Book Review 01 Instructions and grading rubric

*** Read all instructions and grading rubric carefully before writing your research paper. You are responsible for having read and understood these documents.

You will write a book review on The President’s Czars: Undermining Congress and the Constitution by Sollenberger & Rozell. Be sure to review the “Book Review Grading Rubric” (below) before starting this assignment.

The “Book Review” should be 5–full pages in length, not including the title and bibliography page. Format your review in 5 main sections: Introduction, Summary, Critique, Personal Response, and Conclusion. Do not summarize or critique the chapters chronologically. Consider the book as a whole. Avoid excessive quotations. State the authors’ view points in your own words and give specific page references when paraphrasing.

• Introduction

Give a brief introduction of the book you are reviewing. Be sure to include a thesis statement of the major points, etc. (Brief introduction MUST be at least 6-8 sentences long)

• Summary

Summarize the main theme of the book. What is the overall perspective, purpose, or argument of the book? If the author wanted you to get one idea from the book, what would it be?

• Critique

This section needs to balance the book`s strengths and weaknesses in order to unify your evaluation. You must include a biblical or philosophical standard of constitutional government in your analysis. What strikes you as noteworthy? What has the book accomplished? In what ways was the book effective or persuasive? Challenge assumptions, approaches, or arguments made by the author. Does the argument make sense? You can offer agreement or disagreement and identify where you find the work exemplary or deficient in its knowledge, judgments, or organization. Provide concrete evidence for your assertions. Support judgements with references from the textbook reading in this course. Be sure that your evaluation is balanced, respectful, and fair. Control the tone of your critique.

• Personal Response

This section should demonstrate how the book has enhanced your understanding of the issues in the book, etc. You must also introduce new ideas that go beyond the book if they compliment ideas you have gleaned from reading in the book. Rmemeber, go beyond “just” your personal response to the book – Think outside the box.

• Conclusion

Give a brief conclusion (Brief conclusion MUST be at least 8-10 sentences long).

***Further Instructions on Assignment:

Please follow instructions above and grading rubric very thoroughly and carefully. Make sure this assignment has an Introduction, Summary, Critique, Personal Response, and Conclusion.  Must be formatted in current Turabian style and include a title and a bibliography page. Make sure to include (correct) page numbers for citations. NO PLAGIARISM as I will check if it is OR not. DO NOT STRAY FROM WHAT THIS ASSIGNMENT IS ASKING; MAKE SURE TO COVER ALL AREAS BEING ASKED (ABOVE UNDER “PROMPT”). Remember, this is a graduate (Master’s) level assignment, so make sure that it is – Graduate level academic writing on this assignment is very important.

ONLY use the sources I’ve asked (below).

It is important to write persuasively and think critically as well as think outside the box.

***Further Instructions on Sources: I will upload the full book; it is split up into 8 parts. Read the whole book, then write the book review.

1. 12 references/citations from the book itself, The President’s Czars: Undermining Congress and the Constitution by Sollenberger & Rozell. (Be sure to cite properly as well as include the correct page number for each citation – Paraphrase and write in your own words as well).

1. 3 biblical principles/scriptures MUST be used and incorporated – Do not randomly pick a biblical verse. Only choose biblical verses that makes sense and has connections with what is being written.

1. PDF “Critical Book Review Guide” will help explain what to do for each sections and use as a guide to writing an appropriate book review.

1. PDF “Thesis Statement for Book Review” will help and guide you on how to write one properly for a book review.

It is CRUCIAL to write persuasively, and think critically and analytically. It is also CRUCIAL to think outside the box.

“BOOK REVIEW GRADING RUBRIC” is below – Follow it!