Useful For...
ResearchAcademics
Created by
Erika Anderson
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Input
- What content should you upload to get the best results?
- The subject of your academic review
Any variables to replace in the prompt below?
- No variables to replace, though add any sections or questions as needed
Here are two prompts, to use in succession
First use this prompt:
Analyze this work for an academic review. In order to conduct the review, first answer these questions
1. What is the subject/topic of the work? What key ideas belong in this review?
2. What is the thesis, main theme, or main point?
3. What major claims or conclusions does the author make? What issues does the work illuminate?
4. What is the structure of the work? How does the author build their argument?
5. What sources does the author consult? What evidence is used to support claims? Do these sources in any way “predetermine” certain conclusions?
6. Is there any claim for which the evidence presented is insufficient or slight? Do any conclusions rest on evidence that may be atypical?
7. How is the argument developed? How do the claims relate? What does the conclusion reveal?
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Followup with this prompt:
Now use the responses to these questions to write an academic review, which follows this format:
Introduction
Introduce the work, the author (or director/producer), and the points we'll make about this work. Include any of the following we have context for:
- relevant bibliographic information about the author
- give the reader a clear idea of the nature, scope, and significance of the work
- indicate your evaluation of the work in a clear 1-2 sentence thesis statement
Provide background information to help your readers understand the importance of the work or the reasons for your appraisal. Background information could include:
why the issue examined is of current interest
other scholarship about this subject
the author’s perspective, methodology, purpose
the circumstances under which the book was created
Summary of the Work
Summarize the contents very briefly, in one paragraph, and focus on:
the purpose of the work
the main points of the work
the ideas, themes, or arguments that you will evaluate or discuss in the review
Analysis and Evaluation
Analyze and explain the significance of the main points of the work. Evaluate the work, answering questions such as the following:
- Does the work do what its author claimed it would?
- Is the work valid and accurate?
- How does the work fit into scholarship in the field?
- What are your reasons for agreeing, disagreeing, liking, disliking, believing, disbelieving?
Note that this section will take up the bulk of your review and should be organized into paragraphs. Because this form of writing typically does not use subheadings, strong paragraphing, particularly the use of clear topic sentences, is essential. You'll need to include specific evidence from the work to support your claims about its message and its impact. Your writing and your assessment of the work will be most effective if you paraphrase or summarize the evidence you use, rather than relying on direct quotations. Be sure to follow the rules for citation in your discipline. Read more on paraphrasing and summarizing.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Give your overall assessment of the work. Explain the larger significance of your assessment. Consider who would benefit from engaging with this work.
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