eng2120 how to write a review
TRANSCRIPT
ENG2120:
Media Studies
Jessica Thompson
AM112
Ass
ignm
ent
(5%
):
Find someone to write
a profile on.Conduct an interview
with that person.Write the first 200
words of the profile.Email to jessicathompson152@
gmail.com by Friday 20 March.
How To Write A Review
Kin
ds
of
Revi
ew
s
Book ReviewAlbum ReviewMovie ReviewGig ReviewTheatre ReviewRestaurant ReviewGame Review
What
is a
Revi
ew
?
The review follows a basic
structure, which can be used
to critique any kind of
artistic activity whether it's a
book or writing of any kind,
live performance (dance,
music or theatre), recorded
music (cds), or visual art.
A R
evi
ew
In
cludes:
Your own voice A mixture of objectivity
and subjectivity An unambiguous summary
of your opinion A multi-point argument to
support your opinion A list of FYI details Factual accuracy Good spelling and
grammar
Structure
Openin
g
Para
gra
ph
The reviewer’s thesisA summary of the
writer’s opinion on whatever they’re reviewingFYI details. E.g.: Movie
name, director, etc.
Openin
g P
ara
gra
ph:
Bir
dm
an
A career-best for Michael Keaton (Ed Norton and Emma Stone aren't too shabby either), this Charlie Kaufman-esque oddity from Babel and 21 Grams
director Alejandro González Inarritu is a
head-scratching delight. – entertainment.ie
Openin
g P
ara
gra
ph:
The B
oy
Nex
t D
oor
The idea of Jennifer Lopez:
Movie Star just doesn’t work
for me. Her sporadic forays
into film of late suggest that
she’s only in front of the
camera when her popstar
schedule opens up, which
translates as she’s in a movie
when she isn’t busy. There’s
something wrong with that,
especially when you’re asking
people to hand over twelve
quid to watch something
she’s doing in her spare time.
– entertainment.ie
Body
of
the
Revi
ew Set out to prove your
thesisSay what was good or
bad about the book/movie/etc
Offer reasons for your
opinion: why was it good/bad?
Body
of
the
Revi
ew Discuss characters
Discuss plotsDiscuss themesCompare to similar or
previous works
The C
oncl
usi
on
Leave the reader with
an overall opinion of
the work.Give a recommendation: is it
worth buying or not?Discuss how the work
made you feel.
Concl
usi
on:
Bir
dm
an
The cast are all game
ball and the material
never takes itself too
seriously. This, and a
barrage of other elements, makes Kingsman one of the
most entertaining action flicks we've seen in a while. – entertainment.ie
Concl
usi
on:
Fift
y Shades
of
Gre
y
Overall, it's a glossily-
made drama that has
moments of titillation
here and there, but there's not enough to
keep you interested for
long. At two hours, it
drags out before ending
on a cliffhanger that
blatantly points towards
a sequel. The question is,
do we even want more? –
entertainment.ie
Tips for Writing a Good Review
Tips
for
Wri
ting a
G
ood R
evi
ew
Don’t retell the whole
storyShow, don’t tellCompare and Contrast
Do your research to get some background
info Include your opinion
Tips
for
Wri
ting a
G
ood R
evi
ew
You don’t have to be a
chef to know bad food:
Don’t try to be an expert. Include facts and
opinion. Include FYI details: for
a theatre production
include where, when
(date and time), where
you can buy tickets, what price, etc.
Tips
for
Wri
ting a
G
ood R
evi
ew
Describe the work objectively, then subjectively: for an art
show, describe the picture, it’s medium,
theme, etc. Then describe how it made
you feel and what you
thought of it.
Tips
for
Wri
ting a
G
ood R
evi
ew
Be honest: you can be
negative and critical. But
back up your opinion.
Give a few solid examples: when writing
about a comedy gig,
mention one of the jokes.
If possible, see a performance once for fun
and again for work. Your loyalty should be to
your readers.
Tips
for
Wri
ting a
G
ood R
evi
ew
Know your subject: research it.Read other critics to
learn how a good review is written.
Express your opinion
but try not to use ‘I’ or
‘in my opinion’.
Tips
for
Wri
ting a
G
ood R
evi
ew
Give background information.Don’t spoil the ending.
Know your audience:
are they teenagers reading Kerrang or adults reading The Connacht Tribune?
Quick Tips
Quic
k Ti
ps
Start with an opinionCritique throughoutSupport your opinion
with examplesPoint our strengths and weaknesses
Compare and contrast
with works readers may be familiar with
Quic
k Ti
ps
Don’t reveal too muchGive credit where
credit is due Inject your own voiceDon’t be influences by
your own prejudicesDon’t be nasty
Group Work:Plan a Review
Gro
up W
ork
:Pla
n a
Revi
ew
Pick something you all
know.Take 10-15 minutes to
research itPlan out how you would write the review: positive or negative?Present your ideas to
the class.
