160 / Types of Writing
STEP 3: Prewriting—Checking the Author
Check to see whether the author has written other books, noting especially those
of similar subject matter. (Note: The book itself usually lists the author’s previous
books, but you may need to check online or review the library’s catalog.) If the
author has written additional books, is the book for your report the most recent or
one of the earlier books? Making note of earlier or later books by the same author
lends perspective to your report.
Next, check the author’s background and make note of anything that particularly
relates to this book’s subject matter.
STEP 4: Prewriting—Organizing the Overall Plan
The book report usually reflects a simple pattern of organization. Use the following
plan:
Introduction. The introduction includes the basic information: the book’s title,
author, and topic or theme. In a work of fiction, the introduction may also identify
major characters and setting.
If the author has written other books of a similar nature, include that notation
either here or in the concluding paragraph. Likewise, either here or in the conclu-
sion, include a sentence or two about any pertinent details regarding the author’s
background.
Body Paragraphs. A book report usually includes three or four body paragraphs.
The first body paragraph is a synopsis of the book, organized in the same order as
the book itself. [See Chapter 39, Synopsis, for an example and explanation of the pro-
cess for developing the summary.]
The next two or three body paragraphs explain the two or three topics you listed in
steps 1 and 2. Develop a separate paragraph for each, using incidents, examples, and
supporting quotations from the book. These paragraphs will probably be organized
in order of importance. [See order of importance in the Glossary.]
When writing book reports, inexperienced writers tend to summarize
the book. Instead, you should write only a short synopsis. The bulk of your report
should explain the two or three subject-matter ideas selected in steps 1 and 2. The
synopsis is only about one-fifth of an effective book report.