Article Review: Student Guidelines for an A+ Paper

This guideline is about how to write an article review, pointing out what students should do to produce high-standard texts, such as preparing themselves, setting a particular stage, and perfecting documents by revising and editing words, sentences, and paragraphs to eliminate grammatical and formatting flaws and logical inconsistencies. Basically, an article review presents a constructive analysis of a specific literature. In this case, scholars use summary, classification, investigation, and appraisal when reviewing scholarly sources. Moreover, such papers help people to identify knowledge gaps in a source and recommend new research areas. In turn, target groups are experts in specific fields, novice researchers, and decision-makers. Other vital information includes a sample outline and an example of an article review paper, some dos and don’ts, and essential tips for writing this type of text. Therefore, reading this guideline prepares one to write an outstanding article review paper that meets unique instructor’s expectations and satisfies standard rules of academic writing.

General Aspects

Students are individually responsible for excellent academic performance. Anyone in college must develop a mindset that promotes this noble goal. Writing is an activity that helps individuals in a learning institution to convert ideas into text, enhancing intellectual creativity. There are various types of papers that students write as part of ongoing or end-year assessments. Writing different types of essays also requires people to review and apply what they have learned in class or private study to produce a logical document. Therefore, individuals must always endeavor to learn more because no one knows when such knowledge may prove valuable. As such, this article outlines essential details that college students need read, comprehend, and utilize when writing an article review paper. As a result, reading this guideline equips one with valid knowledge that proves fundamental when writing this type of academic text.

What Is an Article Review and Its Purpose

According to its definition, an article review is a document that examines a specific literary or scholarly text and summarizes it by addressing the most critical elements, such as a particular topic, its background, and its relevance. Ideally, scholars review articles to address specific issues that stand out, such as author’s controversial or erroneous arguments (Deetjen, 2020). In this case, the main purpose of writing an article review is to assess an overall validity, quality, and significance of a source’s content, including its methodology, arguments, and conclusions. Further on, students may need to start writing this type of paper to demonstrate critical thinking because such a task requires one to state what is in an observed text and evaluate it and its significance. Therefore, when reviewing an article, it means one must use intellectual creativity to interrogate author’s ideas and presume a primary intention (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). However, an article review differs from academic texts, like argumentative essays, research proposals or papers, and reports, because students use an author’s content as subject material. In terms of pages and words, the length of an article review depends on academic levels and specific requirements, while general writing guidelines are:

Format

Note: Some sections of an article review can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, and their lengths depend on specific assignment guidelines or instructor requirements. For example, a basic structure of a review article typically includes an introduction, a summary of a reading being reviewed, an analysis and evaluation of its content, and a conclusion (Balon, 2022). As such, an article review includes a summary of a specific source’s content along with a critical analysis and evaluation, while a summary only provides a concise overview of main points. Moreover, an article review critically evaluates and analyzes an existing piece of writing, while research involves conducting original studies to generate new knowledge or insights. In turn, to start an article review, people begin by introducing a unique source’s title, author, and a brief overview of its main purpose or thesis (Deetjen, 2020). While anyone with sufficient knowledge of a subject matter can write an article review, it is best to rely on someone with expertise in a field to ensure a thorough and accurate critique. Thus, writing an article review is worth it as this exercise enhances critical thinking, deepens understanding of a subject matter, and contributes to academic and professional discourse.

Structure Features

One reason why an article review differs from other scholarly texts is its set of unique features. Basically, to write an article review, people summarize a specific source’s key points, critically analyze its content, and evaluate its significance and contributions to a particular field while providing evidence and examples (Erol, 2021). As such, the first feature is that it is based on an existing document. While scholars begin other academic texts, like essays from scratch, students start writing their papers by reviewing an assigned source, or they search for it on their own. Then, the second feature is a summary since writers focus on reading an assigned reading and highlighting essential details, like its topic, thesis statement, and central ideas (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). The third unique feature is evaluation, while a primary purpose of an article review is not to report what an entire text says but to evaluate its content from a writer’s perspective. In this case, people must know a specific topical area to assess a given source for analysis. The fourth and most critical feature is significance because such a paper must communicate an actual relevance of a whole text. In turn, students must incorporate all these four elements when writing such a paper.

Formatting Examples of Sources

Because an article review is a scholarly document, students must incorporate citations to indicate ideas they have borrowed from other scholars. There are four primary formatting styles: APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian (Pears & Shields, 2022). Each style has unique features that make it distinct, although some of them have several similarities. When writing such a paper, students have to adopt a particular style their instructor explicitly specified. However, without such specifications, one needs to choose a style they have used before because they grasp unique elements that a given text should emphasize (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). These elements must appear in all formatting styles and include an author’s name, a source’s title, a date or year of publication, and a publisher’s name. All headings are in a title case for level one, two, and three headings across all the styles.

📕 APA (American Psychological Association) Formatting Style

APA format is among the most common formatting styles for most academic texts. When using this style, students should focus on three aspects: an outline, in-text citations, and References. In this case, a particular outline is an overall appearance of a document. Although most academic texts have a three-part outline (introduction, body, conclusion), writers use headings and subheadings to organize their work logically. Rules for APA headings require students to bold and center first-level headings, bold and flush left second-level headings, and bold, italicize, and flush left third-level headings (American Psychological Association, 2019). In-text citations must capture an author’s surname, year of publication, and paragraph or page number. Essential writing details for entries in a References page are an author’s surname, publication year in brackets, source’s title italicized in sentence case, and a publisher. The following examples for a review show APA References entries and corresponding in-text citations:

📕 MLA (Modern Language Association) Formatting Style

Students should focus on the most critical features when adopting MLA format to write an article review. They are an outline, in-text citations, and Works Cited. Concerning MLA format heading, writers ensure a first level is in a title case, bolded, and flushed left; a second heading is in a title case, bolded, italicized, and flushed left; and a third heading is bolded and centered in a title case (Modern Language Association of America, 2021). For in-text citations, students need to capture an author’s name and a paragraph or page number. However, for entries on a Works Cited page, one should provide more writing details, including an author’s name, an source’s title in a title case, a publisher in italics, and a publication year. The following examples for a review show Works Cited entries for various sources:

📕 Harvard Formatting Style

Harvard format resembles APA style rules in some aspects. When using this style, people should focus on an outline, in-text citations, and a References List. Regarding an outline, writers bold and center first-level headings and write it in a title case. They need to equally bold second-level headings and write them in a title case but flush it left (Pears & Shields, 2022). Lastly, students need to indent and bold third-level headings but write them in sentence case. Moreover, they must begin writing after a period. In-text citations should have a name of an author, a publication year, and a page or paragraph number. Finally, essential details for entries in a References List are an author’s name, a publication year, a source, and a publisher. Such entries for a paper should appear differently for various sources as follows:

📕 Chicago/Turabian Formatting Style

Chicago/Turabian format is similar to MLA style in some aspects. When writing an article review, students should focus on an outline, in-text citations, and a Bibliography. Regarding an outline, they must center and bold first-level headings and write them in a title case. They also center and write second-level headings in a title case without a boldface format (The University of Chicago Press, 2017). Finally, writers bold and flush left third-level headings and ensure they are in a title case. In-text citations must appear in footnotes, while the most critical writing elements for Bibliography entries are an author’s name, a source’s title, a publisher, and a publication year. These entries for a paper should read as follows for various sources:

Types

Article reviews come in different forms precisely because different sources are emerging across multiple platforms daily. Basically, these common platforms include the Web, online publications, news outlets, and online databases. Moreover, the three main types of review articles are narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses (Deetjen, 2020). Therefore, when evaluating an article, students should consider a specific platform upon which this piece of writing exists because such details must appear when formatting an entire paper.

Topic Examples

Based on the preceding sections, students can review articles from various platforms. The most important thing to note is that each platform specializes in a particular discipline, such as sociology or political science. Typically, instructors specify an assigned article students should review (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). However, they may sometimes choose reading materials themselves. The following are possible examples of topics for writing an article review paper that students can choose because they are based on articles.

• Review a research article, “Sex Differences Across Developmental Domains in Children With a Familial Risk of Severe Mental Disorders,” authored by Birgitte Klee Burton and colleagues, and explain an actual significance of a life continuum.
• What does Daniel Warton see as a real problem in American Politics in “‘Ripe for Political Violence’: US Election Officials Are Quitting at an Alarming Rate.”
• What does Chika Anekwe prescribe for physical fitness in “Can Fitness Counter Fatness.”
• What is Medha Mehta’s main message in “Hard Work Is the Key to Success…Or Is It Not.”
• Write an article review for “Administrators and Accountability: The Plurality of Value Systems in the Public Domain” by Udo Pesch.

Outline Template

Article Review Example

Steps on How to Write an Article Review Paper

Academic activities can be time-consuming and mentally challenging. While the former is easy to manage because one can be flexible, the latter is complicated and has little room for maneuver. Writing falls in this latter category because producing an appraisal paper is a complex process requiring students to grasp technical details. For example, to write an article review from the beginning, people start by thoroughly reading an assigned text, taking detailed notes, and then drafting an introduction that presents a source’s title, author, and main thesis (Deetjen, 2020). Notably, from times when an instructor tells students they need to write this type of text to when they submit completed work, several things must happen to ensure a final product is of high standard. Some technical details one should focus on fall within four stages of writing: preparation, stage set-up, actual writing, and wrap-up. While some steps are simple, others are complex and require students’ utmost focus.

Tips

Based on the preceding sections, writing an article review paper is complex and technical. As such, students need to learn how to simplify an entire process because writing this type of text is a norm in college education (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). Generally, students should choose a source of interest that is less complicated in terms of language, identify and summarize central ideas of a text, appraise and critique its content, and comment on a reading’s significance for a specific area of study.

10 Things to Do

1. choose a well-defined topic,
2. thoroughly search existing literature to find a right article,
3. create an outline,
4. develop a thesis,
5. formulate topic sentences,
6. extract information (evidence) from a text (quotes),
7. evaluate obtained information,
8. write a first draft,
9. perfect a draft to create a final paper,
10. proofread a final document.

10 Not to Do Things

1. do not choose an easy topic,
2. do not pick readings that are not academically stimulating,
3. do not skip writing an outline,
4. do not generate ideas not backed by evidence,
5. do not assume what an author says,
6. do not be rigid in accommodating new ideas,
7. do not consider sources that are not scholarly,
8. do not simply summarize an article,
9. do not ignore formatting rules,
10. do not write using informal language.

What to Include

Common Mistakes

• Lack of Summary: Failing to provide a concise summary of an article under review can leave readers unclear about its content.
• Biased Evaluation: Allowing personal opinions to overgeneralize an objective analysis can compromise a review’s credibility.
• Ignoring an Author’s Intent: Misunderstanding or ignoring an author’s main argument or purpose can lead to writing an inaccurate critique.
• Insufficient Evidence: Not supporting criticisms or praises with specific examples from a reading can weaken a review’s validity.
• Overlooking Structure: Neglecting to follow a clear, logical structure can make a paper difficult to follow.
• Lack of Depth: Providing an overgeneralized analysis without mentioning content’s complexities can result in writing an empty review.
• Overemphasis on Negatives: Focusing only on author’s flaws without acknowledging its strengths can result in a one-sided perspective.
• Poor Grammar and Style: Using incorrect grammar or a disorganized writing style can detract from a review’s professionalism and readability.
• Inadequate Conclusion: Failing to summarize key points and provide final thoughts can make an overall review incomplete.
• Ignoring Context: Not considering a unique article’s context within its field can lead to a narrow or misinformed critique.

Summing Up

An article review analyzes specific literature and targets experts in particular fields, novice researchers, and decision-makers. Basically, such papers should have a unique writing structure that helps to communicate important concepts. In this case, an acceptable structure of article reviews contains a compelling title, introduction, relevant body paragraphs, conclusion, and references. As a result, students should learn essential tips for producing a high-standard paper:

• A first tip is to choose a unique topic one has studied in class or private study. Doing so helps in idea generation because students have previous knowledge in their heads.
• A second tip is to choose a specific reading one can support using scholarly sources. In writing, the best approach is to focus on online publications and databases because they contain scholarly articles.
• A third tip is to follow a standard outline: introduction, body, and conclusion.
• A fourth tip is to generate ideas using evidence from a source under examination. One must understand that an article review can be done without creating new knowledge.
• A fifth tip is to consult widely through research to ensure a particular content is intellectually engaging.
• Other tips include incorporating expert opinion into body paragraphs, creating logical sentences, correcting grammatical and formatting errors, and eliminating an illogical flow of ideas and thoughts.

References

American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).

Balon, R. (2022). What is a review article and what are its purpose, attributes, and goal(s). Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 91(3), 152–155. https://doi.org/10.1159/000522385

Booth, A., Sutton, A., Clowes, M., & Martyn-St James, M. (2022). Systematic approaches to a successful literature review. SAGE Publications.

Deetjen, T. A. (2020). Published: A guide to literature review, outlining, experimenting, visualization, writing, editing, and peer review for your first scientific journal article. Productive Academic.

Dhillon, P. (2022). How to write a good scientific review article. The FEBS Journal, 289(13), 3592–3602. https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.16565

Erol, A. (2021). Basics of writing review articles. Archives of Neuropsychiatry, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.29399/npa.28093

Hopkins, D., & Reid, T. (2024). The academic skills handbook: Your guide to success in writing, thinking and communicating at university. SAGE Publications.

Modern Language Association of America. (2021). MLA Handbook (9th ed.).

Pears, R., & Shields, G. J. (2022). Cite them right: The essential referencing guide (12th ed.). A&C Black.

The University of Chicago Press. (2017). The Chicago manual of style (18th ed.).