How to Write an Article Review: Format, Outline & Tips

Eric Stelee
Apr 15, 2024
Article Review

Are you scratching your head over your article review assignment? Don't worry! You've found the perfect solution. In this guide, our article review writing service will simplify everything for you and equip you with the tools to tackle it confidently. With our expert tips, handy outline template, and formatting guidance, you'll have everything you need to succeed without any extra hassle!

What is an Article Review?

Before you start writing an article review, it's essential to understand its definition and purpose. While you may be familiar with reviews of books or movies, an academic article review essay serves a different function. Unlike casual opinions, scholarly reviews provide an engaged response to scholarly ideas backed by reasoned analysis and evidence.

Writing article reviews allow university students to demonstrate their grasp of a scholarly topic, engage with theories and research in their field, and contribute their own analytical insights. By critiquing existing knowledge, critiques add to the scholarly discourse and refine their understanding of the subject matter.

As a reviewer, you're expected to draw on a broad knowledge of the content area. Article reviews involve summarizing and evaluating one or more articles, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and examining their contributions to the field of knowledge.

There are two main types of review articles: literature reviews and systematic reviews. Literature reviews summarize prior publications deemed relevant to the topic, while systematic reviews apply objective criteria to identify and compare previously published experimental papers. Both forms of review contribute to synthesizing and advancing knowledge in their respective fields.

How to Start an Article Review?

To start your article review, begin by reading the article carefully to figure out what it's mainly about. Look for important words or ideas that help organize the information and jot them down. These words will come in handy when you're summarizing the main points for your reader.

Once you've read through it, go over the article again (maybe a few times) to understand the arguments it makes about those key terms. Academic articles add to ongoing discussions in their fields, so it's important to see how the article backs up its ideas and interacts with other research.

Think about what you already know about the topic from your readings or class talks. Does the article match up with what you've learned, or does it offer a different perspective? Does it mention other research, and does it agree or disagree with it? Decide if the article brings something new to the table or if it's just repeating what's already been said.

This is how you start looking at the article critically. You can compare its ideas with what you've seen before and judge how much it adds to what's known about the topic. By thinking about these things, you can give your readers a detailed and thoughtful review. And, if writing feels overwhelming right now, don't hesitate to ask us - do my term paper while you focus on your other assignments.

Article Review Format

The way you format your article review depends on the citation style your professor wants you to use. This style will be mentioned in your assignment instructions. So, before you start writing, make sure you know which style to use. Meanwhile, here are two of the most commonly assigned formats.

APA Format Article Review

When writing an article review in APA style, you'll likely use articles from journals, websites, and newspapers. For each source, you need to create properly formatted bibliographical entries. Here's how to do it:

For journal articles: Author's last name, First and middle initial. (Year of Publication). Publication Title. Periodical Title, Volume(Issue), pages.

For websites: Last name, initials. (Date of Publication). Title. Retrieved from {link}.

For newspaper articles: Last name, initials. (Date of Publication). Title. Newspaper Title, pages.

MLA Format Article Review

In an article review following MLA format, here's a breakdown of how to cite different sources:

For journal articles: Last name, First name, Middle initial. "Title." Journal Title Series Volume. Issue (Year of Publication): Page(s). Database Name. Web. Date Accessed.

For websites: Last, First M. "Title." Website Title. Publisher, Date Published. Web. Date Accessed.

For newspaper articles: Last, First M. "Title." Newspaper Title [City] Date of Publication: Page(s). Print.

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Article Review Outline

When you're writing an article review, it's important to have a clear plan to keep everything organized. Here's a simple breakdown of what your review outline should include:

Title Page:

  • Write a short title with no more than 50 characters.
  • Use the font Cambria for headings, size 12, and align it to the left.
  • Don't forget to add the running head and page numbers in the header.

Introduction:

  • Give a quick overview of the article's background and why it's important.
  • Clearly explain what your review will cover and why it matters to the field.
  • Outline the main points you'll discuss in your review.

Body:

  • Talk about how the study was done, including what methods were used to collect and analyze data.
  • Share the main findings of the study and what they mean.
  • Explain how these findings fit into what we already know from other research.
  • Look closely at the study's strengths and weaknesses, including any possible problems with how it was done.

Conclusion:

  • Sum up the most important findings of the study and why they matter.
  • Think about what this study adds to our understanding of the topic and how it might be useful in the future.
  • Suggest ideas for more research that could build on what this study found.

References:

  • List all the sources you mentioned in your review, following the right citation style, such as APA or MLA.
  • Make sure your citations are accurate and consistent, including all the right details like authors' names, titles, and where the work was published.

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Article Review Title

Creating a good title for your article review is very important as it's what grabs people's attention and makes your review easy to find online. A good title should give a quick summary of what your review is about and include words that people might use when searching for that topic. It should also give a hint about what interesting things you found in the review. Titles that mention the main findings or ask interesting questions can really make people want to read more.

For instance, if you're writing a food research paper review and your target audience comprises food scientists or researchers, using technical terms such as 'lipid oxidation,' 'maillard reaction,' or 'sensorial analysis' would be appropriate. These terms are familiar to professionals in the food science industry and would make your review more engaging and relevant to them.

Article Review Introduction

The introduction of an article review gives a big picture of what's going on in the research world and where the reviewed study fits in. Often, it talks about what other studies the same researchers have done before and how this new study connects to those. The introduction relies a lot on other research papers to back up its points and show where this study fits into the bigger picture.

Also, the introduction helps readers understand why the study is important. It points out what questions the study is trying to answer and what gaps in knowledge it's filling. This helps set the stage for the rest of the review. It also explains why the study was done the way it was and what the researchers hoped to find out. So basically, the introduction lays down the groundwork for the whole review, making sure readers understand the research journey ahead and why it's worth exploring.

Article Review Body

The body of the article review goes beyond just repeating what the study found and dives deep into understanding it. Here, the critiques look closely at how the study was done, what it found, and what it all means in the bigger picture of research. Instead of just repeating the results, the discussion section tries to uncover the reasons behind the data, looking at different explanations and suggesting areas for more research.

Moreover, the discussion doesn't just focus on the study itself. It also looks at other papers and theories that relate to the topic. By combining what we already know with what this study found, the critiques give a richer understanding of what it all means. They also assess its strengths and weaknesses and think about any biases or problems that might affect the results.

Sometimes, it's helpful to merge the results and discussion sections into one. This helps to weave together the study's findings with their implications, making it easier to understand the whole picture. By doing this, the critiques create a seamless journey from the study's data to its broader significance in the world of research.

Article Review Conclusion

The conclusion of an article review brings everything together, summing up the important findings and what they mean. Here, the critiques take the key insights they've gathered from analyzing the study and give a short summary of its contributions to the field. By highlighting the most important results and explaining why they matter, the conclusion helps readers grasp the main message of the paper.

Additionally, the conclusion is a chance for the critiques to show why the study is important and how it could shape future studies. It might even suggest areas for more research or new directions to explore based on what was discovered.

When writing the conclusion, it's important to strike a balance between summarizing the main findings and offering thoughtful insights. By reflecting on the study's implications in a nuanced way, the conclusion adds depth to the overall review, giving readers a clearer understanding of the research and its significance for the field.

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How to Write an Article Review?

Your teacher and other academic readers don't just care if you liked or disliked an article. They really appreciate reviews because they help highlight the important ideas an article or book brings to a specific area of study.

Reviews usually have a similar format like this, but sometimes they can be different. So, it's a good idea to ask your teacher about what they prefer.

How to Write an Article Review
  1. Introduction: Start writing by introducing the name of the article/book and the author(s). Provide a brief overview of the main claim, goals, methods, and findings of the article/book.
  2. Summary: Summarize the paper's main points, focusing on its key arguments, evidence, and conclusions. Highlight any significant findings or insights presented by the author(s).
  3. Analysis: Dive deeper into the paper's content by examining how effectively the author(s) support their claims. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments, methodology, and evidence presented. Consider the author's perspective and any potential biases.
  4. Your Position: Clearly state your own position or claim in response to the article/book. Are you in agreement with the author(s), or do you have a differing viewpoint? Support your position with evidence from the article/book and additional sources, if necessary.
  5. Critique Development: Develop your critique by addressing specific aspects of the article/book in detail. Offer thoughtful analysis and well-supported arguments to substantiate your claims. Consider the implications of the article/book's findings and any potential limitations.
  6. Conclusion: Conclude writing your review by summarizing your main points and offering a final evaluation of the article/book's scholarly value. Discuss who might benefit from reading the work and propose directions for future research in the field. Reflect on the overall significance of the article/book and its contributions to the broader academic discourse.

Remember, the goal of your paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis that engages critically with the content of the article/book and contributes to the ongoing scholarly conversation in the field. Meanwhile, you can always use our writing help by simply requesting, 'write my dissertation for me.'

6 Extra Tips on Article Review Writing

If you still doubt whether you have all the necessary knowledge to prepare your article review, follow these additional writing tips:

  1. Know what's required: Make sure you understand what information your review needs to include. This means knowing how to structure your review properly. It's important to analyze the paper thoroughly and provide insightful observations.
  2. Understand the main idea: When you read the article for the first time, focus on getting the big picture. Try to figure out what the author is trying to say and whether they do it well.
  3. Look up unfamiliar words: If you come across words or phrases you don't know, highlight them and find out what they mean from a reliable source.
  4. Pick out important points: When you read the article again, use a highlighter to mark the most important parts that help you understand it better.
  5. Think of a catchy title: Your title should give readers an idea of what the article is about. It should be short but attention-grabbing.
  6. Keep it formal: Remember to write your paper in a formal style, using the third person. This is an academic assignment, so keep it professional.
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