GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A BOOK REVIEW

Please follow these instructions when write for this class. Failure to do so will lower your grade.

 1. Appearance.  Typed, doubled-spaced, with a 1" margin all around.  The size and style of type should basically be the same as this syllabus.  Type your name, class, and date on the top left hand first page in single-space.  Double space down and type the title of your endeavor.  Double space again and then start your endeavor. The paper will then be stapled at the upper left-hand corner.  No binders, cover sheets, paper clips, etc.

2. Spacing.  Double space your paper except for your name, etc. at the top left of the first page.  Then double space and type the title of your endeavor.  Do not quadruple between paragraph.  The first line of a paragraphs should be indented five spaces.

3. Length. 2 pages, double-spaced. But I want a FULL two pages. No more, no less.

4. Provide a thesis (argument) statement and a conclusion.  A good way to find an argument is to ask yourself “I argue that. . .”  In fact, start your paper that way. When you can answer that, you have your thesis statement.  The rest of the paper goes to backing it up.

5. Title. No cover sheet. Just start it on the first page. Give me the title, author, and publication info – press, city & state, year. Example: Gary C. Anderson, Little Crow: Spokesman for the Sioux. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1986.

6. Begin your paper this way: The (author’s name) argues that . . . . [See the above #3 for more explanation on why.]

7. Write in compete sentences and other instructions.  You are university students and so should have a basic knowledge of grammar, syntax, and spelling.  Use a dictionary, your computer's spell checker, or go to the Writing Center in Randall Library.

8. Never use “I,” “You,” “We,” or other personal pronouns.  This is not done in scholarly writing.

9. Never use contractions.  Contractions, like “can’t,” “won’t,” etc. are not used in scholarly writing.

10. No quotes. Don’t use quotes in your paper as too often students tend to use quotes to say what they should say in their own words.

11. Tenses and voice.  This is history, it happened in the past, so always use the past tense.  When you write, avoid the passive voice – which is different than the past tense.  Write in the active voice.  “He was asking” = passive voice; “He asked” = active voice. 

12. Avoid late papers.  You lose a letter grade for each day after the deadline.  If you are late and you can’t find me, then you must get a History Department secretary to initial your paper, put the time and date on it, and then put the late paper in my mail box in the back hallway of the History Dept. My box is on the upper level.