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How to write a good book report - a Wowessays guide
One assignment has stood the test of time, uniting generations of students in a shared learning exercise: book reports. While many students dread these assignments, book reports can help students learn to interpret texts and gain a broader understanding of the world around them. Well-written books can open your eyes to new experiences, people, places, and situations in life that you have never thought about before. In turn, a book report is a tool that allows you, the reader, to demonstrate that you have understood all the nuances of the text you have just read. Today we will learn to write a book report through the advice of the Wowessays experts.
What is a book report?
In the broadest terms, a book report describes and summarises a work of fiction or non-fiction. It may also include personal estimations and opinions, but this part is not mandatory. In general, regardless of grade level, a book report will include an introductory paragraph that shares the book's title and its author. In addition, students will often develop their own opinions about the underlying meaning of texts by developing thesis statements, usually presented in the opening of a book report, and then use examples from the text and interpretations to support those statements.
Before you start writing
A good book report will address a specific question or point of view and support this topic with specific examples in symbols and themes. These steps will help you identify and incorporate those essential elements. It should not be too difficult to do, as long as you are prepared, and you can expect to spend, on average, 3-4 days working on the task. If your time limit is shorter, or you need an extra reference, you may use a book report helper to do it all faster. Still, you should refer to these tips to ensure you succeed:
- Have a goal in mind. You should determine the main question to be answered in your report and actually do it through writing.
- Keep materials handy when you read. This is very important. Keep sticky note flags, pen, and paper handy as you read. If you are reading an e-book, make sure you know how to use the annotation function of your app/program.
- Read the book. It seems obvious, but too many students try to take a shortcut and simply read summaries or watch movies, but often miss important details that can make or break their book report.
- Pay attention to details. Watch for clues that the author has provided in the form of symbolism. They will support the overall theme, providing subtle signs for the reader. For example, a bloodstain on the floor, a quick glance, a nervous habit, an impulsive action, a repetitive action, and so on. These are worthy of mention.
- Use your sticky flags to mark the pages. When you come across clues or interesting passages, mark the page by placing the sticky note at the beginning of the relevant line.
- Look for topics. As you read, you should begin to see a topic emerge. Then, on a notepad, write some notes about how you came to determine the theme.
- Develop a rough outline. By the time you finish reading, you will have noted some possible ideas to portray in your report. Review your notes and find points that you can support with suitable examples (symbols).
The beginning of your book report provides an opportunity to make a solid introduction to the material and your evaluation of the work. Therefore, you should try to write a strong introductory paragraph that grabs your reader's attention. Your first paragraph has to contain the name of the book and its author.
Secondary level works should include publication information and brief statements about the angle of the book, the genre, the topic, and a hint about the writer's feelings in the introduction.
The body of the book report
Before beginning the body of the book report, take a few minutes to jot down helpful information by considering the following points.
- Did you enjoy the book?
- Was it well written?
- What was the genre?
- What characters play essential roles that relate to the overall theme?
- Did you notice recurring symbols?
- Is this book part of a series?
- Can you identify the writer's thesis?
- What is the writing style?
- Did you notice a tone?
- Was there an obvious bias or slant?
The conclusion
As you reach your concluding paragraph, consider some additional impressions and opinions:
- Was the ending satisfactory (for the fiction)?
- Was the thesis supported by solid evidence (for non-fiction)?
- Do you know any notable information about the author?
- Would you recommend this book?
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