Reading & Writing: Book Review & Professional Writing

Senior High School Reading and Writing Skills, Quarter 4 Module 1

• This module assists students in composing texts, presenting arguments, and formulating critical essays across various disciplines.
• It contains tasks to aid in composing texts and professional correspondence.

Module Lessons

• Book Review or Article Critique
• Literature Review
• Research Report
• Project Proposal
• Position Paper
• Resume
• Application for College Admission
• Application for Employment
• Various forms of Office Correspondence.

Module Expectations

• Identify features and requirements for composing texts useful across disciplines (Book Review, Literature Review, Research Report, Project Proposal, Position Paper).
• Identify features and requirements for composing professional correspondence (Resume, Application for College Admission/ Employment, Office Correspondence).

Book Review

• A descriptive and critical account of a book, giving vital information.
• Provides a summary and assesses value to potential readers.
• Different from a book report, which is an objective summary of main ideas/arguments.

Book Review Steps

• Analyze and evaluate critically.
• Compare content to similar texts/genres.
• Maintain a consistent stance.
• Review the book as a whole, not just summarize.
• Give recommendations on whether it's worth reading.

Book Review Dos

• Use past tense, emotive language, and active/passive voices.

Book Review Elements

• Title that corresponds to the text, fitting the purpose and conveying a message.
• Discussion of the author, style, reputation, and awards.
• Identification of the book's genre.
• Commentary on the book jacket/cover details.
• Examination of structure/format (sections, chapters, table of contents, graphics, etc.).

Literature Review

• Integrated analysis and synthesis of scholarly articles related to the paper's topics/issues.
• Describes, summarizes, and evaluates updated information from learning sources.
• Significant to pick a compelling/relevant topic that is narrow so that the writer isn't overwhelmed.
• Use keywords/phrases closely associated with the topic.
• Evaluating Literature helps determine it's most important contribution to scholarship.

Literature Review Organization

• Introduction defines/identifies the topic, explains criteria used for analysis, and points to general trends.
• Body groups articles into thematic clusters/subtopics, emphasizing main findings/arguments in the student's words and minimizes quotations.
• End summarizes major themes, identifies controversy, pinpoints strengths/weaknesses, and provides insight into the topic's relationship to the field/discipline.

Literature Review Structure

• Chronological grouping groups material by when it was published/time period addressed.
• Thematic Grouping organizes sections around particular subthemes within the essay's topic.

Research Report

• A "systematic investigation of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions."
• Key to a good research report is "systematic investigation."

Research Report Parts.

• Abstract: Summarizes the paper, with key terms, purpose, and research methods included.
• Introduction: Covers the study's background and states its purpose, with research questions and literature review.
• Methods: Describes what was done, how, and when.
• Result: Answers the research questions by organizing analysis and interpretation in descriptions, tables, graphs, or figures.
• Discussion: Extends findings by describing implications/limitations and posing further questions.
• References: Follows APA style, sorting sources alphabetically.

Writing Tips

• Use authentic voice with minimal quotes and cite resources appropriately.
• Follow APA 7 format, write well, and avoid errors.
• Be free from plagiarism.

Project Proposal

• A document used to convince a sponsor to kick-off a project to solve a problem or introduce development.

Project Proposal Parts

• Project title with a catchy name.
• Project Type designed for education, health, and other areas.
• The Proponents include project designers and investors.
• Target Area of Implementation.
• Project Duration timeline.
• Target Beneficiaries.
• Expected Output quantity.
• Rationale/Background of the study behind the project and the problem it plans to address.
• Objectives for accomplishing the project's development.
• Sustainability and long term effects.
• Risk Management Plan encompassing risk factors.

Position Paper

• Describes a stand/position on an issue and viable reasons, based on facts, crafted to appeal to a specific audience.
• Enables authors to exchange views without research format.
• Supported by evidence and often persuasive.

Planning a Position Paper

• Choose a side.
• Give a good introduction with background.
• Enumerate comprehensible arguments and support each with evidence.
• Consider the audience.
• Identify counter-arguments.
• State the conclusion restating and summarizing the position.