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Environmental History
History 379
Spring 2024
Critical Book Review
Expectations for a Critical Book Review in an Upper-Division History Class
1. Understanding of the Book: Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the book’s content, including its main arguments, themes, and the author’s perspective.
2. Historical Context: Analyze the book within its historical context. Discuss how the book relates to or contributes to historical scholarship.
3. Critical Analysis: Provide a critical analysis of the book. This should include an evaluation of the author’s arguments, use of evidence, and methodology. Discuss any biases or assumptions you identify.
4. Writing Quality: The review should be well-written, clear, and concise. It should follow the appropriate academic writing conventions, including proper citation of sources.
5. Originality: Your review should offer an original perspective. Avoid summarizing the book; focus on providing your analysis and insights.
6. Structure: The review should have a clear structure, including an introduction that provides an overview of the book and the review, a main body that discusses the book in detail, and a conclusion that summarizes your evaluation.
7. Length: The review should be between 1500 – 2300 words (3 – 5 pages). However, the exact length may vary based on the book’s complexity and the assignment guidelines.
8. References: All sources, including the reviewed book, should be properly cited using the appropriate citation style (e.g., Chicago).
9. Professionalism: The review should maintain a professional tone. While it’s important to provide a critical analysis, avoid overly harsh or unjustified criticism.
10. Timeliness: The review should be submitted by the assigned due date. Late submissions may not be accepted or could result in a reduced grade.
Remember, the goal of a book review is not just to summarize the book but to engage with it critically and thoughtfully. Happy reviewing!
Rubric
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Criteria
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Excellent (A)
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Good (B)
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Satisfactory (C)
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Needs Improvement (D-F)
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Understanding of the Book
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Demonstrates excellent understanding of the book’s content and purpose
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Demonstrates good understanding with minor inaccuracies
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Demonstrates satisfactory understanding with some inaccuracies
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Demonstrates poor understanding with significant inaccuracies
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Analysis
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Provides a thorough and insightful analysis of the book’s arguments and themes
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Provides a good analysis with minor gaps
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Provides a satisfactory analysis with some gaps
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Provides a poor analysis with significant gaps
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Critical Evaluation
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Provides a balanced and thoughtful evaluation of the book’s strengths and weaknesses
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Provides a good evaluation with minor oversights
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Provides a satisfactory evaluation with some oversights
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Provides a poor evaluation with significant oversights
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Writing Quality
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Writing is clear, organized, and free of errors – academically written (professionally written)
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Writing is mostly clear and organized with minor errors
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Writing is satisfactory but has some errors and organizational issues
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Writing is unclear, disorganized, and has significant errors
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Citations
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All sources are properly cited with no errors
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Most sources are properly cited with minor errors
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Some sources are properly cited but with some errors
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Sources are improperly cited with significant errors
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