How To Write an Article Review – Tips and Explanation

In this guide you will find out:

What is an article review?

An article review is a piece of writing where you summarize and assess another person’s article. It entails a logical evaluation of the central theme of the article, supporting arguments and implications for further research. It is essential to understand the main points and arguments of the article for accuracy during summation.

A review may either be a critical review or a literature review. A critical analysis is a type of text dealing with a particular article or book in detail while a literature review is a broader kind of document. An article review is both an evaluation and summary of another writer’s article, and it has a specific format and guidelines to write.

An article review is essential because:

• It corrects vague terms. In writing of your article, there may be instances of usage of inappropriate words or unclear statements. It helps the writer to decide on whether to change the terms.
• It helps to clarify questions.
• It allows the author to see other people’s views and perspectives on the raised issues. After reading the review, the author can get out of personal biases.
• It allows you to improve your grammar and also facilitate conscience writing.
• It encourages the author to perform better the next time since the review provides suggestions or criticism of the article.

Article review format – how to apply it correctly

• Title page
• Title
• Your name
• Date
• Abstract: It should contain approximately 200 to 300 words. It includes a summary of the review question, the primary study reviewed and conclusions of the study. Note that you should not cite references in the abstract.
• Introduction: Write the topic of the study, which serves as the identification sentence. It should indicate what the article contains. Clearly outline the order in which every sub-topic will be discussed to give the reader background information needed to understand the sections in the article.
• Body: This includes the subtopics that you are addressing.
• Conclusion: It should briefly state your rationale for your review and the purpose of the article.
• Literature cited: Use a standardized reference system. Use MLA style.

Benefits of looking through article review examples

It is important to read on article review samples as this helps learners of a particular field to get introduced to the work of experts in that specific field. The article reviews examples help in different ways such as:

• To identify recent and significant advances and discoveries in a particular field of study.
• To determine the main people working in a specific field.
• To help identify essential gaps in research to find solutions.
• They are used in current debates for references
• They are good for generating ideas about next field of research
• They also help the learner to become an expert in a particular area of study.

Article review like any other written assignment can be completed with the help of experienced academic writers. We have contacted some of them and reviewed their work:

How to write a good article review?

For an excellent article review, one should first prepare then write the review.

Preparation includes the following steps:

• Step 1: Understanding what the article review is.

You should be aware that the audience of the review has knowledge on the subject matter and is not just a general audience.

You need to summarize the main ideas of the article, arguments, positions, and findings. Also, critique the contributions of the material and overall effectiveness of the field. Note that,

1. The review only responds to the research of the author and does not involve new research.
2. It evaluates and summarizes the article.

• Step 2: Identify the organization of the review.

You need to know the setup of your article review to understand how to read the article. Following these steps will help you in writing a useful review:

•  Summarize the article.

It includes essential points, claims and information in the article.

• Discuss the positive aspects.

It entails the author’s good points and insight observations

• Identify the gaps, contradictions, and inconsistencies in the article done by the author. Also, identify if there is enough research or data to support the claims of the author.

Look for unanswered questions in the article.

• Step 3: Preview the article.

Look at the title of the article, abstract, introduction, headings, opening sentences of paragraphs and conclusion.

Read the first few paragraphs and conclusion to note the author’s main points and arguments.

Read the article entirely.

• Step 4: Read the article carefully.

Read it several times making notes on essential sections. Just highlight central points and the supporting facts. You should write notes and state cross-references on the essential points.

• Step 5: Put the article in your own words.

Ensure you write all the essential points accurately in a clear and logical manner.

Review your summary to remove unnecessary items.

• Step 6: Create your evaluation outline.

After reviewing the summary outline, identify the significant aspects such as instances of effective writing, contributions to the field and areas which are to be improved in the article. Also, indicate strengths and weaknesses. For instance, an advantage may be the way the author presents an issue while a gap may be that the article does not offer solutions to a problem or lacks enough information on a particular subject.

Make sure that you use specific references and examples.

After the preparation, you can finally write the review, and it includes the following steps:

Step 1: Write the title.

A title can either be a descriptive one, a declarative or an interrogative one. It depends on the focus of your review.

Step 2: Cite the article.

Write the citation of the article in a proper style just after the title of your review. For instance, in MLA citation, your example will look like this: Abraham John. “The World of Dreams.” Virginia Quarterly 60.2(1991): 125-67. Print.

Step 3: Article identification. Write it by stating:

• Title of the article
• Author of the article
• Title of the journal
• Year of publication

Write this in the first paragraph.

An example will look like this: The report, “Poverty increases school drop-outs,” was written by Brian Faith, a Health officer. 2000.

Step 4: Write the introduction.

It starts with the identification sentence. The introduction of the article review also entails the central themes of the article. You should include the author’s claims and arguments, too.

Things to note when writing an introduction:

1. You may need to determine the thesis yourself since it may not be evident in the article and sometimes the argument has multiple choices.
2. You should not write the statements in the first person (“I”)
3. Overall impression of the article should be written using the third person (“he” or “she”), and it should have the formal academic style.
4. The introduction should only take 10% to 25% of your whole review.
5. It should end with your thesis which must address the above issues. For instance, an example of the argument should look like this:

Although there are good points in the article, it contains misinterpretation of data and bias from others authors’ analysis on the causes of school drop-outs.

Step 5: Write the summary of the article.

Write the main points, arguments, and findings in your own words. Also, show how the article supports its claims and write the conclusion.

Things to note in writing the summary:

• Write in several paragraphs, the length depending on the publisher’s or instructor’s requirements.
• Include specific examples, statistics or background information familiar to the experts of the particular field you are focusing on.
• Make sure to write the main points of every section.
• Use direct quotes from the author sparingly.
• For accuracy, reread your summary several times correcting every mistake.

Step 6: Write the critique.

Write how well the author addressed the topic using your opinions.

Also, write your opinion on how thorough and useful the explanation of the subject you found in the article is. Indicate the contributions and the importance of the article to the field. Write arguments and central points in the article. Also, write if the points of the author assisted in the argument. Indicate if there are any biases. Specify whether you agree with the writer and if yes, give reasons why you support him/her and if no also give cause for your decision. Indicate the type of audience that would benefit from reading the article.

Step 7: Write the conclusion of the article review.

Summarize the main points in a paragraph. Write your opinions about the clarity, accuracy, and significance of the article in this paragraph. You can also comment on the implications if relevant. It can be helpful for further research. Note that the conclusion should only be 10% of your overall essay.

Step 8: Proofread your work.

Reread your article review to check on grammar, mechanics and any mistakes and then correct them where possible. Remove any unnecessary information. Note that for a good review, you should identify and discuss 3-4 critical issues in the article.

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