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WritReviCh.docxWriting a Review By Jennifer Chinn
Introduction
In this digital age, viewing websites has become a daily, if not minute-by-minute, activity. Every day people encounter websites in their online searches. How can people viewing a website determine if it is a quality product? How does one differentiate between a Wikipedia-like site and a site presented by the U.S. government? Many students rely on website suffixes such as .gov, .org, and so on to determine the value of a website. Surprisingly, not all can be decided simply by the website suffix. This chapter will discuss how to determine a valuable website from one that is not credible for research purposes. It is important to examine documents for their value as well. Also, an essential part of this section is writing a review or evaluation to share these findings with others.
Reviews are an essential part of modern life. Shopping online would not be the same without reviews. Products and services are evaluated by many different consumers; in addition, the reviews that they leave are consulted by potential consumers before they decide to purchase the service or product. From traveling destinations and hotels to books and electronics, consumers rely on the experiences of others to make informed decisions about a product or service. A website or document also can be a product or service. A solid website or document that has been vetted for research purposes is much more valued than one that has gone without a review or, worse yet, has been rated poorly.
Nearly everyone has consulted a review at some point, or perhaps even posted one on a website. If nothing else, after viewing a movie, the viewer may have a strong opinion about the mediocre plot twist at the end and feel justified giving his or her opinion about the movie to friends and family; however, a review or evaluation, as noted in this chapter, goes beyond personal opinion. It involves having a set of criteria that is applied to each website one evaluates or reviews. Either the website or document will meet this criteria or it will not. Based upon this criteria, chosen by the writer/reviewer, the evaluator will decide if it a useful product. He or she will check to see if it fails miserably, or if it is merely tepid in terms of information.
Helpful Hint
What is the difference between a review and an evaluation?
An evaluation makes a judgment about a document or product, whereas a review is a written evaluation or judgment of that document or product.
Exercise 1
Think of a time you have written a review for a restaurant or wished that you could. What would you have written about the restaurant? Would it have been a negative or positive review?
Reviews in Everyday Life
From personal reviews from friends and family about the new Italian restaurant in town to academic reviews of journal articles and books, reviews are something upon which everyone relies. Likewise, nearly every time a service or product is encountered, it is evaluated and weighed against previous services or products of a similar nature. Doctors’ quality of care, the best handyman in town, the worst car-repair shop—all of these evaluations are passed around from friend to friend or online.
A sample purchase review from a website might look something like this:
I purchased the purple shade of eye shadow in the store. It was kind of pricey for an impulse buy, but I'm so glad I got it. I've gotten compliments on it. The sales associate took the time to explain to me how to apply it. She said if I wanted to apply it using my fingers, I should pat it on rather than swipe or rub. I've found this method to be a lot faster with more color pay-off. These eye shadows are breathtaking in person, and although the one I got is not as dark on the skin as in the pot, it is still very beautiful. I can still wear it to work even though it is shimmery. I find mine to be long lasting, but I use an eye primer underneath. Bottom line, next time I can afford one, I will probably get a different color so I can have two to play with!
This review is in first person, which should be avoided in some formal academic essays for college classes. However, for this informal purpose of rating a product online, it works. The author may not seem to have any particular criteria for the eye shadow she is rating, but there are several elements that this reviewer seems to look for in an eye shadow purchase:
1. Color pay-off
2. Beautiful colors
3. Work-appropriate
4. Easy to apply
These are just some of the standards that the author of this review was looking for when she purchased the eye shadow, so she based her review upon those criteria. Not everyone who reads this book is in the market for eye shadow, of course; but whether it is a new electronic gadget or furniture, people tend to check to see if the goods in question have received positive reviews before they purchase it.
Exercise 2
1. Think of the worst movie you have ever seen.
2. Name the genre of movie (some choices are film noir, romance, action, adventure, horror, and comedy)
3. List a minimum of five common elements of that type of movie. An example of one of those elements might be that a comedic movie should elicit laughs.
4. Go through your list, and cross out the elements that the worst movie did not include. For example, your comedy movie may not have made anyone in the theater laugh.
5. How many of the common elements did your movie miss? Do you think this had anything to do with making it an unenjoyable movie? Formulate a response in 100-150 words that discusses how missing or including those elements made the movie a poor one.
Some people will not see a movie or a play without first reading a review to see if the entertainment value is worth the money. Consulting newspapers or websites such as Rotten Tomatoes to see whether a movie or play is any good is common practice.
Read this Los Angeles Times (2006) review of a production of Hairspray .
1. What does the reviewer say about this musical that would help you decide whether or not to spend the time or money to watch it?
2. What gives this musical value?
3. Does the reviewer seem to value it enough to recommend it to his readers?
Academic Reviews
Academic reviews, generally of books in a specific field of study, are used to help evaluate new work or knowledge. Unlike a description, which only lists what is in the book, a review evaluates its worth in the field. It answers inherent questions such as the following:
· Does it contribute to the scope of knowledge in the field of study?
· Does it bring up a new point that previously has not been discussed?
· Who is the audience for this book?
Reviews are especially helpful for students because they not only describe what the book entails, but also a judgment of whether or not it is worth reading.
Exercise 3
Read this example of an academic book review (Rowa, 2009).
1. Does the reviewer feel that the book fulfills its purpose or objective well?
2. Does the reviewer touch on the authority of the author or book? How does she do so?
3. What could be improved about the book, according to the reviewer?
Defining Criteria
A criterion, or, if there is more than one, criteria, refers to a standard, or standards, upon which a judgment may be decided. For example, a common criterion for a website is currency, which refers to how up-to-date the website is. Students would not necessarily want to base their research upon a website that was last updated in 1999. That information could be very outdated, especially in a scientific field. This may cause a student researcher to dismiss the information, knowing that it is potentially outdated.
Criteria help viewers evaluate a website or document by giving them guidelines by which to understand whether the material contained in the website or document is of value. Why would students want to choose a product that has true value? After all, would it not be important just to find a document that backs up the argument a student is trying to make in his or her essay? The answer is no. Any opinion, right or wrong, can be found on the Internet and often in print as well. Using a website or document that is of value and not biased or outdated, among other criteria, can only help a student with learning and utilizing the best information available.
Helpful Hint
When evaluating a website or document, what is the difference between a quality and a criterion?
A quality is simply an attribute that the product might have, such as a video of a family’s struggle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. It may or may not be used to evaluate the site. Criteria are predetermined guidelines that help people judge the website or document.
Evaluating Websites
The five criteria for evaluating a website or document are: authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage. These five criteria give a well-rounded view of the value of such a product.
1. Authority refers to how correct the website or document is. Questions that relate to authority are:
a. Who authored the website?
b. Can the author be contacted?
c. Does the person/people who wrote the website have the proper credibility to write about this topic?
Writing a ReviewBy Jennifer Chinn
Introduction
In this digital age, viewing websites has become a daily, if not minute-by-minute, activity. Every day people encounter websites in their online searches. How can people viewing a website determine if it is a quality product? How does one differentiate between a Wikipedia-like site and a site presented by the U.S. government? Many students rely on website suffixes such as .gov, .org, and so on to determine the value of a website. Surprisingly, not all can be decided simply by the website suffix. This chapter will discuss how to determine a valuable website from one that is not credible for research purposes. It is important to examine documents for their value as well. Also, an essential part of this section is writing a review or evaluation to share these findings with others.
Reviews are an essential part of modern life. Shopping online would not be the same without reviews. Products and services are evaluated by many different consumers; in addition, the reviews that they leave are consulted by potential consumers before they decide to purchase the service or product. From traveling destinations and hotels to books and electronics, consumers rely on the experiences of others to make informed decisions about a product or service. A website or document also can be a product or service. A solid website or document that has been vetted for research purposes is much more valued than one that has gone without a review or, worse yet, has been rated poorly.
Nearly everyone has consulted a review at some point, or perhaps even posted one on a website. If nothing else, after viewing a movie, the viewer may have a strong opinion about the mediocre plot twist at the end and feel justified giving his or her opinion about the movie to friends and family; however, a review or evaluation, as noted in this chapter, goes beyond personal opinion. It involves having a set of criteria that is applied to each website one evaluates or reviews. Either the website or document will meet this criteria or it will not. Based upon this criteria, chosen by the writer/reviewer, the evaluator will decide if it a useful product. He or she will check to see if it fails miserably, or if it is merely tepid in terms of information.
Helpful Hint
What is the difference between a review and an evaluation?
An evaluation makes a judgment about a document or product, whereas a review is a written evaluation or judgment of that document or product.
Exercise 1
Think of a time you have written a review for a restaurant or wished that you could. What would you have written about the restaurant? Would it have been a negative or positive review?
Reviews in Everyday Life
From personal reviews from friends and family about the new Italian restaurant in town to academic reviews of journal articles and books, reviews are something upon which everyone relies. Likewise, nearly every time a service or product is encountered, it is evaluated and weighed against previous services or products of a similar nature. Doctors’ quality of care, the best handyman in town, the worst car-repair shop—all of these evaluations are passed around from friend to friend or online.
A sample purchase review from a website might look something like this:
I purchased the purple shade of eye shadow in the store. It was kind of pricey for an impulse buy, but I'm so glad I got it. I've gotten compliments on it. The sales associate took the time to explain to me how to apply it. She said if I wanted to apply it using my fingers, I should pat it on rather than swipe or rub. I've found this method to be a lot faster with more color pay-off. These eye shadows are breathtaking in person, and although the one I got is not as dark on the skin as in the pot, it is still very beautiful. I can still wear it to work even though it is shimmery. I find mine to be long lasting, but I use an eye primer underneath. Bottom line, next time I can afford one, I will probably get a different color so I can have two to play with!
This review is in first person, which should be avoided in some formal academic essays for college classes. However, for this informal purpose of rating a product online, it works. The author may not seem to have any particular criteria for the eye shadow she is rating, but there are several elements that this reviewer seems to look for in an eye shadow purchase:
1. Color pay-off
2. Beautiful colors
3. Work-appropriate
4. Easy to apply
These are just some of the standards that the author of this review was looking for when she purchased the eye shadow, so she based her review upon those criteria. Not everyone who reads this book is in the market for eye shadow, of course; but whether it is a new electronic gadget or furniture, people tend to check to see if the goods in question have received positive reviews before they purchase it.
Exercise 2
1. Think of the worst movie you have ever seen.
2. Name the genre of movie (some choices are film noir, romance, action, adventure, horror, and comedy)
3. List a minimum of five common elements of that type of movie. An example of one of those elements might be that a comedic movie should elicit laughs.
4. Go through your list, and cross out the elements that the worst movie did not include. For example, your comedy movie may not have made anyone in the theater laugh.
5. How many of the common elements did your movie miss? Do you think this had anything to do with making it an unenjoyable movie? Formulate a response in 100-150 words that discusses how missing or including those elements made the movie a poor one.
Some people will not see a movie or a play without first reading a review to see if the entertainment value is worth the money. Consulting newspapers or websites such as Rotten Tomatoes to see whether a movie or play is any good is common practice.
Read this Los Angeles Times (2006) review of a production of Hairspray .
1. What does the reviewer say about this musical that would help you decide whether or not to spend the time or money to watch it?
2. What gives this musical value?
3. Does the reviewer seem to value it enough to recommend it to his readers?
Academic Reviews
Academic reviews, generally of books in a specific field of study, are used to help evaluate new work or knowledge. Unlike a description, which only lists what is in the book, a review evaluates its worth in the field. It answers inherent questions such as the following:
· Does it contribute to the scope of knowledge in the field of study?
· Does it bring up a new point that previously has not been discussed?
· Who is the audience for this book?
Reviews are especially helpful for students because they not only describe what the book entails, but also a judgment of whether or not it is worth reading.
Exercise 3
Read this example of an academic book review (Rowa, 2009).
1. Does the reviewer feel that the book fulfills its purpose or objective well?
2. Does the reviewer touch on the authority of the author or book? How does she do so?
3. What could be improved about the book, according to the reviewer?
Defining Criteria
A criterion, or, if there is more than one, criteria, refers to a standard, or standards, upon which a judgment may be decided. For example, a common criterion for a website is currency, which refers to how up-to-date the website is. Students would not necessarily want to base their research upon a website that was last updated in 1999. That information could be very outdated, especially in a scientific field. This may cause a student researcher to dismiss the information, knowing that it is potentially outdated.
Criteria help viewers evaluate a website or document by giving them guidelines by which to understand whether the material contained in the website or document is of value. Why would students want to choose a product that has true value? After all, would it not be important just to find a document that backs up the argument a student is trying to make in his or her essay? The answer is no. Any opinion, right or wrong, can be found on the Internet and often in print as well. Using a website or document that is of value and not biased or outdated, among other criteria, can only help a student with learning and utilizing the best information available.
Helpful Hint
When evaluating a website or document, what is the difference between a quality and a criterion?
A quality is simply an attribute that the product might have, such as a video of a family’s struggle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. It may or may not be used to evaluate the site. Criteria are predetermined guidelines that help people judge the website or document.
Evaluating Websites
The five criteria for evaluating a website or document are: authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage. These five criteria give a well-rounded view of the value of such a product.
1. Authority refers to how correct the website or document is. Questions that relate to authority are:
a. Who authored the website?
b. Can the author be contacted?
c. Does the person/people who wrote the website have the proper credibility to write about this topic?
would be paramount in a website or document for it to have value? Would it need to be from a leader in the field of study?
Stasis Theory
Stasis theory (Brizee, 2013) is a logical way of categorizing arguments. It includes four categories: fact, definition, quality, and policy. Stasis theory can include the questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how of a topic or issue. Reaching the end goal of stasis means that the participants have agreed upon the conclusions achieved in the stasis (Brizee, 2013). Stasis theory is an invention process. In the case of evaluative writing, placing the criteria into thorough, relevant questions one asks about the product in question can help the reviewer come to a judgment about it. In other words, how can the website or document be better understood by asking thorough, relevant questions about it?
Exercise 5
Prewriting/Invention Strategy
Look at one of your favorite informative websites. Ask the following questions about your website:
· Who wrote the website? Is there an obvious author or organization responsible for the content?
· What is on the page? Is the information reliable?
· When was it published or updated? Is the information current and in line with other up-to-date sources on the topic?
· Where does the information fit in terms of bias? Is it balanced or are conservative or liberal opinions expressed?
· Why does the website exist? What purpose does it fulfill, and is it successful in fulfilling that purpose?
· How thoroughly does the website cover the information? Are there gaps in the knowledge given?
Writing the Review
Choosing a Website
How does one select a website for the evaluation process? It should be on the required topic and not simply be an article from a journal, magazine, or newspaper. It should be an actual website or page that is not a blog; however, the website does not have to be perfect for it to be appropriate for evaluation. Like people, each website might have a little quirk or imperfection. That does not mean that it is not suitable for review; in fact, imperfection may make it even more appropriate for the evaluation process. People can learn as much from a poor review rating as from a positive one—sometimes even more.
I tried this new foundation the other day. It did not look any different than my regular skin once I had blended it in—good for color matching, but not so great for covering sun spots. I felt like it gave no more coverage than a moisturizer, which is to say, none. Perhaps I didn't use enough. Then, by that evening, I had three breakout spots. I haven't broken out in forever. I love looking at this brand’s products, but I'm kind of concerned that I'm allergic to this. My usual foundation has better coverage and has never caused blemishes. I returned the new foundation, which made me sad. Back to the old one.
This review might cause someone in the market for this particular foundation to hesitate before purchasing the product. Similarly, in an academic review, a poor review of a website or document may cause students to choose a different resource for their essays, thus saving them both time and effort. Who would want to write an entire essay and earn a lesser grade because the sources utilized for the essay were poor ones?
Choosing a Document
In some cases, a student may be required to write a review on a document instead of a website. In these situations, it is allowable to choose a journal article, book, or media piece. Many of the same items one would look for in a website will apply to choosing a document as well. Again, imagine choosing an outdated article for an important essay assignment. This would be an example of not using currency as a criterion. Neglecting this criterion while choosing this article for an essay assignment can result in a lower grade. It is usually important, especially in the sciences, to have as up-to-date information as possible.
Criteria Selection
To begin the writing process for the review essay, the writer must select the most important criteria for the website chosen for the essay. A minimum of three criteria, but writers should be careful not to include too many criteria. Each criterion must be supported with examples from the website to show how that criterion is either fulfilled or not fulfilled. The writer should come to a conclusion about the website or document before the essay is written—is the product a valuable one or a poor one? Nothing is perfect, as discussed earlier, but the criteria helps the writer decide if the value is greater than the mediocrity it may contain or the harm it might cause the audience.
Helpful Hint
What makes a website or document valuable, effective, and credible is something you may ask yourself in coming up with personal criteria. Ask the following questions before you begin writing.
· What are some common criteria that a website or document should have that show it is a valuable product?
· Do the five basic criteria of accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage supply all the criteria needed to evaluate the document or website?
· Are there any additional criteria that could be added or could replace one of the five provided?
Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is the guide to an essay; it contains a map of what the essay will argue and prove. For a review essay, a thesis should argue if the website is valuable and what criteria were used to reach that assessment. For example:
NIMH’s webpage describing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a well-put-together and informative site based upon its accuracy, objectivity, and authority.
This shows, in one sentence, what website is being evaluated, what the verdict is on its effectiveness, and what criteria were used to determine that effectiveness or value.
Exercise 7
What thesis statement would fit your essay? Remember that it helps to describe the effectiveness or value of the website or document that you have reviewed. Also, be sure to list the criteria that you use to evaluate your choice. Whether you use three or more criteria, remember not to overwhelm your essay with disproportionate amounts of criteria to examples you will be able to provide.
Practice writing your thesis statement at this time. How well does it fit what you intend to discuss in your essay? If possible, share it with a group. Do they have any advice for you about how you can make it more succinct? Perhaps you could make your judgment of the website or document clearer. It is important to avoid using first and second person in this essay so that it will have a formal, academic voice; therefore, you will want to avoid it in your thesis statement as well. Are all the elements of a proper thesis statement present? Help your fellow classmates with their thesis statements and provide them with constructive and specific feedback.
Outline for a Review Essay
An outline will be very helpful in determining how the review essay will flow. It should follow the pattern laid out in the thesis statement. For example, using the thesis statement above, the criteria should be discussed in the order they were mentioned: accuracy, objectivity, and authority. The outline may start off looking something like this:
NIMH and ADHD: A Government Site Dedicated to Nonbiased Information
I. Introduction
A. Hook
B. Background information
C. Thesis statement: NIMH’s webpage describing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a well-put-together and informative site based upon its accuracy, objectivity, and authority.
II. Criterion Number. 1: Authority
2. National Institute for Mental Health is responsible for this website. Provide examples.
2. Purpose of the document is to inform the public. Provide examples.
2. NIMH’s qualifications. Provide examples.
1. Criterion Number. 2: Objectivity
3. The goals and objectives for this ADHD page. Provide examples.
3. Level of detail of information in the site. Provide examples.
3. Lack of bias in the site. Provide examples.
1. Criterion Number. 3: Accuracy
4. The publisher of the NIMH website. Provide examples.
4. The domain of the website; published by the government. Provide examples.
4. Does the NIMH website cite its sources? Provide examples.
1. Conclusion
This outline is based on a five-paragraph model, but instructors often encourage students at this academic level to pursue essays that go beyond a strict five-paragraph model and include as many paragraphs as deemed necessary by the student; however, five paragraphs is always the minimum. Different genres can require different paragraph lengths, and those may vary within the essay as well. In a review essay, a paragraph has at least three to five sentences beyond its topic sentence.
Exercise 8
Now that you have a solid thesis statement, practice outlining your essay. Developing a thesis statement before outlining the essay will help you determine the order and construction of your essay. Plan to have a minimum of five paragraphs, including the introduction and conclusion paragraphs. The Review Essay Outline Template document may help you outline your essay.
Do you find the outline easy to compose?
Finishing the Essay and Peer Review
Utilizing the already composed thesis statement and outline should assist writers mightily as they begin filling in the blanks to complete their essays. It is important to address the questions posed by the outline and support every claim with an example. Writers should look at outlines as the bone structure of their essays. They will flesh out this bone structure once they begin writing the actual essay.
For example, when the writer composing the review essay on the NIMH's ADHD webpage, he or she would first look at the information in the outline:
I. Introduction
A. Hook
B. Background information
C. Thesis statement: NIMH’s webpage describing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a well-put-together and informative site based upon its accuracy, objectivity, and authority.
An introduction that fleshes out the outline's structure might look something like this:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is currently on the rise in the United States. Children and adults are being diagnosed at a rapid rate with this disorder. To understand it, one may turn to the Internet for answers; however, there are many sites that discuss ADHD, and not all of them are reliable. The webpage of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describing ADHD is a well-put together and informative site based on its authority, objectivity, and accuracy.
This introduction includes the three elements given in the introduction section of the outline. The hook is the bit of perhaps previously unknown knowledge provided in the first sentence of the introduction. Background information about the topic and why it is important to evaluate a website about this topic is provided. Finally, the thesis statement completes the introduction paragraph. It includes the overall evaluation of the site as well as the criteria used to reach that conclusion.
The example essay below illustrates how the rest of the outline could be filled in with support, examples, and well-written prose.
Example Essay
Thunder Lope
ENG-105
June 15, 2016
Instructor Smith
NIMH and ADHD: A Government Site Dedicated to Nonbiased Information
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is currently on the rise in the United States. Children and adults are being diagnosed at a rapid rate with this disorder. To understand it, one may turn to the Internet for answers; however, there are many sites that discuss ADHD, and not all of them are reliable. The webpage of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describing ADHD is a well-put together and informative site based on its authority, objectivity, and accuracy.
These three criteria, used to evaluate NIMH’s ADHD website, prove that it is a valuable site worthy of visiting. Whether one is a parent whose child suffers from ADHD, or an educator searching to learn more about the condition some of his or her students may have, this site explains in detail the information surrounding ADHD. Authority, objectivity, and accuracy are some of the most solid criteria available to evaluate a website (Grand Canyon University, n.d.). Authority asks questions about the author. Objectivity deals with a website’s possible bias as well as the goals it sets out to achieve. Finally, accuracy helps explain the publisher’s role in the document, who they are, the institution who publishes the website, and their website’s domain (“Evaluating web pages”, 2015).
Authority is important in every website because without it a website is mere opinion or rumor. It involves deciphering who the author of the website is and how he or she may be reached. NIMH’s website about ADHD rates high for authority. The author of the webpage, NIMH’s writers, are easily reached via telephone, email, or traditional mail, contacts for which are all provided on the site near the bottom of the page (NIMH, 2012).
Not only is NIMH readily available through these mediums, but it has made the purpose of its document clear. It exists to inform its audience, which appears to consist mainly of parents, educators, and other interested parties, of the different aspects, myths, and truths of ADHD. It includes symptoms of each component of ADHD, what appears to cause, and what does not cause, ADHD. Also, NIMH is a reliable resource as the premier source of mental health research and information in the United States. It requests that outside organizations not alter its materials so that the information provided can remain reliable and true (NIMH, 2012).
The purpose of the document, to inform audiences of nonbiased information, is clear. For example, NIMH does not advocate one specific medication for the treatment of ADHD, and notes that a “one-size-fits-all approach” (NIMH, 2014, para. 24) does not work for this particular disorder. This illuminates the document’s objectivity and lack of bias because it does not make it appear that medication is the only answer. In addition to the discussion of medication, notes are provided on psychotherapy and tips to help children who suffer from the disorder stay organized (NIMH, 2012).
Another way the website avoids bias is through its detailed dispelling of myths surrounding the causes of ADHD. NIMH notes that sugar is neither a cause of ADHD nor does it worsen ADHD. This may come as a surprise to the average parent who follows common belief that sugar can cause hyperactivity. Not only does NIMH dispel this myth, it has the evidence to back it up by citing many studies on the matter. It does not contain opinion or bias because there is hard science to back up NIMH’s claims (NIMH, 2012).
The accuracy of the website is solid as well. As noted earlier, the publisher of the website is the United States government. NIMH is a division of the National Institutes of Health. This webpage has a .gov domain extension, which shows its government affiliation. While there is no one specific author listed, one can be confident in the information provided because of the main cited studies that are provided along with references at the end of the page. This helps prove that the author, or its materials, are quality materials.
The NIMH website about ADHD is full of helpful information for parents, people with ADHD, and interested parties such as educators. It does not waste time on rumors or myths, except to dispel them, and provides a nonbiased view of the disorder. Parents of children with ADHD will find it especially helpful for researching their child’s condition. Based upon its authority, objectivity, and accuracy, this site is a worthwhile visit in the quest to comprehend more about this sometimes baffling disorder.
References
Cornell University. (2015). Evaluating web pages: Questions to consider: Categories. Retrieved from http://guides.library.cornell.edu/evaluating_Web_pages
Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Evaluating websites [Video]. Retrieved from http://tutorials.gcumedia.com/evaluatingWebTutorial/vp02.swf
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2012). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/index.shtml#pub3
In finishing the essay, students will want to make sure they have provided examples from the website or document that illustrate their points about their criteria. Also, students should note any criteria that were chosen but were not fulfilled. In the Example Essay, the NIMH website fulfilled the author’s chosen criteria; however, had the author focused in on currency, the NIMH website might not have had such a glowing review. It was last updated in 2012, and while it is likely that the information is still current, it is not as recent as it could be. If the author decided to include currency as a counterpoint or additional criterion, contemplating the implications of this would be part of the revision process. The Review Essay Checklist can help students to ensure that they have included all essential elements into their papers.
Peer Review
Peer review is an essential part of the revision process. Worksheets will be provided to help students review a peer’s review essay. It is important to be constructive and supportive with advice to a peer while remaining honest and specific. Honesty is not code for tearing an essay apart, but rather for finding both the strengths and weaknesses in the essay and bolstering both. Be sure to answer every question on the worksheet fully and with as much specificity as possible. Suggestions of how to improve areas of opportunity and compliments on strong points are always welcome.
Sample ENG-105 Peer Review Worksheet: Review
Part of your responsibility as a student in this course is to provide quality feedback to your peers that will help them to improve their writing skills. This worksheet will assist you in providing that feedback.
Name of the draft’s author: Friendly Peer
Name of the peer reviewer: Thunder Lope
Reviewer
After reading through the draft one time, write a summary (three to five sentences) of the paper that includes your assessment of how well the essay meets the assignment requirements as specified in the syllabus and the rubric.
This essay, a review of WebMD’s ADHD website, does a great job of meeting the assignment requirements. It relies on three criteria upon which to base the review. Authority, currency, and coverage are thoroughly discussed in regard to the website. Also, the author uses good examples from the WebMD site to illustrate her points.
After a second, closer reading of the draft, answer each of the following questions. Positive answers will give you specific elements of the draft to praise; negative answers will indicate areas in need of improvement and revision. Please be sure to indicate at least three positive aspects of the draft and at least three areas for improvement in reply to the questions at the bottom of this worksheet.
Review Content and Ideas
· How effectively does the thesis statement identify the main points that the writer would like to make in this review?
· The thesis statement clearly identifies the main criteria that the author intends to explore in regard to WebMD’s ADHD site, but she does not provide a judgment of the site’s quality in her thesis statement. Providing the judgment would help her thesis statement to be more effective.
· How successfully does the writer establish a set of criteria that an audience would find acceptable?
· She is very effective at establishing her criteria of authority, currency, and coverage and names them in her thesis statement.
· How effectively does the writer compare the subject of the review to the established criteria?
· The writer does a great job of using examples from the website to support her claims that the website meets these criteria.
· Does the author identify and make comparisons with other evaluations on the same topic and/or websites similar to the subject? Are these sources cited within the essay?
· The writer does not currently make comparisons with other websites. Perhaps comparing it to the CDC’s website about ADHD might be a good strategy.
· How persuasively is evidence used to justify the criteria and the comparison?
· It is very persuasive because the writer points out her claim and backs it up with examples. For instance, she states that the coverage on the website is nearly overwhelming. Then she notes that there are multiple links to related sites, and to other disorders beyond ADHD that may coexist with ADHD.
· How effectively does the essay’s content support the thesis by using strategies appropriate for reviews?
· It supports the conclusion that the writer comes to, which is that WebMD is a functional, effective, albeit busy site; however, the conclusion or judgment the writer comes to is not apparent in the actual thesis statement.
Organization
· How effectively does the introduction engage the reader while providing an overview of the paper?
· The writer has a great hook and introductory information regarding reviewing websites rather than simply discussing ADHD and nothing else.
· Please identify and quote the writer’s thesis statement.
· “In order to determine whether a website is effective, a researcher should look for authority, currency, and coverage.”
· How effectively do the paragraphs develop the topic sentence and advance the essay’s ideas?
· The paragraphs advance the essay’s ideas in that they pertain to the writer’s criteria.
· How effectively does the conclusion provide a strong, satisfying ending, not a mere summary of the essay?
· It does offer a strong, satisfying ending by including a quote from the National Library of Medicine and stating how WebMD fits that quote. Also, a judgment is provided at this time about the quality of the website.
Format
· How closely does the paper follow GCU formatting style? Is it double-spaced in 12-point, Times New Roman font? Does it have 1-inch margins? Does it use headers (page numbers using appropriate header function)? Does it have a proper heading (with student’s name, date, course, and instructor’s name)?
· Yes, all of the GCU style elements are present.
· Are all information, quotations, and borrowed ideas cited in parenthetical GCU format?
· Yes, the writer’s parenthetical citations are excellent and correct.
· Are all sources listed on the references page in GCU format?
· Yes, they are listed correctly, but the writer needs to include hanging indents when she lists her sources.
· Is the required minimum number of sources listed?
· Yes, she lists WebMD and two outside sources.
Language Use and Style
· Are the voice and tone of the essay effective in characterizing ideas and creating the appropriate mood? If “No,” please provide examples of ineffective or inappropriate voice and tone.
· No, the writer occasionally uses first person. Example: “I believe that the WebMD ADHD website is very up to date …” She should avoid first person in a formal essay.
· How effectively does the paper incorporate a variety of sentence structures that strengthen the ideas, create vitality, and avoid choppiness in the writing?
· The writer employs many different types of sentence structures and varies the length of her sentences to create vitality. The sentences are complete and unfragmented with no fragments.
· How would you assess the writer’s diction (i.e., word choice)? Does the writer use active verbs, concrete nouns, and precise words?
· Yes, the writer chooses active verbs and avoids a passive voice. Her wording is precise.
Grammar and Mechanics
· Does the writer use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling? If “No,” please provide examples of errors in need of correction.
· Most of the grammar is correct. However, in some places she writes it’s as a possessive word. It should be its.
· Is the writing clear and comprehensible throughout the draft? If “No,” please provide examples in need of improvement.
· Yes, the writing is clear and comprehensible throughout the draft. There are no instances where I was confused.
Conclusion
Using an organized method of building the essay, much like constructing a building, ensures a solid structure that will not fall down if buffeted by the winds of a skeptical audience’s opinions. Having solid support, such as chosen criteria with which to evaluate the chosen website or document, will also help sustain the review essay. Having a thesis, then an outline, then constructing the essay itself may be the easiest and most successful way of completing a review.
Chapter Review
· Reviews and evaluations are used in everyday life.
· Reviews are used to help people make decisions about everything from products to academic texts.
· Evaluating a document means to make a judgment about its value and effectiveness.
· A review is a written evaluation.
· Criteria are standards with which to judge a document or website.
· Thesis statements and outlines should include specific criteria the writer will use to evaluate the website.
· Picking relevant criteria for one’s website or document and then seeing how it matches up to those chosen criteria, in terms of perceived importance, assists in knowing what standards to apply to the website or document.
· The outline is like the bone structure for the essay.
Questions for Reflection
1. Was it useful to write the thesis statement first?
3. If the thesis statement was not composed first for this particular essay, how did that strategy work out? Was it easier or harder to complete the assignment?
4. Did building the structure of the essay first, rather than freewriting the essay, help to organize the essay writing process?
Key Terms
Criterion: (plural: criteria) A standard upon which a judgment may be decided. Criteria assist in evaluations by giving the viewer guidelines by which to determine if the material is of value.
Evaluation: The process of making a judgment or assessment about the value of a document or website using clearly defined and explained criteria along with evidence from the text.
Review: In an academic context, a review involves evaluative writings about a text or website. It uses comparison and contrast as well as certain criteria to evaluate the text or website. It evaluates whether the text or website is valuable for its intended audience.
Stasis Theory: A logical way of categorizing arguments. It includes four categories: fact, definition, quality, and policy. Stasis theory can include the questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how of a topic or an issue. Reaching the end goal of stasis means that the participants have agreed upon the conclusions achieved in the stasis.
References
Brizee, A. (2013). Stasis theory. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/736/1/
Cornell University. (2015) Evaluating web pages: Questions to consider: Categories.. Retrieved from http://guides.library.cornell.edu/evaluating_Web_pages
Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Evaluating websites [Video]. Retrieved from http://tutorials.gcumedia.com/evaluatingWebTutorial/vp02.swf
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2012). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/index.shtml#pub3
Rowa, K. (2009). What is emotion? History, measures, and meanings. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54(6), 423. Retrieved from https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/docview/222838497?accountid=7374
McNulty, C. (2006, February 17). Theater Review; Super hold of `Hairspray' stands up even in Vegas; several Broadway stars and the director reprise roles in a compressed version that's good enough for Sin City. Los Angeles Times, p. E31. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/422058656?accountid=7374
· GLOSSARY
