10th Grade Book Report
Briefly, your book report is to be a critique of a particular work of an author. You should comment on the contents, evaluate the author's handling of the subject, and assess the book's contributions to your understanding of the issues or subjects within its purview. It is not to be a chapter-by-chapter summary. It is to be written as one integrated essay, NOT separated, numbered or titled as separate parts.
In preparing your book report, observe the following guide:
I. Technical Information--Due Date, Length, etc.
A. Select a BOOK that interests you and may lead to your research paper. Bring this BOOK to me for approval no later than class-time, August 31st. Failure to have your book approved by this date allows me to make your selection for you.
B. The due date for the report is Friday, September 28th at the beginning of class. TEN POINTS per twenty-four hour period will be deducted for work turned in late! If you cannot be in class that day to turn in your report, it is your responsibility to get the report to me by that time. **Reports may be submitted early for extra credit.
C. Reports should be typewritten with one-inch margins and double-spaced on 8 1/2 x 11 inch white paper. Your report should be three to four typewritten pages in length (800 to 1100 words). Your grade, in part, depends upon your ability to evaluate the book within this limitation.
D. Your report must be typed. You are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of your paper.
E. Each report should have a cover sheet. On this sheet, you must include all of the following information: your name; the course; the date of the report; the author, title, place, publisher, and date of the publication of the book; the number of pages in the book; the library call number of the book and the library where you obtained it.
F. Staple all pages of the report together in upper left corner.
II. Content of the Report
A. Begin with a brief biographical sketch of the author: date of birth, death; education; other publications. How qualified was the author to write the book? (See Reference Section of the library.)
B. Next, state the author's thesis--his argument, purpose, or main interpretation. Why did he write? What themes or interpretations does he develop? What is the book about? What important points of interest, significant developments, and leading personalities are covered? C. Critique. What facts or arguments does the author use to prove his theme(s) or interpretation(s)? Does he achieve his purpose? You may choose from among the many facts to prove whether he achieves his purpose, but remember, that the evidence you use must be related to what you have written as the thesis, argument, or interpretation of the author. Does the book cover the subject adequately and in a scholarly manner? What is the author trying to do and how well does he do it?
