Length: 3-4 pages
1. Each book should be selected from the suggested bibliography (below). If you strongly want to review a book not on the list, it is your responsibility to clear it with the professor beforehand. A book not on the list and not pre-approved will not be accepted.
2. Select a book on a topic you are interested in or a book which will help you with your Policy Memo.
3. The first half (~2 pages) should be a summary of the book’s main arguments and approaches. This can be descriptive. Recap what and how the author was trying to accomplish in the book.
4. For the second half (~1-2 pages), write a critical review. Analyze the books argument. How is it presented? In what ways is the argument convincing? In what ways is it not convincing? How does the book contribute to a scholarly debate? What is the use of the book?
5. For good examples of critical book reviews, see the journals American Political Science Review or the Journal of Politics, available at the library or online.
6. If you use ideas from another review of your book, please cite them. For citation, refer to them either in footnotes (Chicago/Turabian Style) or in parenthetical references (MLA Style). Citing additional materials will require you to include a “Works Cited” page (not counted in the page count).
7. The title of the review should be the bibliographic information of the book:
Example: Gregg, Gary L. The Presidential Republic: Executive Representation and Deliberative Democracy. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1996.
Other Details
Style: Papers should be typed and double-spaced. Set the margins at a reasonable width, and use a reasonable font. Please paginate your paper.
Citation: Please cite according to one of two formats. You may use either Chicago/Turabian Style or MLA Style. MLA Style uses parenthetical citations, while Chicago style uses footnotes. Those using Chicago Style should consult Kate Turabians A Manual for Writers, 8th edition and follow the Notes-Bibliography format for information on footnotes. Although many students are more familiar with MLA style, be aware that Chicago/Turabian is standard for research and writing in the discipline of Political Science.
Grading: A good paper will consist of a clear thesis, good supporting evidence (including both direct quotations and indirect references from the readings), and a method of argument which is easy to follow. It will also be free of grammatical problems. I am not interested that you come up with a “right” answer but that you argue your case clearly and effectively. I will be looking for how you engage with, interpret, and (if necessary) argue with the book.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism will not be tolerated. The paper is expected to be of your own writing. Any paper proven to be plagiarized will receive a 0 grade and could lead to failure for the course.
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