quality of literature review; relevance of findings for real life
- Evaluate a Famous Scientists. Recommended evaluation criteria: contribution to scientific knowledge; impact on health and prosperity of humankind; controversies and disagreements with other scientists.
- Evaluate a Theory. Recommended evaluation criteria: contribution to knowledge; reliability or accuracy; impact on the lives of ordinary people; controversies and contradictions with other theories.
6.3 Evaluation of Art and Literature
- Evaluate a Novel. Recommended evaluation criteria: plot complexity; moral or social value of the message; character development; relevance to modern life
- Evaluate a Play. Recommended evaluation criteria: plot complexity; quality of acting; moral or social value of the message; character development; relevance to modern life
- Evaluate a Film. Recommended evaluation criteria: plot complexity; quality of acting; moral or social value of the message; character development; relevance to modern life
- Evaluate an Artwork. Recommended evaluation criteria: impact on art theory; moral or social message; complexity or quality of composition
6.4 Evaluation of a Product or Service
- Evaluate a Hotel or Bed and Breakfast. Recommended evaluation criteria: quality of service; flexibility of check-in and check-out times; cleanliness; location; value for money; wi-fi strength; noise levels at night; quality of meals; value for money
- Evaluate a Restaurant. Recommended evaluation criteria: quality of service; menu choices; cleanliness; atmosphere; taste; value for money.
- Evaluate a Car. Recommended evaluation criteria: fuel efficiency; value for money; build quality; likelihood to break down; comfort.
- Evaluate a House. Recommended evaluation criteria: value for money; build quality; roominess; location; access to public transport; quality of neighbourhood
- Evaluate a Doctor. Recommended evaluation criteria: Quality of service; knowledge; quality of equipment; reputation; value for money.
- Evaluate a Course. Recommended evaluation criteria: value for money; practical advice; quality of teaching; quality of resources provided.
7. Concluding Advice
Evaluation essays are common in high school, college and university.
The trick for getting good marks in an evaluation essay is to show you have looked at both the pros and cons before making a final evaluation analysis statement.
You don’t want to look biased.
That’s why it’s a good idea to use an objective evaluation criteria, and to be generous in looking at both positives and negatives of your subject.
Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay
I recommend you use the evaluation template provided in this post to write your evaluation essay. However, if your teacher has given you a template, of course use theirs instead! You always want to follow your teacher’s advice because they’re the person who will be marking your work.
Good luck with your evaluation essay!
Chris Drew (PhD)
Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education.
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ 60 Inspirational Role Model Examples
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ 12 Deindividuation Examples
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ What do Portuguese People Look Like? (10 Features & Stereotypes)
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/ What do Spanish People Look Like? (Features & Stereotypes)
Leave a Comment Cancel Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Evaluation Essay
Evaluation Essay - Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips
Published on: Jan 12, 2020
Last updated on: Dec 19, 2022
On This Page On This Page
Writing an evaluation essay but do not have an idea of what is an evaluation essay? And how to write a good one?
Well, fret no more, as we are here to help you get through the evaluation essay writing process.
In this blog, you will learn about the evaluation essay definition, topics, writing tips, and a lot more. Continue reading to get a better idea.
What is an Evaluation Essay?
An evaluation essay is a type of writing in which the writer offers a value judgment about a specific topic. It is a composition that presents an overall view of a particular subject’s quality. Moreover, it provides a critical analysis and a complete evaluation of something.
The main purpose of an evaluation essay is to evaluate a topic and present an opinion about it critically. It also determines the condition, worth, or significance by careful appraisal and study.
This essay features the writer’s opinion, but if done correctly, it does not sound opinionated. Instead, it provides the facts and evidence to justify the opinions about the essay’s subject.
To write a good evaluation essay, you need to master critical evaluation and present the evaluation in an unbiased manner.
Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job
Evaluation Essay Structure
The following are the four different ways to format and organize the evaluation essay.
1. Chronological Structure
It is the sequential organization that could be used for evaluating historical or current events. It tells how something works and assesses the effectiveness of a mechanism, procedure, or process.
2. Spatial Structure
The spatial organization structure is used for evaluating or describing art or architecture. Here, you will define one element of the artifact and move spatially to the next.
3. Compare and Contrast Structure
The compare and contrast structure is used to evaluate or review the culinary or music genre. Here the writer evaluates a subject by comprising and contrasting it with the known subject.
4. Point-by-Point Structure
The point-by-point structure is also used for culinary and music reviews. In this structure, you describe one element and then evaluate it, describe the second element and evaluate it, and so on.
How to Start an Evaluation Essay?
When you start writing an evaluation essay, you need to make sure that you grab the reader’s attention. For this, hook the reader from the beginning until the end to ensure that your essay’s opening is compelling and attention-grabbing.
Below given are a few steps that you should follow to start your evaluation essay:
- The first step is to decide the topic of the essay. Choose a compelling and interesting topic that makes your reader want to read the essay.
- After that, decide on the structure that you want to follow. It can be a chronological or point-by-point structure.
- Properly introduce your subject.
- Collect some background information to understand your subject.
- Consider the criteria that you need to make your judgment.
- Provide the basis of your chosen criteria.
- Choose an interesting statement at the start of your essay to grab the reader’s attention.
- Develop the thesis statement that revolves around your judgment.
- Collect evidence to support your thesis.
- Establish your point of view.
Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!
How to Write an Evaluation Essay?
Here is a step-by-step guide for you to write an evaluation essay.
1. Choose the Topic
Deciding the topic of your essay is important. Make sure it's not just compelling and interesting but also informative so that you can find enough material on this subject for an entire essay.
2. Create an Evaluation Essay Outline
Professional writers always suggest that you should draft an evaluation essay outline before formally writing it. It helps in the writing process and keeps the content in a logical flow. Also, editing an outline is way much simpler than editing the entire essay.
When you create an essay outline, evaluate what should be added and removed. But if you do not follow this step and start writing the essay directly, you will have to do more work. It may include editing and revising the whole writing piece, which is more complicated than editing the outline.
A typical evaluation essay outline consists of the following sections.
- Write the Introduction
The introduction is the first impression your readers will have of you, so it's crucial to make a good one. It should capture attention and excite readers, drawing them into what you have to say about this topic.
The following are the elements that you should consider while writing the introduction:
- Start with an interesting hook statement so that you can get the reader’s attention.
- Provide background information about the topic for the reader to understand the subject.
- Establish the evaluation essay thesis statement. It sets out the overall purpose of the evaluation, so make sure it is apparent and to the point.
- Draft the Body Section
The body of the essay consists of three paragraphs. Each paragraph holds different ideas related to one another and flows smoothly from start to finish, just like how a good story should be told.
Here are the important points that must include in the body paragraphs.
- Start with the topic sentence that presents your judgment about the topic.
- Present the supporting evidence to back up the topic sentence and your viewpoint.
- Present the balanced argument to show impartiality.
- Compare and contrast the subject to another subject to show the strengths and weaknesses.
- Present the evaluation from many different perspectives while being both positive and critical.
- Write the Conclusion
It is the final chance to convince your reader to agree with your point of view. Here, you are supposed to summarize and conclude the essay. Moreover, in this section, you present your final evaluation while concluding the overall evaluation. Keep in mind the following aspects while writing a closing paragraph of an evaluation essay.
- Summarize the points and arguments that you made in the body section.
- Justify your thesis statement.
- Provide a concrete and secure conclusion to your argument by ultimately leaving the reader convinced by your evaluation.
3. Proofread, Revise, and Edit
After writing the essay, the final step is proofreading and editing. Thus, spend enough time reading your essay carefully. It will help you catch the unintentional mistakes you have made and recover them. If needed, revise your draft two to three times so that no error remains left.
Evaluation Essay Examples
Evaluation can be written on any topic, i.e., book, movie, music, etc. Below we have given some examples of an evaluation essay to provide you with a clear idea.
Evaluation Essay on a Movie - Example
Employee Self-Evaluation Essay - Example
Evaluation Essay Topics
For writing an amazing evaluation essay, the first thing that you need is an essay topic. Here are some amazing topic ideas that you can use for writing your essay. You can use them as it is or can mold it according to your preference.
- Carefully compare and evaluate public schools and private schools.
- Evaluate the online teaching and on-campus teaching styles.
- Analyze and evaluate the Real Madrid football team and their performance.
- Evaluate the smartphone or the computer you are using right now.
- Compare and evaluate recorded music and live performance.
- Evaluate how a university's football team impacts students' personalities.
- Critically evaluate a remake of an original movie you have watched recently.
- Analyze how the roles of females and males changed in recent romantic movies.
- Evaluate your favorite restaurant, its food, aroma, and everything.
- Compare and evaluate online friendships and traditional friendships.
After reading the step-by-step guide and examples, you must have learned the art of writing a good evaluation essay. But writing a perfect essay is not that simple; you need a lot of practice and experience to become a good writer. That is why we are here to help you write any type of academic essay.
MyPerfectWords.com is a professional essay writing service that offers help for all academic writing assignments. We have a team of professional writers who are experts in writing all types of essays and evaluation papers.
Don’t worry and trust us for your writing assignments; our writers will do all of them for you. So without wasting any more time, hire our top essay writer service . The earlier you place your order, the less you have to pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. what are the four components of an evaluation essay.
The four components of an evaluation essay are:
- Introduction
- Background information
2. What are the 4 types of evaluation?
The four types of evaluation are:
Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)
Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.
People also read
Get Better at Math: Solving Math Problems Quick and Easy
Learn How to Write an Editorial on Any Topic
How to Avoid Plagiarism - Steps to a Plagiarism Free Paper
How to Write a Movie Review - Guide & Examples
How to Write a Summary - Beginner’s Guide & Example
How to Write an Opinion Essay – A Beginner’s Guide
How to Write a Thematic Statement - Tips & Examples
How to Write a Bio - Quick Tips, Structure & Examples
How to Write a Synopsis – A Simple Format & Guide
How to Write a Comparative Essay – A Research Guide
Visual Analysis Essay Writing Guide - Format & Samples
List of Common Social Issues Around the World
Character Analysis - Outline, Writing Steps, and Examples
What are the Different Types of Plagiarism - Examples
Article Review - A Complete Writing Guide With Examples
A Detailed Guide on How to Write a Poem Step by Step
A Complete Appendix Writing Guide for Beginners
Share this article
Keep reading
We value your privacy
We use cookies to improve your experience and give you personalized content. Do you agree to our cookie policy?
Website Data Collection
We use data collected by cookies and JavaScript libraries.
Are you sure you want to cancel?
Your preferences have not been saved.
Secrets of Writing an Excellent Evaluation Essay
05 July, 2020
14 minutes read
Author: Elizabeth Brown
Many people prefer to check reviews on the movie or book before watching or reading it. The summary information and honest point of view on the subject matter are usually included in an evaluation essay. You just need to analyze both sides of the chosen criterion through thorough research, analysis of your thesis, and examination of your own values. To write a good evaluation essay, you should forget about your feelings and create an objective overview of the topic. That way, you will reveal the truth about the real worth of the particular subject matter.
So, what is an evaluation essay? The answer to this question you will find out in this post.
What Is an Evaluation Essay?
An evaluation paper is a kind of essay in which you express your argumentative point of view on various topics. As a form of literary thinking, it is based on much more than just a quick judgment about a person, place, or object. The common standards of evaluation writing, such as clearance, objectivity, and coherence, are to be followed throughout the text. These standards help identify how well a subject meets up or falls short of the ideal. No wonder this kind of essay is widely used for scientific purposes when the comparison of two inventions or technologies is required. In an evaluation essay, all the arguments are delivered objectively, while your personal opinion is stated at the very end as a summary.
On the Internet, you can find lots of reviews with one sentence only: “This essay is fine.” Does it look informative to you? Can you rely on this kind of feedback? Let’s be honest, such a review can hardly provide you with a clear understanding of whether the subject is worth your attention or not. The main feature of an evaluation essay is that it contains details and evidence to support your point of view. Instead of discussing every observation, you just need to underpin your point of view with examples that will make your paper look convincing.
CJE guidelines
How to start an evaluation essay? What needs to be preconsidered? Every evaluation essay consists of three structural elements – criteria, judgement, and evidence. Let’s get deeper into details.
The criteria that you choose should evaluate a person or subject through the prism of their ideal version. What can their best features be? For instance, you would expect an interesting plot and professional acting from a movie. Once you have specific benchmarks in mind, they can be used to evaluate these points.
The judgement aspect is used to estimate whether or not the benchmarks have been met. For instance, you can start a movie evaluation from judging whether it aligns with the specific benchmark. Does it offer the quality acting you expect? Does it have gaps in the plot? These are only some of the possible options to consider.
Remember that you must develop clues to advocate your judgements. For instance, if you make the judgement that the movie quality does not meet your expectations, you should be ready to provide evidence. Without eligible evidence, your evaluation essay won’t look convincing.
When structuring your evaluation essay, it is crucial to address a different criterion in each paragraph. In that paragraph, you should reflect on each criterion, make the relevant judgements and provide supporting proofs.
How to Write an Evaluation Essay?
With this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to write an evaluation essay. Here are the major steps to be taken:
- Choose your topic. Whatever kind of essay you are writing, you will have to take this step. Your topic can be offered by your instructor, as the case may be. But if you have to choose it yourself, you should consider a subject that you are familiar with. Thus, it will be easier for you to take an in-depth look at the subject and make a judgement on its value.
- Create a thesis statement. This is an important element of your essay as it contains the general purpose of the evaluation. In the thesis, you need to reflect on the criteria being used to judge the subject matter and state its value. Your statement should look apparent and to the point. In the process of writing, you may revise it as your essay gets shaped.
- Identify the criteria to be used for accessing the subject matter. Determine the benchmarks in your essay in order to make it interesting and engaging. The criteria you choose will depend on the subject of your evaluation. For instance, a movie will be judged using different points of reference than a book.
- Find supporting evidence . Don’t forget that an essay is not just about your opinion. You will need to find some supporting information from trustworthy sources while making each judgement. Don’t think that stating the movie or book title is enough. Use some questions to find out answers that can help you collect more information. How can you evaluate the subject? What kind of readers are you focused on? Will you focus on good or bad sides of the subject?
- Write a draft of your essay . All you need to do is to continue writing. As soon as you have something written on paper, you will rewrite or restructure it unless you are totally happy with the result.
Review, revise and rewrite. When a draft is completed, you will read over your work and make some changes if needed. You should be ready to rewrite your paper several times to get it just right.
Evaluation Essay Example
Here, you will find a well-written evaluation essay example that you can use for yourself:
- https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/evaluation/standardized-tests.html
- https://www.examples.com/education/evaluation-essay-examples.html
Evaluation Essay VS Review
An evaluation essay is widely associated with a review paper. This is a common mistake many students make. Although the two types of paper have some similarities, there are more differences that set them apart. You can take a look at those differences in the table below.
Tips on Writing an Evaluation Essay from Our Experts
Following the quick tips below, you will find it easier to write an effective evaluation argument essay:
- Provide the right amount of details: Make sure you explain your thoughts clearly and provide sufficient information to convince the reader in the correctness of your judgment.
- Thesis sentence should reveal your actual opinion. If you want to build up the basis for your body, you can include the main reasons for your evaluation in the thesis sentence.
- Know your target audience. By knowing your reader, you can adjust the plot to their specific needs. Whether you write for college students or professors, you will have to apply a bit different approach in the language choice.
- Make some notes. By using a three-column note-taking method, you can organize your thoughts. The columns of criteria, evidence, and judgment will contain the relevant information which will not let you forget or mix facts.
- Be opinionated . By sounding passionate in your evaluation essay, you will increase your chances of catching readers’ attention. The use of vivid nouns and engaging verbs will strengthen the effect produced by your paper. You should have a strong judgment of how the particular subject is either better or worse than other subjects of the same type.
- Back up every judgement you make. Every time you make a judgment, you should be ready to use specific, interesting, and convincing reasons to make it up. For evidence, you can describe the subject, use funny stories, or compare and contrast some notions with a similar subject.
- Provide counter-arguments. When you disagree with what most people think about the particular subject, it makes sense to provide some counter-arguments. This will make the narration more engaging for readers.
List of 50 Evaluation Topics
Since there are many people and objects you are able to assess, an evaluation essay can be written on a wide range of topics. To evaluate something, you will need to compare it with an example within a subject you have chosen. Some possible evaluation essay topics can be found below:
- Analyze the dissimilarity between seeing a sporting event live and watching it on ITV.
- Create a comparative assessment of watching a sporting event in a cafe and watching it without leaving the comfort of your home.
- Evaluate the experience of watching a sporting event on your own and with other people.
- Evaluate how a recent drama movie portrays the tragedies of real life.
- Evaluate a classic criminal movie and what it states about the real crime rates in the modern society.
- Evaluate your favorite Chinese restaurant.
- Compare two popular Chinese restaurants in your city.
- Appraise football or basketball from the perspective of a contestant or that of a watcher.
- Analyze the way in which football or basketball has advanced over the last decade.
- Discuss the influence of ESPN on sporting events.
- Evaluate the coverage of the latest Eurovision Song Contest.
- Evaluate a fancy restaurant for how it makes the customer feel after having the meal
- Analyze the way in which a popular horror movie depicts people’s fears.
- Assess a classic action movie and talk about its ideas regarding the functions of men and women.
- Explore the change that occurred in recent war movies if compared to classic war movies.
- How do drama books affect readers?
- Evaluate a book about war and analyze whether it addresses current concerns associated with war and peace.
- Evaluate the effects of online educational programs on students’ performance.
- Do historical movies encourage history learning?
- Evaluate an Italian cafe located in your city. What is the difference between the Italian and local food?
- What makes a traditional Italian meal great?
- Can hamburgers be healthy? Mention some details and provide relevant arguments.
- How mental health issues affect students’ academic performance?
- Analyze teachers’ responsibilities in terms of elementary students’ needs.
- Evaluate the power of verbal encouragement as a motivational factor in the educational process.
- Critically reflect on education services provided to children experiencing difficulties in learning.
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of German secondary education.
- Evaluate teaching methods used at the American universities.
- Ways in which online libraries affect the students’ academic performance.
- How well the film “BraveHeart” portrays historical events?
- Analyze a movie produced in a foreign country and discuss how it reveals its national characteristics.
- Assess Kate Winslet’s play in “Titanic” and discuss which means this actor applies to adapt to this role.
- Make a comparison between modern and classic drama movies.
- Assess the distinct approaches used to transfer data from a smartphone to a PC.
- Make comparisons between various phone plans and determine which provider has the best deals for travelers.
- Assess current information security methods. Which one is the most efficient?
- Assess the key characteristics of WhatsApp.
- Compare the use of several cloud systems that can be implemented by the movie hub website.
- Estimate the chances of Facebook as a marketing resource.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of online advertising.
- Assess the existing approaches to using the Internet in colleges.
- Analyze the consequences of cultural shock.
- Assess the negative sides of overwhelming cultural diversity in the United States.
- Discuss the development path of rap and hip-hop music.
- What is the impact of Buddhism on Indian culture?
- Compare two popular social media platforms in terms of their users, features, and benefits.
- Evaluate the latest version of your favorite smartphone and estimate the positive or negative changes that will affect the industry.
- Compare an educational approach in the military, Christian, or classical school.
- Evaluate the SAT versus the ACT tests.
- Compare the foreign policies established by a few states in the US.
Note that our company provides academic writing help. You can buy an essay written from scratch by our essay writer .
Best Essay Writing Services 2023
Student life can often be quite challenging because students have to deal with challenging college essay writing assignments. To facilitate the learning process, many services help you complete written work and get high scores. Now we will tell you about the best services that you can turn to and get high-quality papers. Essay Writing Service […]
A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death
Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]
Nursing Research Paper Topics
Selecting an academic paper topic is a crucial step in the writing process. The variety of nursing research topics makes it challenging to find the appropriate paper theme. But if you choose a sound nursing research paper subject, it will contribute to a flawless thesis statement, using relevant resources, a smooth writing process, and impressive […]
Book Review Essay
Essay guide, essay examples.
- 1. What Is a Book Review?
- 2. How to Write a Book Review
- 3. Book Review Template
- 4. Most reviewed books
What Is a Book Review?
A book review is an evaluation and analysis of a book's content, style, and merit. It is a critical assessment of the book that provides an overview of the book's key themes, strengths, and weaknesses. The purpose of a book review is to inform potential readers about the book and provide a recommendation for whether or not it is worth reading.
A book review typically includes the following elements:
- Summary: A brief summary of the book's content and main themes.
- Analysis: A critical analysis of the book's strengths and weaknesses. This may include an assessment of the writing style, the author's argument or thesis, the quality of the research, and the effectiveness of the book's organization.
- Evaluation: An overall evaluation of the book's merit. This may include a recommendation for whether or not the book is worth reading, and for whom it might be most appropriate.
- Comparison: A comparison of the book to other books on similar topics, or to the author's previous works.
- Context: A discussion of the book's historical or cultural context, or its relevance to current events or debates.
Book reviews can be written by professional book critics, academics, or other experts in the field. They can also be written by ordinary readers who want to share their opinion of a book. Book reviews are commonly found in newspapers, magazines, and online publications, and they can also be posted on book review websites, such as Goodreads or Amazon.
Overall, a book review is an important tool for readers to use when deciding which books to read, and for authors to receive feedback on their work.
How to Write a Book Review
Writing a book review can be a challenging task, but it is a great way to engage with a book and share your thoughts with others. Here are some steps to follow when writing a book review:
- Read the book: Read the book thoroughly, taking notes on key themes, characters, and important events.
- Consider the audience: Think about who your audience is and what they might be interested in. Are you writing for a general audience or for academics?
- Provide a brief summary: Provide a brief summary of the book, including the author's main argument or thesis, the key themes, and the major characters.
- Evaluate the book: Evaluate the book by considering its strengths and weaknesses. What are the author's main arguments, and how effectively are they presented? Does the book provide new insights into the topic? Are there any weaknesses or limitations in the book's arguments or evidence?
- Provide evidence: Support your evaluation with evidence from the book. Use specific examples from the text to illustrate your points and provide evidence for your analysis.
- Discuss the author's writing style: Consider the author's writing style and how effective it is in conveying the book's ideas. Is the writing clear and engaging? Does the author use effective techniques to convey their message?
- Recommend the book: Based on your evaluation, recommend the book to your audience. Who would benefit from reading this book, and why?
- Edit and revise: Review and edit your review for clarity, grammar, and spelling errors.
Overall, when writing a book review, it's important to balance a summary of the book with your own analysis and evaluation. Use evidence from the book to support your analysis, and provide a clear and engaging evaluation of the book's strengths and weaknesses. By following these steps, you can write a thoughtful and engaging book review.
Book Review Template
A book review template is a useful tool for organizing your thoughts and writing a structured book review. Here is a basic book review template:
- Introduction
- Provide basic information about the book, including the author's name, title, and publication date
- Provide a brief summary of the book's content
- Discuss the book's strengths and weaknesses
- Evaluate the author's arguments and evidence
- Analyze the book's themes and messages
- Provide specific examples from the book to support your evaluation
- Quote from the text to illustrate your points
- Writing Style
- Analyze the author's writing style
- Discuss how effectively the author communicates their message
- Evaluate the author's use of language and tone
- Summarize your evaluation of the book
- Provide a recommendation for whether or not the book is worth reading
- Identify the book's target audience
Remember, this is just a basic template, and you should adapt it to fit the specific requirements of your book review. You may need to include additional sections, such as a discussion of the book's historical or cultural context, or a comparison to other books on the same topic. Your instructor or editor may also provide a specific template or guidelines for you to follow.
Most reviewed books
There are many books that have been reviewed by American students, but some of the most reviewed books include:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - This classic novel is a staple of American literature and is frequently assigned in schools. It tells the story of a young girl named Scout growing up in the South during the 1930s and grappling with issues of race and injustice. The book has been widely praised for its powerful storytelling and its ability to tackle difficult topics in a way that is accessible to young readers.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Another classic of American literature, "The Great Gatsby" is a story of love, greed, and social climbing set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties. The book has been widely praised for its vivid characters, its beautiful prose, and its exploration of the American Dream.
1984 by George Orwell - This dystopian novel has become a classic of political literature and is frequently assigned in high school and college classes. It tells the story of a future society where the government has total control over every aspect of people's lives, and is a warning about the dangers of authoritarianism and the importance of individual freedom.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - This coming-of-age novel follows the adventures of a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield as he grapples with issues of identity and belonging. The book has been widely praised for its honest portrayal of teenage angst and its exploration of themes like alienation and disillusionment.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - This popular young adult novel is set in a dystopian future where teenagers are forced to compete in a televised death match. The book has been praised for its fast-paced action, its strong female protagonist, and its exploration of themes like power and control.
Other books that are frequently reviewed by American students include "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton, " Lord of the Flies " by William Golding, and "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Book Review: Heartland the Darkest Hour
My book was Heartland the Darkest Hour. It was written by Lauren Brooke and was 152 pages long. This book was about a girl named Amy who tries to prove to everyone that she can be as good as a professional horse racer. Throughout the …
How to Write Book Review
How to write a book review Perhaps the best way to offer guidelines on how to write a book review is to give you an example of the kind of instructions and guidelines we (i. e. the academic staff) would be given by journals who …
The Dork Continent Book Review
Upon hearing the title of the book, one might assume that it will focus on the decolonization of Africa. Africa is known as the “dark continent” because it remained a mystery to European explorers for an extensive amount of time. Instead, Mark Mazower’s Dark Continent: …
Book Review - Servant Leader
As I started reading this book I couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja vu. Why were the thoughts and ideas being shared so familiar? Then I realized something, much like the author’s recollection of what his grandmother said. Many of these ideas were …
Autobiography of Ben Franklin Book Review
Ben Franklin Book Review Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a man of many trades, including an inventor, printer, scientist, educator, and politician among many other professions. During the summer of 1771, he started writing his autobiography to his son so that he would be able to …
The Cherokee Removal Book Review
The Cherokee Removal Book Review The Cherokee Removal is a brief history with documents by Theda Perdue and Michael Green. In 1838-1839 the US troops expelled the Cherokee Indians from their ancestral homeland in the Southeast and removed them to the Indian Territory in what …
The Jungle Book Review: Upton Sinclair
Author Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is a fiction story but has very much real stories that happened in early beginnings of meat packing industries. I believe Upton Sinclair’s purpose of the book was to expose but also to connect the argument of how immigrants were …
A Book Review on Martin Jacques’ When China Rules the World
A Book Review On Martin Jacques’ When China Rules the World By Abhinav Pathak “The underlying argument of the book is that China’s impact on the world will be as great as that of the United States over the last century, probably far greater…. China, …
Change management
The Change Curve is a map used to help pinpoint where you are in a hanged initiative, where you need to go and how you should proceed to get there. There are five phases of the Change Curve: Stagnation, Preparation, Implementation, Determination, and Fruition. By …
Book review on enduring love
The basic story line to the book is all about a man who experiences a ballooning accident where he and a group of other guys try to pull down a balloon that has a boy in, which is the captain of the air balloons grandson… …
A Book Review on The Wisdom of Confucius
“When you see a good man, try to emulate his example, and when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults” That quote is one of the many morals stated by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, which we still live by today. The …
A Book Review on Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
In the political and social satire A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur”s Court, Mark Twain demonstrates his excessive pride and glory in the political, economic, and technological advances of his time by developing an interesting plot in which an 19th century mechanic travels back to …
Book Review of Cheaper by the Dozen
The autobiographical book Cheaper by the Dozen was written in 1949. Since then, it has been reprinted numerous times, most recently in 2003. The book, written by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, two of the twelve children of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, …
Book Review Last Song
In The Last Song God is talked bout a lot and believe since Sparks was Catholic, that influenced him to add his religion into his Story. I personally do not see the author in the Story. I think he did not want to add himself …
Book Review Imperial Germany
The book “Imperial Germany 1871-1918” by Volker R. Berghahn has the under title Economy, Society, Culture and Politics and was first published in 1994 by Berghahn books. The used edition is the revised and expanded edition published in 2005 and summarizes the events in the …
Nefertiti Sun God Book Review
Kennedy Kelly-Hooks Period: 5 October 20th, 2012 Tyldesley, Joyce A. Nefertiti: Egypt’s Sun Queen. London: Viking, 1998. Print. In the times of Ancient Egypt women did not have a prominent role in society. Women rarely had power and most systems were patriarchal. Queens in Ancient …
Steve Jobs : Book Review
On given an opportunity, I wondered what should be the theme of my speech. Should I go for the Nobel laureates or the most popular figurines or people who changed this world? Nobel laureates are historic, and popular people as noted are already quite popular. …
Book Review 46 pages
Im going to give you my take on the book 46 pages by Scott Liell. This book was first copyrighted in 2003. This book is general consensuses of how Scoot Liell viewed Thomas Paine’s writing of Common Sense and the Turning point to Independence and …
Holy War Inc Book Review
In Peter Bergen’s Holy War, Inc, the reader is ushered through a head-spinning trip around the globe that serves to highlight the far-reaching effects of Al Qaeda, a terrorist organization that Bergen likens to a Multi-national holding company. While Bergen makes reference to similarities between …
A book review is a description, critical analysis, and an evaluation on the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, not a retelling. It should focus on the book’s purpose, content, and authority. A critical book review is not a book report or a summary. …
Book Review.. Law and Society
Slavery, Law and Society in the British Windward Islands 1763-1823 September 29, 2011 Lecturer: Dawn M. McNeil Reviewed by Natasha Stewart DR BERNARD MARSHALL (2007) SLAVER, LAW AND SOCIETY Published by Arawak Publications ISBN 976 8189 81 9 (hbk) ISBN 976 8189 27 4 (pbk) …
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Book Review
A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment is a self help book that is a shortened route to spiritual enlightenment. One needs to become aware of the present moment in order to experience joy in life. It’s important to live in the present in life because the …
Book Review on Chinese Cinderella: the Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter
In wealthy families, babies are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Not quite for Adeline. In fact, the recount of Adeline Yen Mah’s childhood is a relatively sad one even though her father was a millionaire. She was seen as bad luck to …
Book Review: To Room Nineteen
In this way, Suntan’s high and low points are drastically influenced by her social and physical situations. Suntan’s life Is sprinkled with a series of high points all centered on her level of independence at that particular time. For example, her happiest moments In life …
Book Review The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark
Mr.Stark uses a quantitative approach to explain his theories on how Christians could have gained so many converts without miraculous methods. This quantitative approach included the use of numerical projections based on historical documents and sociological propositions to produce his own prediction on how Christianity …
Book review
The Soviet people thought after the war, their lives would get better but Stalin Hough if they wanted more, they would rebel. He did what he could to not let them want more than what they had. In the summer of 1948, Stalin ordered a …
Why Nations Fail - A Book Review
Why Nations Fall by James A. Robinson and Darn Guacamole a book review INTRODUCTION Why Nations Fall Is a non-fiction book by James A. Robinson and Darn Guacamole which Is based on the views and Insights from the economic history of each country to be …
Book Review: Common Sense Economics
Strop, Dwight R. Lee, and Tawny Fearing, gives a simple insight for reader into the inner workings economics in a common sense terms. The main point of the book is that to have economic success comes from low interference from the government, the motivation of …
Golden Ass Book Review
Apuleius. The Golden Ass. Translated by Joel C. Relihan. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company Inc, 2007. Acknowledgements. Introduction. Maps. Index. Pp. xlv, 254. Apuleius’ The Golden Ass describes the trials and tribulations of Lucius, a privileged man who’s extreme curiosity leads to his unfortunate transformation into …
Coraline Book review
Coralline is a horror story featuring a family that has recently moved to a new house. Coralline, a young girl, detests the move. When she discovers a door in the drawing room, she becomes curious. When she looks the first time, there is Just a …
Relevant essay types
- Process Essays
- Analysis Essays
- Case Study Essays
- Critical Analysis Essays
- Review Essays
- Research Essays
- Personal Essays
- Report Essays
- Summary Essays
- Argumentative Essays
- Character Analysis Essays
- Assignment Essays
- Persuasive Essays
- Narrative Essays
- Informative Essays
- Film Analysis Essays
- Response Essays
- Evaluation Essays
- Book Analysis Essays
- Compare And Contrast Essays
- Movie Analysis Essays
- Proposal Essays
- Reflective Essays
- Creative Essays
- Book Review Essays
- Application Essays
- Definition Essay Essays
- Discussion Essays
- Satire Essays
- Coursework Essays
Relevant Essay Categories
- Tuesdays With Morrie Essays
- Fahrenheit 451 Essays
- Hunger Games Essays
- Animal Farm Essays
- Great Expectations Essays
- Things Fall Apart Essays
- Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Essays
- The Catcher In The Rye Essays
- Looking For Alaska Essays
- The Fault In Our Stars Essays
- The Giver Essays
- The Great Gatsby Essays
- Call Of The Wild Essays
- Anna Karenina Essays
- Book Report Essays
- Book Thief Essays
- Brave New World Essays
- Charles Dickens Essays
- Coraline Essays
- F Scott Fitzgerald Essays
- Gone Girl Essays
- Joseph Andrews Essays
- Kurt Vonnegut Essays
- Literature Essays
- Lolita Essays
- Moon Essays
- Movie Review Essays
Save time and let our verified experts help you.
- Advertising
- Applications
- Assessments
- Certificates
- Announcement
- Invitations
- Newsletters
- Questionnaires
- Food & Beverages
- Recruitment
- Marketing Examples
- Transportation
9+ Evaluation Essay Examples in PDF
Self-evaluation essay sample.
Student Self-Evaluation Essay
Things to Remember When Writing an Evaluation Essay
- When writing an evaluation essay, a writer must always be backed up by evidences so that he or she can support the evaluation being made. If you are writing an evaluation essay, you should always be objective with the content that you are presenting. Your opinion matters but you should make sure that it is based on reality. Evaluation essays work best if the readers can identify the sources that you have used to come up with the assessment that they are currently reading. If you will ensure that there is enough evidences to support you, then your evaluation essay can be more credible and relevant.
- Be specific with the kind of evaluation essay that you are creating. An evaluation essay can only be effective if you are aware of the purpose on why you are writing the document. Being able to present details, comments, and information that is directly related to the kind of evaluation essay that you are writing can help you create a highly-usable output. There are different kinds of evaluation essays and you should be aware that each of them have differences depending on the purpose of their creation. Come up with a highly-usable and effective evaluation essay by directly providing the needs of your readers.
- Always be clear when presenting your evaluation. Since the main purpose of an evaluation essay is to relay your viewpoint about a specific subject, you have to make sure that you will be precise and concise when delivering the message that you want your readers to be knowledgeable of. You have to explain how you were able to create the evaluation which includes the specification of the factors that you have considered within the entirety of the evaluation and writing process.
Humanities Project Evaluation Essay
Printable Self-Evaluation Essay Example
Purposes of an Evaluation Essay
- To create a book report or a review of a book’s content and how it has affected the reader
- To identify critical points of a written work may it be a poem, another essay or a research paper
- To create a literature or literary review to fully identify the content of a literary piece
- To give critique about an initial analysis or a full process
- To support the processes of employment regularization or employee promotion
- To assess and analyze the results of a reading activity
- To add value to a recommendation letter
- To analyze a research topic that can fully affect the entire research activity
- To evaluate the work performance of either a student or an employee
- To identify the strengths and weaknesses of an individual through a self-evaluation
Thesis Paper Evaluation Essay Example
Evaluation Essay Sample in PDF
Qualitative Evaluation Essay Example
Steps in Writing an Evaluation Essay
- Be aware of your topic. The first thing that you need to do when writing an evaluation essay is to be knowledgeable about the topic that you will write about. As much as possible, research about the subject of discussion so you can easily identify the characteristics that you can evaluate and the criteria that you will use for evaluation.
- Make sure to have a set of criteria that can help you determine your evaluation. Once you are already aware of your topic, you can already set criteria that will serve as the basis for your evaluation. If you will properly identify the criteria that will best fit your needs for the specific evaluation, then you can make your evaluation essay stronger and more effective.
- Refer to samples and templates of evaluation essays. It will be helpful if you will look at different kinds of evaluation essay samples and templates. These documents can help you be more familiar with what an evaluation essay is and how the details present in this kind of essay should be arranged and presented.
- Create an evaluation essay draft. It will depend on you if you will use a template as your guide when writing an evaluation essay. You can also just browse through samples and start your evaluation essay from scratch. One thing that we highly suggest you should do is to make a draft or an outline of the discussion that you would like to have. This can help you ensure that all the necessary information will be placed in your final evaluation essay.
- Start writing the content of your evaluation essay. Through the help of the draft that you have created, write a thesis in the first paragraph of your essay. This is the part where you can discuss the topic that you will use for evaluation and the statement on whether you think positively or negatively of the subject. The way that you create a thesis statement will be based on the nature of operations or functions where the essay will be used.
- Incorporate evidences in your discussion so you can support your claims and/or opinions. After your thesis statement and discussion of important details, your next paragraphs should contain your opinions as well as the evidence that you have used as references. You can end your evaluation essay by having a firm statement of your conclusion.
Printable Self-Evaluation Essay Sample
Self-Assessment Essay Example
Simple Self-Evaluation Essay Example
Evaluation Essay as an Important Written Document
More design, 21+ essay writing examples, evaluation examples, samples, how to write an evaluation report, 8+ wedding plan examples, samples, 37+ examples of free reports, 8+ feedback questionnaire examples, samples, 8+ training questionnaire examples, samples, 9+ statement analysis examples, samples, 34+ outline examples in word, related articles.
- 10+ Essay Writing Examples, Samples
- 6+ Expository Essay Examples, Samples
Sample Conclusions for a Book Evaluation Essay
# 1 Audience: Princeton High School teachers considering letting their students read this book.
As you can see, Anthony Bukoski's book Time Between Trains has some problems; however, it also has some positive aspects. Things like good characters, short stories, and stories that your students might relate to make this an okay book. However, awkward settings and abrupt endings draw back the wellness of Time Between Trains . In conclusion, I think that you should allow your students to choose from a few books, like Time Between Trains and Of Mice and Men , instead of making either book mandatory.
# 2 Audience: College students who are looking for a book to read.
Overall, I think college students will have great experiences with this book, because it presents a lot of great qualities and situations that they could relate to. In general, I believe Bukoski's theme of the book was about people facing the future without letting go of their true selves and forgetting where they came from. Bukoski's interesting characters and detailed settings kept me very focused when I read this book. I would also suggest students to either attend his presentation or do some research on information that was unclear to them. Most of these stories that he wrote about ten or fifteen years old, but he spent many years revising how he wanted them to sound like. He also wrote three other collectsion, Twelve Below Zero , Children of Strangers , and Polonaise , if the students want to further their reading with this author. Bukoski is an intelligent author and this was a very thoughtful book that he has put together.
# 3 Audience: High School Students
In conclusion, even though Bukoski did include a couple interesting stories and one interesting character, that was not enough for me to like or recommend Time Between Trains . I do not recommend this book to high school students because the endings were unclear, and the stories were unfocused, boring, and confusing. Bukoski seemed like an interesting person in real life, but I just didn't like what he chose to write about. When he gave his presentation to our school, he mentioned that he had no concept in mind for his book. I believe it. I found his book overall to have no apparent structure, formation or concept. Hopefully, his other books were more planned out.
# 4 Audience: I am writing to high school teachers thinking about having their students read this book.
Overall, I think this is a great book that high school students can relate to. I think they will enjoy the honesty the book has in it. I don't think it is a book they will get bored with because it has many good characters and has an interesting story line in it.
# 5 Audience: High School-Aged Students
The ideas of Marshall losing a mother, seeing his friend, Todd, experience abuse, and Gayle becoming a friend were all ideas that were represented well in the book, Right By My Side by David Haynes. By presenting these ideas, Haynes also incorporated into these lessons positive ways to handle them for high-school-aged adolescents. These ideas, therefore, led me to enjoy the book. Even though the disappointing ending may anger some students, the overall impression that they will get from reading this is one that if you handle a situation well, the rewards are plentiful, both for Marshall and for application in young adolescents' lives.
How to Write Critical Reviews
When you are asked to write a critical review of a book or article, you will need to identify, summarize, and evaluate the ideas and information the author has presented. In other words, you will be examining another person’s thoughts on a topic from your point of view.
Your stand must go beyond your “gut reaction” to the work and be based on your knowledge (readings, lecture, experience) of the topic as well as on factors such as criteria stated in your assignment or discussed by you and your instructor.
Make your stand clear at the beginning of your review, in your evaluations of specific parts, and in your concluding commentary.
Remember that your goal should be to make a few key points about the book or article, not to discuss everything the author writes.
Understanding the Assignment
To write a good critical review, you will have to engage in the mental processes of analyzing (taking apart) the work–deciding what its major components are and determining how these parts (i.e., paragraphs, sections, or chapters) contribute to the work as a whole.
Analyzing the work will help you focus on how and why the author makes certain points and prevent you from merely summarizing what the author says. Assuming the role of an analytical reader will also help you to determine whether or not the author fulfills the stated purpose of the book or article and enhances your understanding or knowledge of a particular topic.
Be sure to read your assignment thoroughly before you read the article or book. Your instructor may have included specific guidelines for you to follow. Keeping these guidelines in mind as you read the article or book can really help you write your paper!
Also, note where the work connects with what you’ve studied in the course. You can make the most efficient use of your reading and notetaking time if you are an active reader; that is, keep relevant questions in mind and jot down page numbers as well as your responses to ideas that appear to be significant as you read.
Please note: The length of your introduction and overview, the number of points you choose to review, and the length of your conclusion should be proportionate to the page limit stated in your assignment and should reflect the complexity of the material being reviewed as well as the expectations of your reader.
Write the introduction
Below are a few guidelines to help you write the introduction to your critical review.
Introduce your review appropriately
Begin your review with an introduction appropriate to your assignment.
If your assignment asks you to review only one book and not to use outside sources, your introduction will focus on identifying the author, the title, the main topic or issue presented in the book, and the author’s purpose in writing the book.
If your assignment asks you to review the book as it relates to issues or themes discussed in the course, or to review two or more books on the same topic, your introduction must also encompass those expectations.
Explain relationships
For example, before you can review two books on a topic, you must explain to your reader in your introduction how they are related to one another.
Within this shared context (or under this “umbrella”) you can then review comparable aspects of both books, pointing out where the authors agree and differ.
In other words, the more complicated your assignment is, the more your introduction must accomplish.
Finally, the introduction to a book review is always the place for you to establish your position as the reviewer (your thesis about the author’s thesis).
As you write, consider the following questions:
- Is the book a memoir, a treatise, a collection of facts, an extended argument, etc.? Is the article a documentary, a write-up of primary research, a position paper, etc.?
- Who is the author? What does the preface or foreword tell you about the author’s purpose, background, and credentials? What is the author’s approach to the topic (as a journalist? a historian? a researcher?)?
- What is the main topic or problem addressed? How does the work relate to a discipline, to a profession, to a particular audience, or to other works on the topic?
- What is your critical evaluation of the work (your thesis)? Why have you taken that position? What criteria are you basing your position on?
Provide an overview
In your introduction, you will also want to provide an overview. An overview supplies your reader with certain general information not appropriate for including in the introduction but necessary to understanding the body of the review.
Generally, an overview describes your book’s division into chapters, sections, or points of discussion. An overview may also include background information about the topic, about your stand, or about the criteria you will use for evaluation.
The overview and the introduction work together to provide a comprehensive beginning for (a “springboard” into) your review.
- What are the author’s basic premises? What issues are raised, or what themes emerge? What situation (i.e., racism on college campuses) provides a basis for the author’s assertions?
- How informed is my reader? What background information is relevant to the entire book and should be placed here rather than in a body paragraph?
Write the body
The body is the center of your paper, where you draw out your main arguments. Below are some guidelines to help you write it.
Organize using a logical plan
Organize the body of your review according to a logical plan. Here are two options:
- First, summarize, in a series of paragraphs, those major points from the book that you plan to discuss; incorporating each major point into a topic sentence for a paragraph is an effective organizational strategy. Second, discuss and evaluate these points in a following group of paragraphs. (There are two dangers lurking in this pattern–you may allot too many paragraphs to summary and too few to evaluation, or you may re-summarize too many points from the book in your evaluation section.)
- Alternatively, you can summarize and evaluate the major points you have chosen from the book in a point-by-point schema. That means you will discuss and evaluate point one within the same paragraph (or in several if the point is significant and warrants extended discussion) before you summarize and evaluate point two, point three, etc., moving in a logical sequence from point to point to point. Here again, it is effective to use the topic sentence of each paragraph to identify the point from the book that you plan to summarize or evaluate.
Questions to keep in mind as you write
With either organizational pattern, consider the following questions:
- What are the author’s most important points? How do these relate to one another? (Make relationships clear by using transitions: “In contrast,” an equally strong argument,” “moreover,” “a final conclusion,” etc.).
- What types of evidence or information does the author present to support his or her points? Is this evidence convincing, controversial, factual, one-sided, etc.? (Consider the use of primary historical material, case studies, narratives, recent scientific findings, statistics.)
- Where does the author do a good job of conveying factual material as well as personal perspective? Where does the author fail to do so? If solutions to a problem are offered, are they believable, misguided, or promising?
- Which parts of the work (particular arguments, descriptions, chapters, etc.) are most effective and which parts are least effective? Why?
- Where (if at all) does the author convey personal prejudice, support illogical relationships, or present evidence out of its appropriate context?
Keep your opinions distinct and cite your sources
Remember, as you discuss the author’s major points, be sure to distinguish consistently between the author’s opinions and your own.
Keep the summary portions of your discussion concise, remembering that your task as a reviewer is to re-see the author’s work, not to re-tell it.
And, importantly, if you refer to ideas from other books and articles or from lecture and course materials, always document your sources, or else you might wander into the realm of plagiarism.
Include only that material which has relevance for your review and use direct quotations sparingly. The Writing Center has other handouts to help you paraphrase text and introduce quotations.
Write the conclusion
You will want to use the conclusion to state your overall critical evaluation.
You have already discussed the major points the author makes, examined how the author supports arguments, and evaluated the quality or effectiveness of specific aspects of the book or article.
Now you must make an evaluation of the work as a whole, determining such things as whether or not the author achieves the stated or implied purpose and if the work makes a significant contribution to an existing body of knowledge.
Consider the following questions:
- Is the work appropriately subjective or objective according to the author’s purpose?
- How well does the work maintain its stated or implied focus? Does the author present extraneous material? Does the author exclude or ignore relevant information?
- How well has the author achieved the overall purpose of the book or article? What contribution does the work make to an existing body of knowledge or to a specific group of readers? Can you justify the use of this work in a particular course?
- What is the most important final comment you wish to make about the book or article? Do you have any suggestions for the direction of future research in the area? What has reading this work done for you or demonstrated to you?
Academic and Professional Writing
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Analysis Papers
Reading Poetry
A Short Guide to Close Reading for Literary Analysis
Using Literary Quotations
Play Reviews
Writing a Rhetorical Précis to Analyze Nonfiction Texts
Incorporating Interview Data
Grant Proposals
Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics
Additional Resources for Grants and Proposal Writing
Job Materials and Application Essays
Writing Personal Statements for Ph.D. Programs
- Before you begin: useful tips for writing your essay
- Guided brainstorming exercises
- Get more help with your essay
- Frequently Asked Questions
Resume Writing Tips
CV Writing Tips
Cover Letters
Business Letters
Proposals and Dissertations
Resources for Proposal Writers
Resources for Dissertators
Research Papers
Planning and Writing Research Papers
Quoting and Paraphrasing
Writing Annotated Bibliographies
Creating Poster Presentations
Writing an Abstract for Your Research Paper
Thank-You Notes
Advice for Students Writing Thank-You Notes to Donors
Reading for a Review
Critical Reviews
Writing a Review of Literature
Scientific Reports
Scientific Report Format
Sample Lab Assignment
Writing for the Web
Writing an Effective Blog Post
Writing for Social Media: A Guide for Academics
Definition and Examples of Evaluation Essays
- An Introduction to Punctuation
- Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
- M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
- B.A., English, State University of New York
An evaluation essay is a composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. Also called evaluative writing , evaluative essay or report , and critical evaluation essay .
An evaluation essay or report is a type of argument that provides evidence to justify a writer's opinions about a subject.
"Any kind of review is essentially a piece of evaluative writing," says Allen S. Goose. "This type of writing calls for the critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation" ( 8 Kinds of Writing , 2001).
Observations
- "Without good reasons for liking or disliking certain things, students can never get beyond being passive receivers of marketing, fickle consumers without a basis for their opinions. Writing evaluation papers asks them to question why they feel the way they do." (Allison D. Smith, et al., Teaching in the Pop Culture Zone: Using Popular Culture in the Composition Classroom . Wadsworth, 2009)
How to Evaluate
- "If you are evaluating a piece of writing, then you are going to need to thoroughly read the work. While you read the work, keep in mind the criteria you are using to evaluate. The evaluative aspects may be: grammar, sentence structure, spelling, content, usage of sources, style, or many other things. Other things to consider when evaluating a piece of writing is whether the writing appealed to its target audience . Was there an emotional appeal? Did the author engage the audience, or was the piece lacking something? ..."If you are evaluating anything else, use your head. You need to try, use, or test whatever thing you are evaluating. That means you should not evaluate a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette unless you have the $45,000 (or more) to buy one, or the money to rent one. You also need the know-how of driving a car of that power and a base of knowledge of other cars that you have tested to compare it to." (Joe Torres, Rhetoric and Composition Study Guide . Global Media, 2007)
Identifying Criteria for an Evaluation
- " Make a list of prominent, widely recognized standards for judging your subject. If you do not know the standards usually used to evaluate your subject, you could do some research . For example, if you are reviewing a film, you could read a few recent film reviews online or in the library, noting the standards that reviewers typically use and the reasons that they assert for liking or disliking a film. If you are evaluating a soccer team or one winning (or losing) game, you could read a book on coaching soccer or talk to an experienced soccer coach to learn about what makes an excellent soccer team or winning game." (Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper, Axelrod & Cooper's Concise Guide to Writing , 4th ed. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006)
Ways of Organizing an Evaluation Essay
- "One way to organize an evaluation essay is point-by-point: describe one element of the subject and then evaluate it; present the next element and evaluate it; and so on. Comparison/contrast could be an organizing structure as well, in which you evaluate something by comparing (or contrasting) it to a known item. Culinary and music reviews often use this strategy. Chronological organization can be used for evaluating an event (either current or historical). Sequential organization can be used when describing how something works and evaluating the effectiveness of the process, procedure, or mechanism. Spatial organization can be used for evaluating art or architecture in which you describe and evaluate one element of the artifact and then move spatially to the next major element to be described and evaluated." (David S. Hogsette, Writing That Makes Sense: Critical Thinking in College Composition . Wipf and Stock, 2009)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/modern-office-shoot-531337705-5a0ae4fc13f1290037a9a205.jpg "book evaluation essay")
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
- Study resources
- Calendar - Graduate
- Calendar - Undergraduate
- Class schedules
- Class cancellations
- Course registration
- Important academic dates
- More academic resources
- Campus services
- IT services
- Job opportunities
- Mental health support
- Student Service Centre (Birks)
- Calendar of events
- Latest news
- Media Relations
- Faculties, Schools & Colleges
- Arts and Science
- Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science
- John Molson School of Business
- School of Graduate Studies
- All Schools, Colleges & Departments
- MyConcordia
- Directories
- My Library Account (Sofia) View checkouts, fees, place requests and more
- Interlibrary Loans Request books from external libraries
- Zotero Manage your citations and create bibliographies
- E-journals via BrowZine Browse & read journals through a friendly interface
- Article/Chapter Scan & Deliver Request a PDF of an article/chapter we have in our physical collection
- Course Reserves Online course readings
- Spectrum Deposit a thesis or article
- WebPrint Upload documents to print with DPrint
- Sofia Discovery tool
- Databases by subject
- Course Reserves
- E-journals via BrowZine
- E-journals via Sofia
- Article/Chapter Scan & Deliver
- Intercampus Delivery of Bound Periodicals/Microforms
- Interlibrary Loans
- Spectrum Research Repository
- Special Collections
- Additional resources & services
- Loans & Returns (Circulation)
- Subject & course guides
- Open Educational Resources Guide
- General guides for users
- Evaluating...
- Ask a librarian
- Research Skills Tutorial
- Quick Things for Digital Knowledge
- Bibliometrics & research impact guide
- Concordia University Press
- Copyright Guide
- Copyright Guide for Thesis Preparation
- Guide to Avoiding Predatory Publishers
- Systematic Reviews
- Digital Scholarship
- Digital Preservation
- Open Access
- ORCID at Concordia
- Research data management guide
- How to get published speaker series
- Borrow (laptops, tablets, equipment)
- Connect (netname, Wi-Fi, guest accounts)
- Desktop computers, software & availability maps
- Group study, presentation practice & classrooms
- Printers, copiers & scanners
- Technology Sandbox
- Visualization Studio
- Webster Library
- Vanier Library
- Grey Nuns Reading Room
- Book a group study room/scanner
- Study spaces
- Floor plans
- Room booking for academic events
- Exhibitions
- Librarians & staff
- University Librarian
- Work with us
- Memberships & collaborations
- Indigenous Student Librarian program
- Wikipedian in residence
- Researcher-in-Residence
- Feedback & improvement
- Annual reports & fast facts
- Annual Plan
- Library Services Fund
- Giving to the Library
- Webster Transformation blog
- Policies & Code of Conduct
The Campaign for Concordia
Library Research Skills Tutorial
Log into...
- My Library account (Sofia)
- Interlibrary loans
- Article/chapter scan
- Course reserves
Quick links
How to evaluate books
Authority/authorship.
- Who is the author and what is their expertise in the subject area?
- Do they have any professional affiliations ?
- Is their work experience or education relevant? Are any of their other publications relevant?
Currency/timeliness
- When was it published?
- Is the information still relevant ?
- Has the book been updated ? Is there a more recent edition ?
Coverage/relevance
- Is the book relevant to your topic?
- Does it have the depth you require?
- Review the table of contents and the index to confirm the information you require is covered in the book and to what extent.
Purpose/audience
- What is the author’s motivation ?
- Who are the intended readers ? The content will vary depending on the book’s targeted audience . It could be very general and introduce the readers to a subject. Conversely, the content could be very specific , aimed at other scholars in the field.
Accuracy/documentation
- Is there a bibliography or list of references?
- Can you identify research data ?
- What was the editorial process ?
- Is this information reliable ?
Objectivity/thoroughness
- What perspectives are given , or ignored ?
- Be alert for bias . The author may represent only one side of a topic or argument.
Research provides evidence and drives the conclusions reached by the author.
- AssignmentPay
How to write an evaluation essay with examples
The first thing to be clear with about writing an evaluation essay, or any kind of writing actually, is getting to understand the main point of this type of essay. The evaluation essay is an opportunity for you to give your profound opinion about certain things.
Evaluative essay. What does it mean?
An evaluation paper is a kind of essay writing, where you deliver your argumentative point of view in certain issues using the proved facts, quotes, researches, etc. However, even though the evaluation essay should contain your point of view, all the facts and augments have to be delivered objectively and your personal opinion can only be given at the very end as a summary of everything you have written.
How to start an evaluation essay?
First things first, think of the possible topic for your essay. Keep in mind that the evaluation essay requires a special kind of topic. It has to be an issue, an event or someone`s doing that is now very much on-air or makes a strong impact on your life. For example, if you write an evaluation essay about world politics, it can be something like: «Brexit. Yes or No?».
Easy steps for writing hook evaluative essay
Another important thing about a good evaluative essay is the hook, something at the very beginning that will convince the readers to spend 30 minutes of their precious time to read your essay. In the search for example we can go once again back to the issue ob Brexit. Imagine we are talking about the evaluation essay called «Brexit. Yes or No?». The first sentence here can be something like: «Some experts claim that Brexit can turn into the world catastrophe…». It is a strong hook, which will make people wonder, why can it be so.
Choosing a Topic
It is the head of everything! It should be exited, and the fundamental criteria you must be interested in it. Moreover, it should be actual and correspond to you acknowledge in the area.
Thesis statement
We have already mentioned that the thesis has to involve real information with no fake of fiction, only something that can easily be checked. Besides, they have to be put in the right order so that one paragraph would glide to the next one without confusing the reader in any way.
Criteria for evaluation essays
What is also vital to mention here is the criteria for your evaluation essay. This means that to give the reader the right understanding of the issue, you should add a few words about the ideal way for the process to develop. Basically — how should it have happened in an ideal way?
For example, if we are talking about the advantages and disadvantages of running. Here we can say that it can have a bad impact on your knees, whereas in ideal, running should only help your body to get healthier and more athletic.
Don't have time to finish? Try to write an academic paper with us
- Free revision policy for $20 FREE
- Free bibliography & reference for $15 FREE
- Free title page for $5 FREE
- Free formatting for $10 FREE
Evaluation essay outline
As step two, we always recommend starting with the outline. No matter what kind of writing are you working at, it is always a good idea to start by creating an outline of your future essay. This is a chance for you to carefully think of what arguments and facts are going to work best for your topic and in what order should they be given so that they appear to be relevant and logical.
Introduction: the idea of your evaluation essays
Few words about the Evaluation Essay format. Whether it is APA or other, it is incredibly important to watch the structure in the evaluation essay in order not to mess both the reader`s understanding of the issue and your own. For this reason, try to give the idea of your evaluation essay in the way that it would not let anyone pass by your essay.
- You are writing about the new trend of distance learning in the world`s most famous universities, your introduction could sound like: «The world`s most famous universities like Harvard and Oxford are now following the trend of the distant studying. This concept of education means that the students can study from any corner of the world by using computers and the Internet. Can this become a threat to the quality of education?»
Body: explain your thesis
Be careful with the language you are using. One of the evaluative essays`s goals is to explain some complicated things easily, so try not to use any complicated words or terms. If you cannot avoid using them, please make sure you explain their meaning in the text.
Last but not the least, always remember that your ideas have to be crystal clear to the readers, do it can be a good idea to reread, first our outline and then the entire essay, to make sure you have delivered all your ideas in the right way and the reader is not likely to have a hard time understanding them.
Conclusion
The conclusion of any type of writing is a short summary of everything you discussed in your essay, yet as we have already mentioned, the evaluation essay has to also involve your own opinion about the issue you were talking about. The best way to express it is through the conclusion.
- If we are continuing to talk about the distant studying at Harvard and Oxford, we can finish the essay this way: «To summarize, the distant studying is a very convenient way of getting the education. It sounds like the dream come true when you can work, travel, stay in any corner of the world and learn with the help of the Internet without being attached to the building, that inhabits your University. However, it can make a bad influence on the quality of education the universities provide. I personally think, that the quality of education you are getting depends, mostly on you, your wish and motivation, whereas the concept of distant studying gives us an opportunity to get the education in the most prestigious universities without spending a lot of time collecting documents to get the student visa, spending money for home rental and transport, but with the precious opportunity to see the world and to gain the working experience.»
How to connect the introduction and conclusion.
Another important thing about the conclusion is to make sure it strictly correlates with the introduction. As we have shown in the examples of distance learning.
At the beginning of the essay, we say that there is a trend of distant studying, the most famous universities in the world are now beginning to provide opportunities to study online. However there are doubts about the quality of education, this kind of studying provides.
In conclusion, we briefly repeat the advantages and disadvantages of distant studying and give our personal opinion on the matter.
Get free examples of evaluation essays
Basically, every piece of news on the media can be considered as, more or less, a piece of an evaluative essay. You are told about some things that are now going on, be it the adoption of the law or the opening of the electrical vehicle exhibition. Take some time to open the newspaper or watch the news and try to analyze the way they deliver the news itself, give the comments of the experts in the field, participants, how they give the arguments from different angles both positive and negative. You will be devoted enough to take notes of that news, you are likely to get the classical outline of the evaluative essay.
We hope you have got all your answers about how to write an evaluation essay in this article. If not, we will be happy to get feedback from you. Our hearts will be melting with joy if you check out more articles on our website assignmentpay.com .
Lana is the youngest expert in our team, yet very hardworking and experienced. She has graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds an M.D. in Chemical Engineering. Lana is especially interested in chemistry, biology, and medicine, so if you need a top-quality assignment in these fields, this author with 3 years of writing experience will happily complete it for you.
Please, enter your name
Please, enter your Email
No, I don't want to save money
How to Write an Evaluation Essay – Full Guide
Jun 14, 2022 | 0 comments
Jun 14, 2022 | Blog | 0 comments
In the article below, you will find a short guide on how to write an evaluation essay. We also have included some professional writing tips to help you easily and quickly create your outstanding evaluation essay. In addition, for those who are looking for a reliable online custom writing service that can deliver high-quality evaluative essays, feel free to contact our experts from EssayFreelanceWriters.
What is an evaluation essay?
An evaluation essay is an essay in which the writer evaluates a particular topic or thing. It is a formal essay, meaning it is written more formally than other types of writing, such as an argumentative or persuasive essay . The writer evaluates the topic based on criteria set by themself and should be clear and specific.
It is important to note that an evaluation essay does not compare two things; instead, it focuses on one thing at a time. For example: “I am going to evaluate whether or not this book deserves five stars.”
Review Essay Vs. Evaluation Essay; what’s the difference?
- Review Essay. A review essay is a summary of a book or a film. It is more descriptive and contains the author’s views on the book/film.
- Evaluation Essay. A critical analysis of a topic, idea, or issue through evaluation and judgment of its merits and demerits is called an evaluation essay. In other words, an evaluation essay describes how someone feels about something while explaining how they reached that conclusion using evidence from their own life experience and information from other sources such as books, magazines, newspapers, etc.
Summary of the steps of writing an evaluation essay
- Choose a well-directed and comprehensive topic
- Writing a thesis statement
- Set the criteria upon which you are going to evaluate
- Find the supporting pieces of evidence
Crucial Steps while writing an Evaluation Essay
This section will explain the three key elements of writing an evaluation essay. They include criteria, judgment, and evidence.
1. Criteria or criterion
An evaluation essay is a literary analysis essay. It focuses on the quality of an author’s writing and how well it achieves its purpose, rather than simply summarizing the plot.
To evaluate an essay, you need a set of criteria or standards to guide your evaluation. These criteria can be either objective or subjective—that is, they can be things that are true or false about the piece (objective), or they can be comparisons between one piece and another (subjective). Objective criteria include grammar errors and formatting issues; subjective criteria include whether the piece was engaging in reading or not.
2. Judgment
In your judgment, you will decide whether the evidence supports the conclusion.
You have to make sure that all of your evidence supports your thesis statement and that it doesn’t contradict other statements in your essay. For example, if you write an essay about how movies are more violent than they used to be and then use an example from a movie that was made in 1920 (before violent films became popular), then this would be contradicting yourself. You can also use judgments by giving examples from other sources or writing about why something is true or not true.
3. Evidence
In summary, evidence is the facts and examples supporting your thesis statement. It can be in the form of statistics, facts, quotes, etc. You can use evidence to support your argument by proving that it’s true or false and why it’s important for readers to know about it. This is one of the most crucial parts of an evaluation essay because, without evidence, your reader won’t believe you when you say something is good or bad (or better than something else).
Evidence helps convince readers that you’re right about whatever point of view you’re presenting in your essay. For example, If someone tells me about how amazing their brand new car is, then I’d probably believe them because they seem like they know what they’re talking about. But if someone who doesn’t know anything about cars told me how great their new car was, then I would probably not believe them because they’ve got nothing to base their claims on other than personal opinion, which isn’t always right!
Six Steps for writing a good Evaluation essay
- Make a draft of your essay
1. Choose a well-directed and comprehensive topic
As you work on your evaluation essay, you must choose a topic that is relevant to the subject. It should not be too broad or too narrow. There are several criteria for this:
- Your topic should not have too many words in it. If your word limit is 500 words and your chosen topic includes more than one hundred words, it will be very difficult for you to write about so much content in such a short period. You can change the order of things to ensure that they fit within the limit set by your teacher/lecturer/tutor/instructor (as long as this does not confuse).
- Your chosen topic should also not be too simple; there should be enough information available online or offline, which would help research the subject matter further before writing anything else down on paper. Otherwise, there will probably be very little information available online or offline, which would help research the subject matter further before writing anything else down on paper. Otherwise, there might only be limited information available online or offline, which would help with researching these matters further before getting started with actualizing them through written means instead!
2. Writing a thesis statement
A thesis statement is a sentence that states the main idea of your essay. It should be a topic sentence , answering the question: “What’s this essay about?” You should also make sure it is a declarative sentence that uses an assertive tone.
- A thesis statement can be either a statement of fact or opinion.
- Statements are based on facts and evidence you have gathered through research and investigation (e.g., “The economy has been growing since 1990”). They are generally boring and lack emotion because they do not express an opinion or emotion.
- Statements of opinion will reveal your feelings about something (e.g., “The economy has been growing since 1990, but I think we need to prepare for another recession soon).
3. Set the criteria upon which you are going to evaluate
Set the criteria upon which you are going to evaluate the topic. If you have decided to write an evaluation essay on books, your first step must be deciding what characteristics make a book good or bad. For example, suppose you are evaluating novels based on their literary merit. In that case, it might be that you would want to consider things like plot and character development as important contributors to the overall quality of a work of fiction. If instead, you aim to examine how well-written these novels were from a grammatical point of view (or some other such aspect), then these factors would take precedence over others in forming your opinion of each piece independently.
The same principle applies here: set criteria for yourself before starting—and stick with them throughout the writing process!
4. Find the supporting pieces of evidence
- Find the supporting pieces of evidence. After you’ve identified your claim, it’s time to find supporting pieces of evidence that will help you prove your point. There are many types of evidence that you can use in an essay, but these are the most common:
- Facts and statistics (e.g., “There were 10 million users in 2005 who were connected through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter; today there are over 2 billion users worldwide.”)
- Quotes from experts or other people (e.g., “It is important to have a social media presence as it allows potential employers to see what kind of person they may hire.” -Karen Smith, entrepreneur)
- Your own experience or observation (e.g., “I often feel isolated when I am not connected to others via Facebook messenger.)
5. Make a draft of your essay
A draft is the first step in the writing process. It’s a rough copy that helps you get all your ideas, thoughts, and points of view on paper. Drafting helps you find and fix errors, organize your ideas and revise your essay.
When drafting an evaluation essay:
- Decide on a topic
- Choose a thesis statement that reflects your point of view on this topic (explained below)
- List all possible points of view about this topic in bullet form or outline format (the latter is preferred)
6. Revise and Rewrite
After you have finished writing the draft of your essay, it is time to proofread and revise it. You may have done this with your first draft and even a second or third one, but now it’s time to get down to business and make sure every word counts. This means going through the text again with a fine-tooth comb and checking for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting mistakes.
To help you do this quickly and easily, use software that will check everything for you, like Grammarly . The spell checker will find any words not recognized by the dictionary. The grammar checker will detect any misplaced modifiers or dangling participles. The tool can help fix spacing issues or mismatched quotation marks . At the same time, its inbuilt plagiarism checker will let us know if we’re using someone else’s ideas without giving them credit!
Get Help from our Experts with your Evaluation essay Paper
You can get help from our experts with your evaluation essay paper. We have helped thousands of students with their academic writing and have a team of highly qualified writers that can handle any academic task for you.
Not only will we write you an evaluation essay, but we also provide professional editing services that ensure the highest quality work. We guarantee timely delivery, confidentiality, and affordable prices!
We are always here to help you if there is anything unclear about how to do an evaluation essay or what should be included.
This guide will help you in that process by providing the basic steps of writing an evaluation essay. It also provides more advanced tips and tricks for structuring your essay, developing an original and interesting topic, and developing a thesis statement. When you’re ready to start writing, make sure you also check out our full list of sample essays for inspiration—and don’t forget about our experts who can help with any part of your paper!
Joseph is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.
People also read
- How To Write An Informative Essay Outline-Full Guide
- How To Write An Analytical Essay: Full Guide
- How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay- Full Guide
- How to Structure an Essay
- How to Write an Informative Essay: Full Guide
Most Popular Articles
Racism thesis statement example, how to rephrase a thesis statement, capstone project topic suggestions, how to write an abortion essay, should students wear school uniforms essay, list causal essay topics write, respect essay, signal words, great synonyms, informative speech examples, essay writing guide, introduction paragraph for an essay, argumentative essay writing, essay outline templates, write an autobiographical essay, personal narrative essay ideas, descriptive essay writing, how to write a reflective-essay, how to write a lab report abstract, how to write a grant proposal, point of view in an essay, debate topics for youth at church, theatre research paper topics, privacy overview.
How to Write an Evaluation Essay
(Updated on December 30, 2022)
A n evaluation essay is one that rates or evaluates something—a book, a movie , a music album, or an employee's performance. There is a nearly infinite number of topics that can be the subject when learning how to write an evaluation essay. A review is merely one kind of evaluation essay. Generally, when completing an evaluation essay, there's also no single correct answer to the main question of the report, which is to determine how good something is. In most cases, there's some room for argument because people may have differing ideas about what constitutes a good example of the topic in question; people's ideas of what makes a good book, a good movie, a good album, etc. differ considerably, so when you're completing an evaluation essay you have to keep in mind that the personal criteria which you use in order to tell how good something is have to be kept in perspective alongside the criteria that are used by other people—an evaluation essay is a piece of subjective work.
Finally, outline the ways in which the topic of the evaluation essay either lives up to, or fails to live up to, the criteria you use for judging that kind of work. Go through your list of points step-by-step and explain your reasoning to the reader. When you finish writing your evaluation essay, the reader should have at least a few clear ideas about the objective nature of the topic which will allow the reader to have a sense of whether or not he/she would like the thing you're evaluating, even is he/she has different criteria for whether it's good.
Let Us Help You!
Private, perfectly formatted MS Word files!
Useful Video About How to Write … Clearly
We'll follow your exact instructions! Chat with the writer 24/7.
Related Essays:
Performance Evaluation Essay …
Performance Evaluation Explain three points of concern with the given company's current evaluation form. The three points of concern with the company evaluation form include: the way constructive criticism is provided, the role of managers in the process and how this is influencing the engineer on the project. The combination of these factors has created an adversarial environment during the evaluation. Define the most commonly-used sets of criteria which should be evaluated in a performance evaluation. The most common sets of criteria that should be used during any kind of performance evaluation include: the ability of the person to work with other people, their performance on the job and their capabilities of adjusting to a host of problems. These different elements are important, because they…
3 pages (996 words) · Essay · Career / Labor / Human Resources · 2 Bibliography Sources
One of the Policy Inquiries and Evaluations Essay …
¶ … Policy Evaluation In Forgotten Australians: A report on Australians who experienced institutional or out-of-home care as children, the Australian Senate attempts to create an overview of the history of children who have been removed from their homes in Australia. They were prompted by the fact that more than half a million children in Australia had been displaced from their homes. In addition, they had heard horrific stories of all types of abuse in these out-of-home placements, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in addition to neglect (Australian Senate, 2004). Even children who were not subject to abuse or to a physical level of neglect described a consistent lack of love and affection while in institutional settings, which seems to have contributed to lifelong…
6 pages (1,794 words) · Essay · Child Development / Youth / Teens · 4 Bibliography Sources
Program Evaluation Integrate Data Collection Essay …
It is used to determine if it was large enough and looked at a number of other factors in the process. The basic idea is to enhance diversity when studying the problem. (Kirk, 1996) According to Kirk (1996), these ideas are used to have a better comprehension of key trends with them saying, "Statistical significance is essentially scientific credibility. In many academic disciplines, research is considered statistically significant only if the results of the study would occur by mere chance less than five times out of 100. For many, this number has become a kind of gold standard, often determining which papers are published, where researchers find work, etc. As a consumer of numbers, this is important to you for two reasons. Practical significance is…
10 pages (3,086 words) · Essay · Race / Ethnic Studies / Racism · 5 Bibliography Sources
Teacher Eval Although Student Evaluations Essay …
Teacher Eval Although student evaluations receive more coverage in the popular press, the evaluation of teachers is equally as important from an administrative standpoint. There are several different methods of evaluating teachers. The type of method used for teacher evaluation sometimes corresponds to the state objectives for specific school systems, and may even be tailor made for specific schools. Teacher evaluations are usually formative, summative, and systematic (Maslow & Kelley, 2012). The more comprehensive and multidimensional the evaluation system, the more robust and meaningful the results will be. In the State of New Jersey, new teacher evaluation systems have recently been established with the goal of improving quality of education. AchieveNJ is the name of the new program designed to be implemented in the 2013-2014…
5 pages (1,496 words) · Essay · Education / Teaching / Learning · Style: APA · 6 Bibliography Sources
Health Care -- Impact Evaluation Essay …
Evaluation of a health-related government program can assist in determining accountability by pursuing one of two objectives, either process or outcome. Program accountability typically involves: measuring and documenting a program's effectiveness; calculating a program's outcomes; documenting a program's execution and cost effectiveness; and strengthening a program's impact. Evaluation for the purpose of accountability can assist in myriad ways, all of which ultimately assist in a health-related government program's continuation, refinement and impact. Works Cited Chatterji, M. (2008, Jan/Feb). Synthesizing evidence from impact evaluations in education to inform action. Retrieved on December 2, 2012 from search.proquest.com Web site: http://search.proquest.com/docview/216902584/13AC6E704D753569CAD/1?accountid=28844 MacDonald, G., Starr, G., Schooley, M., Yee, S.L., Klimowski, K., & Turner, K. (2001, November). Introduction to program evaluation for comprehensive tobacco control programs. Retrieved on December…
5 pages (1,523 words) · Essay · Healthcare / Health / Obamacare · 5 Bibliography Sources
View 999 other related papers >>
Sun, Mar 5, 2023
- 5-Day Trial for $8.97
- Write a Paper for Me!
- Paper Topics
- Paper Editing Service
- Writing Samples
- Essay Writing Tutorials
- Info / FAQ / Guarantee
- Beware of Copycats!
- Listen to our radio ad!
- Text (super fast):
- 1-650-585-0005
EssayTown.com © and ™ 2001–2023. All Rights Reserved. Terms & Privacy
- TEXT: 1-650-585-0005
- Download 2,000,000+ Papers
- Avoid Copycats!
- Listen to our radio music ad
In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.
New paper type - Summary of online lectures 5% OFF!
essay writing service
KingEssays reviews:
4.4 out of 5
4.5 out of 5
What is an Evaluative Essay?
Many students are asked to evaluate a story or subject in their course material through an evaluation essay. But, before starting you need to understand what an evaluation essay is and how it differs from descriptive type of essay. An evaluation essay is a feedback or review, however it has a huge contrast. These kinds of essays can be written for any subject from film to restaurant. An evaluative essay generally speaking, is an individual evaluation which contains an abstract view with providing a justification. For example you watch a movie and then you are asked to evaluate it on the basis of your exposition. The interesting fact about an evaluative essay is its uniqueness. Two individual can have a different evaluation for the same subject. While watching a film, one may find it interesting while other may find it boring. The criteria for making an evaluation essay is different for everyone depending upon their way of analysis. Here is your guide to begin with writing an evaluation essay for your chosen subject:
How Do You Write an Evaluation Essay: Quick Tips
Following are the quick tips on how to write an effective evaluation essay:
- Go through source material to thoroughly consider your exposition before composing it. Along these lines, you can keep yourself from revising a few times before submitting it.
- Look for each section of your evaluation paper before proceeding to the next section. It can assist you with organizing contemplations and you can make sure that essential aspects are not ignored anywhere.
- While evaluating, avoid discussing the perspectives about your objects that are fascinating for you only. Obviously, the writer may need to expound regarding a matter they truly like, however remember that everyone reading your essay probably won't have interest in your theme.
- When assessing your subject, don't overlook negative perspectives. Regardless of whether you believe that the occasion, place, and different angles are essential, endeavor to give perusers detriments just as points of interest.
- The entire exposition must be written in one tone.
- It is appealing to have communicated all of the opinions experienced while reviewing the work.
- Avoid an absence of thinking, and a direct retelling of the work.
This is only a sample, to get your own paper you need to:
Evaluation Essay Example
Evaluation Essay Example Movie
Evaluation Essay Examples
Evaluation Essay Outline
Evaluation Essay Sample
Self Evaluation Essay Examples
How Do You Start an Evaluation Essay?
Before you start an evaluative essay, first choose your topic. Follow the simple steps to begin with any evaluative paper. Here are the initial steps:
- The topic can be about anything such as a movie, story, book, novel, restaurant or any service organization.
- Initially, write a theoretical explanation of your selected subject.
- Then determine the criteria used to evaluate the product or service. Make a thesis statement that present your contention about the subject.
- Look for the enough supporting proofs to defend your position so, the readers would be able to agree with your hypothesis.
- Make a draft of your exposition.
Order an Exclusive Paper of Top Standard
100% Originality Assured. Only Qualified Specialists
Top Quality
96% customers' satisfaction rate
400+ Native Writers
with minimum Master's degree
Discounts & Bonuses
5% discount with FIRST5 code
Evaluation Essay Key Elements
The important elements to make an evaluation essay are three: i.e. criteria, judgments and evidence, which are explained as follows:
Criteria implies setting up what the standards are for the item to be evaluated. Making a criterion implies exhibiting what is expect as the perfect result. For an effective evaluation essay you have to make a clear criteria in your mind. In fact jot it down! A clear criteria drives the conclusion. For instance, when assessing an eatery, the writer need to build up the criteria on the basis of value, neatness, timeliness of order and taste. By clinging to a strong criteria you would then be able to be compare a particular eatery to another.
The judgment of your evaluation is the foundation of your essay around which thesis statement revolves, is based on whether the measures are met. As it were, the judgment is the thing that really is. Utilizing the model from above, if the main foundation for assessing a food providing company is the nature of the food they offer, the judgment would state regardless of whether the specific eating place has offered services that meets this expressed quality.
The evidence is the proof which provide refinements to help your judgment. In case that your judgment is that a specific restaurant or service organization does not reliably offer quality, you have to proof this with evidence enough to indicate from where the judgment has been arrived.
What is an Example of Evaluation Essay?
Similar to descriptive essay, the evaluative essay outline consist of introduction, body and conclusion. Below, you can find the guidelines on how to write each part:
- Introduction
when beginning an evaluation essay, the hardest part is to write an effective introduction? The main purpose of a solid intro is to catch the eyes of reader and quickly delineate for what your essay is, so that just a few sentences can reveal your exposition and the reader would like to continue reading. Coincidentally, for the starting part a few sentences are sufficient. Your introduction closes with the thesis statement which articulate your thoughts on which you are going to put in highlights in the evaluation.
- Body paragraph
There should be atleast three or more paragraphs in the body section. Each passage of body section should be started with a topic sentence that fills in as a little examples and illustrations. Prove your topic sentence with evidence from credible resources. Ensure that you have exhibited enough data and subtleties in each passage, so every reader who reads it, can be prepared to agree with your ideas.
Your conclusion begins with thesis statement. A conclusion, like other essays has a closing phrase. Start your conclusion by restating your thesis restatement. Then, review all the main points you have raised in your body paragraphs wrapping up with the final estimation you want your readers to get from your evaluation. Simple, this is how you conclude your essay!
Many students when composing an evaluation essay try to begin with the sample and example which helps them in writing. Regardless of if the essay is your evaluation paper test, as a student you may discover basic ideas to consider in your evaluation essay. The composition procedure of an evaluation essay can be simple when you have a model to replicate or follow. From a genuine model of an evaluative essay you can pick the standards that the essay writer has utilized in their composition. It is never prescribe to the students to duplicate the content of the evaluation essay available online for your evaluation paper – it might be viewed as faking. In extraordinary cases, the students can make over completed papers. However, when the essay is written without anyone else help, it is can surely very different, for which the student can get a high assessment. If you copy and re-write some material from the examples, be sure to check the composed article for unoriginality. Also, we have provided below a few sample works in this article for your assistance.
- Film Evaluative Essay
- Tunnel Vision
Bottom Line
Conclude your story with the inferences you have reached through evaluation and shape the assessment of your chosen story. A conclusion is meant to sum up all you had offered in your body section. At last, you can offer advice to the pursuers of the essay on whether viewing the story was worthy or not. If you concluding by negative criticism, you have to quickly clarify why. At that point, clarify your position especially inspired by which events. You should conclude with the inquiries that can assist you with making your exposition about the story: Has the story lived up to the expectation you had? Portray what you expected before you had seen the story and whether it has satisfied you as an audience or not. How can this story be contrasted with another from a similar class? Do you believe that this is the perfect story of a specific class? For this you can utilize this correlation with feature negative or positive parts of the story.
Popular Essays
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Analysis and evaluation of the book Your analysis and evaluation should be organized into paragraphs that deal with single aspects of your argument. This arrangement can be challenging when your purpose is to consider the book as a whole, but it can help you differentiate elements of your criticism and pair assertions with evidence more clearly.
A book review will offer an evaluation of the work. A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience. If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it's the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course.
what the book says, but what the book did to him or her. Thus a book review's evaluation is both an objective matter of what the book presents and a subjective matter of what the book does to the reader. This text has thus far kept methods of developing your subjective responses separate from methods of gaining objective knowledge of a text.
There are two secrets to writing a strong evaluation essay. The first is to aim for objective analysis before forming an opinion. The second is to use an evaluation criteria. Aim to Appear Objective before giving an Evaluation Argument Your evaluation will eventually need an argument.
An evaluation essay is a type of writing in which the writer offers a value judgment about a specific topic. It is a composition that presents an overall view of a particular subject's quality. Moreover, it provides a critical analysis and a complete evaluation of something.
Evaluation essays are just like reviews. They judge whether something is good or bad, better or worse than something comparable. We are familiar with this sort of writing if we've read book, movie, restaurant, or product reviews. Evaluation papers can be serious or funny, earnest or sarcastic.
What Is an Evaluation Essay? An evaluation paper is a kind of essay in which you express your argumentative point of view on various topics. As a form of literary thinking, it is based on much more than just a quick judgment about a person, place, or object.
A book review is a description, critical analysis, and an evaluation on the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, not a retelling. It should focus on the book's purpose, content, and authority. A critical book review is not a book report or a summary. … How To Write An Essay Words 1618 Pages 6 Book Review.. Law and Society
Evaluation essays can cover a lot of topics which is why it is used in a range of industries and processes. The different kinds of evaluation essays can be used for the following instances and activities: To create a book report or a review of a book's content and how it has affected the reader
Sample Conclusions for a Book Evaluation Essay # 1 - Audience: Princeton High School teachers considering letting their students read this book. As you can see, Anthony Bukoski's book Time Between Trains has some problems; however, it also has some positive aspects.
First, summarize, in a series of paragraphs, those major points from the book that you plan to discuss; incorporating each major point into a topic sentence for a paragraph is an effective organizational strategy. Second, discuss and evaluate these points in a following group of paragraphs.
An evaluation essay is a composition that offers value judgments about a particular subject according to a set of criteria. Also called evaluative writing, evaluative essay or report, and critical evaluation essay . An evaluation essay or report is a type of argument that provides evidence to justify a writer's opinions about a subject.
Request books from external libraries; Zotero Manage your citations and create bibliographies; E-journals via BrowZine Browse & read journals through a friendly interface; Article/Chapter Scan & Deliver Request a PDF of an article/chapter we have in our physical collection; Course Reserves Online course readings; Spectrum Deposit a thesis or ...
An evaluation essay, ... Background helps to establish the purpose of the essay by giving a brief summary of the essay's topic. For instance, if a book is being evaluated in the essay, providing a ...
The evaluation essay is an opportunity for you to give your profound opinion about certain things. Evaluative essay. What does it mean? An evaluation paper is a kind of essay writing, where you deliver your argumentative point of view in certain issues using the proved facts, quotes, researches, etc.
5 Six Steps for writing a good Evaluation essay 5.1 1. Choose a well-directed and comprehensive topic 5.2 2. Writing a thesis statement 5.3 3. Set the criteria upon which you are going to evaluate 5.4 4. Find the supporting pieces of evidence 5.5 5. Make a draft of your essay 5.6 6. Revise and Rewrite
A n evaluation essay is one that rates or evaluates something—a book, a movie, a music album, or an employee's performance. There is a nearly infinite number of topics that can be the subject when learning how to write an evaluation essay. A review is merely one kind of evaluation essay. Generally, when completing an evaluation essay, there's also no single correct answer to the main ...
Evaluative essays use a set of criteria to review something, such as a book or movie, and offer an opinion of the item's value. Learn about the format, characteristics, and key parts of evaluative ...
mdp.berkeley.edu
An evaluation essay is a feedback or review, however it has a huge contrast. These kinds of essays can be written for any subject from film to restaurant. ... The topic can be about anything such as a movie, story, book, novel, restaurant or any service organization. Initially, write a theoretical explanation of your selected subject.