Q Forensic Linguistics Book review assignment A book review is a thoughtful discussion of a text's contents, strengths, and limitations. A book review should reflect your ability to read critically and to evaluate the author's arguments and evidence. Compose your review as you would any essay, with an argument supported by evidence, and a clear, logical structure. Initial Steps: 1. Read the book carefully, taking notes on material that you think may be relevant or quotable and on your impressions of the author's ideas and arguments. 2. Determine the author's principal argument, the chief ideas of the text, the kinds of evidence used, and the way in which the author uses them. Organizing the Review 1. All reviews begin with bibliographic information: the author's name, the book's full title, place of publication, publisher, edition, date, pagination, and cost, if known. 2. In no more than two paragraphs, introduce the book. Give your initial appraisal of the work, including your key observation on the text. This key observation will be your thesis. Try not to begin with a flat statement such as "This book is interesting." Begin with an anecdote, a challenging quotation, or a key observation. 3. Follow with descriptive analysis and evaluation of the text. a. clearly set out the author's purpose in writing the book, and whether or not you think the author has succeeded. b. describe the author's arguments and the themes of the book, and give your appraisal of their validity and effectiveness. c. describe the data and evidence the author uses to prove his case, and evaluate their appropriateness and sufficiency. What are the author's sources? Should the author have used more, or different, sources? d. Comment on the author's organization and writing style. • Is the book well-organized? Are all parts of the book equally well reasoned and developed? • Is the book well written, or is it in some way repetitive, obscure, or confusing? • To whom would the book appeal? What audience did the author intend? • When was the work written? How relevant is it today? 4. Conclude. Here you may make more general remarks about the text and the ideas presented in it. If you have not already done so, indicate whether you feel the book is worthwhile, and for what audience. Is the book outstanding? Will it make a lasting contribution to its field, or is it less satisfactory? Pick one book from the list below to review. I picked four books that all talk about language and the law, but on very different topics. They are also written in different styles, so you may want to read a page or two of each book to see which one you want to pick and review. Your review should be at least 4 pages (double-space; 12 point font) Below are the links you can use to download these books. If you are off campus, you will need to log in with your library barcode which can be found on the back of your ID card. It should start with 214. If you have problems, please let me know or call the staff at the circulation desk for help: 212-220-1451. One note: The Language of Murder Cases and Speak English or What only allow three users at the same time because of restrictions placed by books’ publisher. If you go into these links and have a problem, please try again at a different time because it may be that three other students are reading the book at that moment. How the police generate false confession and White by law allow for unlimited users. Title: Language of Murder Cases: Intentionality, Predisposition, and Voluntariness Author: Roger Shuy URL: https://bmcc.ezproxy.cuny.edu/login?url=https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bmcc/detail.action?docID=1647173 Title: How the Police Generate False Confessions: An Inside Look at the Interrogation Room Author: Trainum URL: https://bmcc.ezproxy.cuny.edu/login?url=https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bmcc/detail.action?docID=4503936 Title: Speak English or What?: Codeswitching and Interpreter Use in New York Small Claims Court Author: Philipp Angermeyer URL: https://bmcc.ezproxy.cuny.edu/login?url=https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bmcc/detail.action?docID=3056473 Title: White by Law: The Legal Construction of Race Author: Haney Lopez https://bmcc.ezproxy.cuny.edu/login?url=http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=da1d3dfa-af57-49b4-b6b8-aa3c9b8c7ccd%40sdc-v-sessmgr03&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=1312&db=nlebk