Book Report Writing
Note Down Key Ideas while Reading
Most people find it helpful to keep a notepad at hand while reading a book because this way they can put down important ideas or the pages they would like to return to later. It is also useful to keep record of the key scenes or quotes. With the main ideas already written out, preparing an outline and gathering supporting evidence will be much easier.
Before you start writing a book report, create an outline. This is important because it helps avoid repetitions and present the ideas logically. Remember to divide the report into sections.
How to Write an Outline
In the introduction, the reader should find the most significant information about the book. In most cases, this should include:
- The book title (italicized) and the name of the author.
- Time of publication. You could also mention the place of publication, if relevant.
- Book genre.
- Depending on the purpose of the report, you might want to include some other relevant facts, such as the author’s background.
This is the most important part of the report because here you present and support your arguments. While in the introduction you only mention the key ideas, in the main body, you can go into details, explain your conclusions, and draw on examples from the reading.
If you are writing a report on fiction, you could do the following:
- Describe the setting: where? and when? of the story.
- Analyze the social context of the time the story unfolds.
- Describe the main characters.
- Briefly summarize the plot. Focus only on the most significant events.
- Tell the reader about the climax of the story. Mention any important plot twists.
- Mention the point of view – who narrates the story?
- Analyze the author’s style. What is the tone? Does the author use any figures of speech? Irony? What effect do these techniques have on the reader?
- Discuss the main themes of the story.
- If applicable, share your impressions. What do you think of the story and the way the author presents it? Do you find it convincing? Why? Is there anything you would improve?
For non-fiction, discuss the following:
- The topic of the reading.
- The author’s thesis statement – what point was the author making?
- The author’s arguments. Do you find them convincing? Is the information credible?
- Conclusion. Do you agree with the author’s conclusions?
- Personal evaluation. Do you find the reading useful? Would you recommend the book to others?
As in any other report, the last paragraph should summarize the key ideas. It should restate the information mentioned in the introduction and answer the questions you raised at the beginning of the book report. Sometimes in this section, you also have to share your personal opinion about what you have read.