Critical book review: For the book Darkness Before Daybreak, by Hans Lucht, you’ll be expected to write a critical book review of approximately 5-7 double-spaced pages. This review is important and will be worth 50 points. Since you have the entire semester to read it I am holding firm that it is due on the last day of class, May 7th. Late reviews will be penalized 10 points per half day late. This review will constitute 14% of your final grade. While that may not sound like a lot now failure to submit this assignment will lower your final grade. Guidelines will be provided shortly. Meanwhile if you're unsure how critical book reviews are done visit the web pages for the University of Wisconsin Writing Center or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or these sample guidelines for critical book reviews.

This review must be typed and double-spaced. Length is not necessarily indicative of quality. Nevertheless,  I’d say it would be difficult to do a credible job in anything less than 5 pages. These reviews must be typed and double-spaced. Length is not necessarily indicative of quality. Nevertheless,  I’d say it would be difficult to do a credible job in anything less than 4-5 pages. If you’re unsure how a critical book review should be done visit the web pages for the University of Wisconsin Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,  or these sample guidelines for critical book reviews.

Most importantly if you cite the book verbatim then please insert the citation in quotation marks and place the page number in parentheses afterward; e.g., Barley claims that "[i]t is a common trait of returned fieldworkers, as they stumble around their own culture with the clumsiness of returned astronauts, to be simply uncritically grateful to be a westerner, living in a culture that seems suddenly very precious and vulnerable..." (189-190). If the quote exceeds five lines, although there's really no reason why it should, then it should be single spaced and left indented.

I will not deduct points specifically for mechanical reasons, i.e., for grammar, punctuation, and especially spelling. However, I would hope that you'll take pride in the quality of your writing. A large part of that should involve proofreading before you hand in the final copy. Nothing suggests a hastily written paper like numerous typos. Visit the Write Site!