APPENDIX 1
CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW GUIDELINES
Book List
--All materials are on-sale at Bay Tree Bookstore and on Reserve at McHenry Library. However, copies of each book are limited.
-- Do NOT wait until the last minute to use Library sources.
--Others will have procrastinated, too, and you may find the book you need virtually inaccessible.
--Being unable to check out materials is not an acceptable excuse for late submittal.
Cantwell, Anne-Marie and Diana Di Zerega Wall Unearthing Gotham: The Archaeology of New York City. Yale University Press, New Haven.
Ferguson, Leland Uncommon Ground: Archaeology and Early African America, 1650-1800. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington.
Praetzellis, Adrian Dug to Death: A Tale of Archaeological Method and Mayhem. AltaMira Press, Walnut Creek, CA.
Reid, J. Jefferson and Stephanie Whittlesey Grasshopper Pueblo: A Story of Archaeology and Ancient Life. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.
Russell, Miles Digging Holes in Popular Culture: Archaeology and Science Fiction. Oxbow Books Limited.
Spector, Janet D. What This Awl Means: Feminist Archaeology at a Wahpeton Dakota Village. Minnesota Historical Press, St. Paul.
Watkins, Joe Indigenous Archaeology. AltaMira Press, Walnut Creek, CA.
CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS:
Above is a list of 7 books that relate to various issues presented in this course. Choose one book and write a short critical review of topics covered in the book as these relate to class readings, lectures, and discussions. Your paper should be approximately 5 to 7 pages, typed, double-spaced. The final assignment is due in class, May 19, 2005.
1) Choosing a Book:
All books for this assignment are available for sale as Ňoptional' texts for this course in the textbook department at Bay Tree Bookstore on campus. These books also are on two-day Reserve at McHenry Library. You should check out one or more books and browse through them before making your selection. If your first choice is sold out at the bookstore, please carefully consider choosing another title. If too many students select the same book, you may be asked to make another choice, so have a back-up title already in mind.
After you have selected a book, turn in a short one-page proposal, on the form provided, in section the week of April 12, 2005.
Your proposal form should be fully completed and include:
¬ the name of the book;
¬ a brief statement about why you chose it;
¬ your second and third choice of books to review.
2) Writing the Review:
This assignment is an exercise in critical thinking. The goal is to integrate and relate information from your chosen book with ideas presented in course lectures and discussions. The point is NOT to write a simple summary or book report.
While reading the book, think about the following questions:
¬ What is the main theme or themes of the book? What are the author's main points and conclusions?
¬ What evidence or logic does the author use to support his/her argument(s)?
¬ How does the book relate to the major issues covered in the course?
¬ What does the author assume, but not state directly? What does his/her choice of language and/or topics reveal about the author's perspective or theoretical viewpoint?
Pick at least one idea presented in the book that you strongly disagree or agree with. Paraphrase this idea and discuss the grounds on which it could be challenged or supported. Be specific. Use concrete examples from the book and class discussions to support your argument.
Refer to other related sources in your review, either from the class texts and reader or from other current journals or books. Avoid direct quotes from these sources. It is better to learn to summarize the author's ideas in your own words. It is imperative that you cite the sources for your ideas. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism. Use American Anthropologist Author-Date format for in-text references {i.e., (Jones 1990: 10)}. A style guide for this format appears in Appendix 2 of this workbook
A good paper requires more than one draft. This means planning ahead and leaving time to review and re-write your work. The best way to make sure that your paper is well written is to exchange a draft with someone else in the class. Ask them to read it critically and do the same for them. Are your ideas clearly expressed in an organized way? Also try reading the paper out loud for sense and continuity.
3) Presentation:
Your review must be typed (10 or 12 point font), double-spaced, with approximately one inch margins. Make a title page (with your name and the name of your section leader), number the pages, and staple in the upper left-hand corner. Proof read your paper carefully for spelling and grammatical errors.
4) Bibliography:
Since you will be citing other material, you need to include a short bibliography at the end of your paper under the title "References Cited". Do not put anything but sources directly cited in the paper in your bibliography. Alphabetize the references by the author's last name. Include the author's name, year of publication, title, and the name of the publisher and page numbers. Use the American Anthropologist style guide in Appendix 2 of this Workbook to format your references.
5) Paper Evaluations:
Your paper will be evaluated on three criteria: 1) Content and Argument; 2) Organization; 3) Presentation and Mechanics.
6) Late Paper Policy:
All papers that are not turned in DURING CLASS on May 19, 2005 will be considered LATE and will not be accepted. Extensions of the paper deadline must be arranged ahead of time and will be granted only for serious medical or personal emergencies. Medical emergencies must be supported by an official letter from the Campus Health Center, your doctor or counselor; other problems by a note from your College Academic Preceptor. Other late papers will not be accepted or graded, resulting in a failing grade for the course. Papers turned in on-time will be evaluated in a timely manner and returned on or before June 3, 2005.
Book Review Proposal Form
DUE IN SECTION, Week of April 12, 2005
[verification of final selection will be IN SECTION, Week of April 19]
Name_____________________________ Section Leader________________
Book Title and Author_______________________________________________
Why did you choose this book? Describe one topic or issue covered in the book that you will focus on in your review.
Second Choice Book Title and Author___________________________________
Third Choice Book Title and Author_____________________________________