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A book report is a specific kind of report that the student writes after reading a book. It is different from a book review and is less detailed than it. It is a short explanation or summary of the content of a book and informs the readers about the main theme and central storyline of the chosen book.
Unlike a book review that is longer and more detailed, the purpose of writing a book report is to summarize what happened in the story. It should contain an overview of why you chose this specific novel, along with your thoughts about how it might have been improved or changed if given different circumstances.
However, no matter how simple it may seem, students often find it difficult when it comes to writing a report. Keep on reading the blog to know how to come up with a strong and effective report.
A book report is an informative piece of writing that summarizes the book and presents some brief analysis of its main elements like plot, setting, characters, tone, and background of the story.
This could be either fiction books or nonfiction, so there are many ways of presenting this information depending on your personal preferences.
Some course instructors may ask students to add relevant themes of the book and plot elements into their reports. But on a very basic level, a book report is an extremely simple form of a book review.
How does book report writing benefit you? Writing reports help students to improve their analytical and communication skills. Besides, they also practice expressing their thoughts and ideas about the different aspects of the book they read.
‘How is a book report different from a book review?’
Book reports and book reviews look similar. However, a book review requires in-depth analysis as compared to a report.
Both of them share some common traits, but we will discuss them later. We will discuss the differences before moving to the similarities. Since many students are confused between these two, it is important to discuss the differences first.
Here are some key factors that make them different from each other.
| Book Report vs. Book Review - Main Differences |
| Word Count & Length |
| A book report should be between 200-250 words. An in-depth book review could be up to 1000+ words and will depend on the complexity of the literature being reviewed. |
| Academic Level |
| A book report is an assignment for K-12 students. A review, on the other hand, would be more appropriate for college-level work. |
| Structure & Format |
| You will discuss the same things in both of them. These things include the author, plot and setting, the book, its place of publication, main characters, themes, plot, and genre. |
| Aim & Message |
| The report discusses the book’s key factors like the book’s plot, characters, major themes, motifs, and summary. A book review is different as it includes the writer’s personal opinion also. |
A book report is similar to a summary and can be used interchangeably. In contrast, a review requires you to analyze the contents of the material in order for your readership to know about it better.
You will need to examine its contents, understand what's going on with the plotline or main message of this piece--whether or not if the author has managed to communicate his thoughts well enough.
You will analyze both strong and weak points before giving an opinionated conclusion.
Here are the things that are added in both a book report and a book review.
Due to the similarities, many students think that both of these are the same. It is wrong and could cost you your grade.
You should take care of some important things when writing a book report. If the essay is not what your instructor wanted, then it will get you no good grades. It will be no more than a waste of time.
Planning ahead from the beginning can help ensure success. Therefore, make sure that you plan your report before you start writing it.
Here are the pre-writing steps that are essential for a successful report.
Starting a writing or other project is more important than completing it. After all, how will you be able to complete and submit a good book report without starting one? The steps involved at the beginning of your paper are different from those needed for formatting the essay later on.
The preliminary steps help keep you focused so that even if your motivation starts waning near the end, you will know what's left undone.
Below are the steps involved in starting your book report:
1. Pick the Book Carefully
Picking the right book is a crucial part of your writing process. Some teachers assign you books, and there's nothing you can do about it. However, if given a choice to pick out any type of novel for yourself, choose the one that suits your interests the best.
Everyone has different preferences regarding what types of novels they like reading, so make sure you choose the one that interests you.
2. Read the Book Properly
You cannot write a good and A-grade worthy report without reading it. Many students think that reading the summary, notes, and details online is enough, but this is not the right way of doing it.
Reading is important because otherwise, you will not be able to get to the depth of the story, which is necessary for writing the report.
3. Note Down Important Points
When reading the book, note down all the important points and incidences in your notebook. No other method is as useful as the good old paper and pen method. Make notes and keep them with you for quick reference.
4. Gather the Important and Relevant Quotes
Relevant and strong quotations from the book will add weightage to your book report and help you give your point of view in a better manner. Gather the quotes that are relevant to your report’s theme and idea.
These will also help you when you write your personal evaluation, as you could add them to prove your point and analysis.
5. Create the Outline for your Book Report
An outline is important for a good and strong book report. When making the outline, make sure that you add all the important points to it. An outline helps the writer stay organized and focused on the points and content that he is working on.
6. Write your Book Report
After you have completed all the steps above, start writing your book report. Stay focused on the points and quotes that you have gathered and follow the outline closely. Usually, it includes both basic information of the book and its complete analysis.
How to write a report for college and high school levels? Follow the same steps because the outline and format stay the same; only the book and the added details will be different.
A book report format is different from a book review, and when writing one, as a writer, you should make sure that you follow the right format.
Studying the format and working according to it is important if you do not want to waste your time and effort.
Follow the steps below to learn the basic book report format and how to draw an outline according to it.
A general book report format looks like this.
Following this format will make sure that you write a great report every time and earn an ‘A’ grade easily.
A book report outline includes everything from the introduction to details of different main aspects and opinions of the book. An outline is an important part of the writing process. It shapes your work and helps you stay focused.
Here are the things you must consider and take care of when making the outline for your book report.
‘How to write a book report introduction?’
The introductory paragraph should be about what you found interesting about the book. It could be facts that are not common knowledge, which is why you chose to read it.
Here are some examples that you can use to make your book report’s introduction interesting.
Since book reports could be personal also, it is okay to state any personal reasons you have for choosing the book.
In the body of your report, tell what the book is about. This shows that you have read and understood it perfectly. Here are the things that you should add in the body paragraphs.
Your final paragraph is the perfect opportunity to express your thoughts about the book. It's time for you, as an avid reader and critic of literature, to give your honest opinion of this work.
In what ways does it succeed? What are its weaknesses? Does it provoke any thoughts or emotions in you - did reading this make you laugh or cry while also teaching something new that expands your understanding?
Your readers want to know if they should read this book or not, give them the right reasons.
Always revise your report before handing it in. You have a chance to fix the things such as getting the quotes right or making sure that the statements are clear. After formatting as per your instructor's guidelines, make any necessary changes before handing in your work.
Creating a book report outline before writing the report is necessary and important. It helps you in staying organized and completing your report on time.
Follow these steps to write a book report for high school:
Here is a college book report template that will help you format and write your report.
Example: “The book “The Big Sleep” written by Raymond Chandler and published in 1988 (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) is a detective book. It talks about the deteriorating morals of the society, as a side effect of capitalism or consumer culture.”
Example: The narrative is set in the 1930s, when LA was a dark and treacherous city full of rain-soaked crime. Detective Philip Marlowe becomes connected to a wealthy family who has been keeping some pretty big secrets from him. He meets the Sternwood sisters and uncovers the dark secrets of the family.
Example: Marlowe's adventures with the Sternwood family start when he is invited to solve Vivian and Carmen’s case. Marlowe realizes that it was actually Carmen who killed her missing relative, while Vivian covered up her crime. Her attempt on his life fails miserably due to an expertly anticipated move by Marlowe.
Writing a book report on a work of fiction is easier than writing one on a nonfiction book. But what if you have to write a report on a nonfiction book? You can do some simple things that will help you write the report and maybe even make it fun.
Here are the important steps to write an engaging nonfiction book report.
Writing a nonfiction book report could be challenging. You will have to stick to factual details and will have less freedom to express your views. Following these steps will help you do it easily.
No time to read the book? Here are the steps to write a book report without reading the entire book.
1. Consult a Summary Website - A number of websites do the reading for you. You can check and consult some of those websites and read the summaries and text analyses given by them.
2. Stick to Significant Details Only - Instead of trying to add everything in your report, stick to important details only. Choose 2 to 3 important details and talk about them.
3. Work with a Writing Service - Working with a writing service is a smart and effective way of submitting your report on time. Choose a professional writing service and work with it.
4. Try to Discuss a Different Angle - Try to find out what your peers are working on and discuss a different angle. How will you stand out if you have discussed the same things as your classmates? Be unique and add an extraordinary angle to your report.
Though writing a book report without reading the book is hard, you can do it by following the above steps.
Students studying at different levels have different skills and ability levels. Here is how they can write book reports for their respective academic levels.
The following are some book report templates that you can use for your primary or elementary school.
Here are the templates that you can use to write your middle school book report.
Before heading towards the writing process of your book report, it is a good idea to have a look at some of the book report examples.
Basic ideas include presenting your narrative and analysis in simple written and file form, while more creative ideas include a fun element.
Here are some creative and artistic book report ideas you can choose from.
Some notable books to choose from for your book report writing assignment are mentioned below:
Good and well-written book reports introduce the book and explain its main themes and points briefly. There is a fine line between giving just enough details and giving away the entire book, and a good report maintains this distinction.
Working with a top essay writer service will help you understand this difference and compose a great report easily. If you are still not sure about how to write a book report that will help you earn an A, then you should consider taking help from a professional essay writer.
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A book report often contains different sections that describe the setting, main characters, and key themes of the story. A common type is an expository one which details what happened in detail or discusses how people feel about it.
No, a summary is more detailed than a book report. A book report is usually based on a short summary of the book, while a standalone summary is more detailed and could have headings, subheadings, and supporting quotes.
The book report is a typical assignment in middle and high school, usually with one introduction, three body, and one conclusion paragraph.
The number of paragraphs could vary depending on the academic level, with an expert or professional book report having more than three body paragraphs.
It should not exceed two double-spaced pages, be between 600 and 800 words in length. Your book report is a written reflection on the content of a novel or work of nonfiction.
Sum up your thesis statement and remind the readers of the important points, one final time. Do not add any new ideas or themes here and try to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
WRITTEN BY
Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)
Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.
Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.
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