Purpose: The purpose of the book review is to acquaint you with issues and writings in a specific area of psychological well-being. You are expected to do a critical evaluation of the book and viewpoints presented. It is important to avoid merely summarizing the contents of the book.
Guidelines: The following are offered as guidelines in writing the book review.
1. The length should be in the range of eight to twelve typed pages.
2. The first two to four pages are a summary of what is contained in the book (demonstrating that you have read it), as well as the stated or implied purpose of the author(s).
3. The critical analysis section consists of your assessment of the quality of the presentation and how it corroborates or contradicts other material you have read. In addition, address biases of the author and analyze how they affected presentation of the empirical material.
4. What are your personal reactions to the book? What feelings did it evoke in you? How did the information presented fit your experiences, beliefs, and feelings?
5. A summary of your critique concludes the book review.
