Considerations in Your Review:

Print

A Fiction

  1. Background

    - Has the author written other books?
    - Is the book part of a series?

  2. Content

    - Is the narrative interesting
    - Are the setting and period effectively reproduced?

  3. Treatment

    - Is the treatment imaginative or dull?
    - Is the theme artificially imposed on the plot?

  4. Structure and Style

    - Is the style appropriate?
    - Is the mood sustained?
    - Does the narrative flow easily?

  5. Physical characteristics

    - Are the cover and/or illustrations appealing?
    - Is the print readable?

  6. Level

    - What is the grade level of the intended audience?
    - Is the work suitable for its intended audience?

  7. Use

    - Are there limitations to its use?
    - Will it have a wide or limited appeal?
B. Non-Fiction

  1. Authority

    - What are the author's credentials? Is the author qualified to write the book?
    - Is the book part of a series?

  2. Content

    - What is the subject?
    - What is the scope?
    - What is the author's purpose? Is it fulfilled?

  3. Treatment

    - What is the point of view?
    - Are there visible biases?
    - Are sections fictionalised?
    - Are there obvious gaps?

  4. Organisation

    - Is the work scholarly, technical, or for the lay person?
    - Does the organisation permit easy access to the information?

  5. Physical Characteristics

    - Are the illustrations suitable?
    - Is there an index, bibliography?
    - Does the layout facilitate easy use?
    - Is the type easy to read?

  6. Comparison with other materials

    - How does the books compare with others on the same subject?
    - How does it compare with others by the same author?

  7. Level

    - What is the grade level of the intended audience?
    - Is the work really suitable for its intended audience?

  8. Use

    - What needs will it meet -- curricular, cultural, personal, or leisure?

Non-Print

  1. Authenticity

    - What are the producers credentials?
    - Is the material factually accurate? Up to date?
    Content

    - What is the subject?
    - What is the scope?

  2. Appropriateness

    - What is the purpose? Is it met?
    - What is the grade level of the intended audience?
    - Is the item appropriate with respect to use of medium, vocabulary, difficulty of concept, method of development, for its intended audience?
    - Is the material essential or supplementary?
    - Is the material unique? Does it give a new dimension or direction?

  3. Interest

    - Does it catch and hold interest?
    - Are the problems posed artificial?

  4. Organisation and Balance

    - Is the material well organised? Is it logical and clear?
    - Is the presentation imaginative?
    - Is the music suitable?
    - Are the titles, captions, labels, appropriate?
    - Is there enough Œmeat'? Is there excessive extraneous material?

  5. Technical quality

    - Is the image in focus, effectively composed, and varied in distance and angle to capture detail?
    - Is the sound clear and intelligible?
    - Is the use of colour effective?
    - Are the sound and visuals synchronised?

  6. Cost

    - Considering other materials, is the cost justified?

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Copyright © 1996 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

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The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364