Book Report / 159STEP 1: Prewriting—Narrowing the Topic
Complete a careful, complete reading of the book, making notes as you read. Notes
may include important names, dates, incidents, and significant ideas, as well as a
notation of the page numbers on which you find those incidents and ideas intro-
duced. Take note of significant passages that may be useful for supporting detail in
the book report.
When you’ve finished reading, sort through your notes for subject-matter ideas. A
subject-matter idea is one directly related to the subject of the class for which you
are preparing the report. Check the two or three most important subject-matter
ideas. These will be the ideas on which your report will focus.
For example, after reading a work of fiction, The Clan of the Cave Bear, for a science
class, a writer checked the two following subject-matter ideas as most important:
Biology of prehistoric plants and animals
Fictionalized representation of the theory of evolutionNote that the preceding subject-matter ideas relate directly to the science class for
which the writer is preparing the book report. Selecting these subject-matter ideas
determines the emphasis of the report.
STEP 2: Prewriting—Selecting Details
Think about the book’s two or three subject-matter ideas listed in Step 1. List three
or four details that explain the book’s contribution to that subject matter. Remember
to direct your choices toward the content of the class for which you are preparing
the report.
For instance, the writer can support the subject-matter ideas listed in Step 1 with the
following details:
-^ Biology of prehistoric plants and animals:
Life at edge of glacier
Animals such as woolly mammoth, cave bear, horses
Medicinal and edible plants
-^ Fictionalized representation of the theory of evolution:
Neanderthal people’s characteristics
Destiny of Neanderthal
Cro-Magnon’s characteristics
Complete your own list of details. This list will serve as a scratch outline for the body
of your book report. [See Chapter 31, Outlines, For a Paper.]