IB Docs (2) Team
Review
KEY FEATURES
context, audience, purpose -
* the question is likely to propose a general context (e.g."a recently released film... which you love / hate...") - but the review itself should contain informative context (invented) about the specific subject of the review
* the audience will usually be decided by where the article will be published: e.g. 'your school magazine'
* the prime purpose of a review is to stimulate interest ... then to inform ... and finally to offer some kind of judgement (although this is likely to be a continuation of the purpose of stimulating interest)
register and tone -
* will adopt a semi-formal register
* will use a tone and style intended to engage the reader
conventions -
* will include the name of the reviewer
* will have an attractive, catchy title
* will use a style which will attract and interest the reader
Appropriate?
A review will be appropriate if the task requires you to comment on a work of art of some sort (a film, an album, a play, etc). The term 'comment' is assumed to include (i) describing the work, (ii) analysing how it works, and (iii) providing some sort of judgement on how successful it is (which elements are successful and which are not). The audience can be assumed to be the general public, although the task may specify a section with particular interests.
Not to be confused with...
... 'article' or 'opinion column' or 'blog' ... an 'article' is principally intended to inform: there should be detailed and interesting information about a defined subject; and the information should be explained in a clear, fair and reasonably objective way. So, a 'review' can be seen as a type of article - the important approach of a 'review' is that it is expected to give an opinion, an argued assessment. An 'opinion column' will usually be focused on one particular issue, which should be explained convincingly (although there is no 'duty to inform'), and above all should have a clear overall opinion, argued reasonably, if subjectively. A 'blog' is intended to present a set of your personal ideas in a lively entertaining way to a general, undefined audience - who you want to hook by your interesting, even provocative, opinions and experiences, so again, you don't have to be fair or objective
Format and Approach discussed
This text type is really a journalistic form, which aims to combine objective information with subjective opinion. The (dominant) element of 'opinion' should involve analysis and evaluation – while the journalism context usually demands that the overall impact should be interesting and entertaining. A review is not the same thing as a commentary (which implies an academic context).
Basic Format
- Headline / title
- Sub-headline, summarising
- Byline (author, date, location)
- Short paragraphs (possibly)
- Sub-headings (possibly)
Approach
> 'address' - lively, direct communication that will interest the audience. [This is likely to involve a semi-formal register (for clarity and concise explanation) with dashes of informality to convey the personal tone + vivid comment / rhetoric.]
> 'Angle' – the script has a clear overall point of view / attitude, and this informs the structure of the argument
Materials & models
> On writing reviews ... This page provides three models of reviews (of restaurants and a hotel) with guidelines about what to include and how to structure the text
> Roast Beef, reviewed ... model restaurant review, with worksheet that concentrates on point of view + use of details & vocabulary & phrasing ... should lead on to students writing about their home culture food
> Eat Pray Love, balanced ... example of a film review which aims to be 'fair': to cover both the good and the bad features - analysed + worksheet + checklist of possible elements
> Eat Pray Love, critical ... example of a film review which aims to take a definite point of view, in this case case markedly critical ... also primarily useful for analysing and exploring the use of irony
> Film review, student's ... example of actual student writing, with strengths and weaknesses ... the page also analyses a range of different approaches to the 'review' text type
Suggested 'new style' exam tasks
The following are possible adaptations of some of the 'old style' tasks listed below. Each provides three optional text types, arranged in the order of (i) appropriate; (ii) generally appropriate; (iii) inappropriate - if you use them, clearly, you should randomise the choices.
Two versions are presented: one for HL, with three required elements, and one for SL, with two required elements.
(HL) You have recently seen a creative work of art about which you have mixed feelings - some elements were impressive, and some elements were weak. You think it is worthwhile for everybody to see this work, but you want to make clear that your recommendation is mixed. Write a text in which you describe the work in general terms, analyse both the strong and the weak elements, with the reasons for your judgements, and then state your overall judgement of the work.
(i) Review .... (ii) Blog .... (iii) Diary (private)
(SL) You have recently seen a creative work of art about which you have mixed feelings - some elements were impressive, and some elements were weak. You think it is worthwhile for everybody to see this work, but you want to make clear that your recommendation is mixed. Write a text in which you describe the work in general terms, and explain both the strong and the weak elements, with the reasons for your judgements.
(i) Review .... (ii) Blog .... (iii) Diary (private)
*******
(HL) You recently watched a documentary that you thought was both entertaining and informative. You think that it is a model of what a good documentary should be. Write a text which describes the documentary in general terms, explains specifically how it was both entertaining and informative, and argue why this shows how documentaries should be made.
(i) Review .... (ii) Article .... (iii) Email
(SL) You recently watched a documentary that you thought was both entertaining and informative. You think that it is a model of what a good documentary should be. Write a text which describes the documentary in general terms, and explains specifically how it was both entertaining and informative.
(i) Review .... (ii) Article .... (iii) Email
Recent exam tasks ('old' style)
Your school organized an art exhibition for the works of the IB visual arts students. You visited the exhibition and were impressed by the variety and quality of the works presented. Write a review of this exhibition to be published in your school magazine. (HL M13)
Your school hosted a Culture Day in which students from different cultures celebrated their customs, cultural practices and/or traditions. Write a review of the event to be published in your school newspaper. (HL M14)
Your school recently organized a social event where international students cooked and presented samples of food from their countries. You found the range of the dishes impressive and the information about them interesting. Using both of these aspects, write a review of the event to be published in your school magazine. (HL N14)
You recently attended a fundraising concert at your school at which a former student, now a famous musician, took part. Write a review of the event to be published in your school newspaper. (HL N16)
You recently watched a documentary that you thought was both entertaining and informative. As a junior reporter for your local newspaper, write a review of this documentary describing it and explaining how it was both entertaining and informative. (HL M17)
You recently watched a film that starred your favourite actor. Unfortunately, the performance of this actor was unsatisfactory. Write a review of the film for your school magazine, describing the film and the reasons for your disappointment. (SL N18)
A gamers’ website has asked readers to send reviews of new video games. Write a review of a video game that you have recently played giving your views about it and stating who might find it most appealing and why. (SL M19)