Important: Be sure that one body paragraph is on Pastor Henry Covington.
WRITING A BOOK REPORT
Adapted from Jean Huot’s website:
http://station05.qc.ca/csrs/bouscol/anglais/book_report/scenario3/html
What plan should you follow when writing your book report?
First, read the book carefully. Then write a short summary of each of its chapters.
Second, study the plan below.
Third, write your outline. Refer to the model attached.
Fourth, write your rough draft, and have a tutor check it.
Fifth, refer to the Reminders Sheet and check off each item to be sure nothing is omitted.
Sixth, write your final draft, making sure that you include the Grading Profile Sheet that
has been filled out correctly.
Book reports may vary greatly in subject and in style. However, almost all book reports
may follow a simple plan which will include the following three-part pattern of
organization: introduction, body, and conclusion.
1. Introduction
The first section of a book report consists of a simple paragraph that introduces
the topic and the main idea of the book report. The introduction includes the
title of the book, the author’s name, and the topic or theme. The most
important sentence is the thesis statement, the sentence that tells the main idea
of the book report. Why is this book important, or why is it a failure? Give
three ideas in your thesis that you will discuss from the book. The last
sentence in the introduction is the thesis statement.
2. Body
The middle section consists of three developmental paragraphs.


The first paragraph is a synopsis, or brief summary (6-8 sentences), of the book
organized in the same order as the book itself (chapters and title of each chapter).
The second and third body paragraphs explain topics related to the subject matter
of your book. Organize them in order of importance to your thesis, from
important, to more important, to most important (as you see it). Develop each
paragraph using a topic sentence followed by supporting details, which explain or
support the topic sentence, transition words to link the details, and a concluding
statement.
Prof. Horn
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Important: Be sure that one body paragraph is on Pastor Henry Covington.

Add direct quotations from the book to support the general statements and to lend
authenticity to the report, using parenthetical documentation,
After the
statement(s) taken from the book, include the page number in parentheses as
follows: (135).
3. Conclusion
The final section consists of a single brief paragraph that reveals the book’s
contribution and the reader’s reaction to the book as it relates to the subject
matter of the class. Conclude with a decisive statement, rhetorical question, or
possibly a prediction.
Prof. Horn
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Important: Be sure that one body paragraph is on Pastor Henry Covington.
BOOK REPORT ON HAVE A LITTLE FAITH
I. Introduction
A. Title of book, author’s name, and subject matter
B. Expertise of the author(s); in other words, why is he/she/they qualified to write
the book?
C. Other books author(s) has/have written
II. Body: Includes synopsis and three (or four) paragraphs, from least important to
most important (from your perspective).
A. Summary (organized in the same order of the book)
1. Title of each chapter in italics.
2. Summary of each chapter in one to two sentences
3. The book is written in four sections that correspond to the four seasons.
4. What is the significance of this?
B. First paragraph: Main idea (least important)
1. Supporting idea (fact or an anecdote) + quotation + transition
2. Supporting idea (fact or an anecdote) + quotation + transition
3. Supporting idea (facts, or an anecdote) + quotation
C. Second paragraph: Main idea (more important)
1. Supporting idea (facts or an anecdote) + quotation + transition
2. Supporting idea (facts or an anecdote) + quotation + transition
3. Supporting idea (facts or an anecdote) + quotation
D. Third paragraph: Main idea (the most important)
1. Supporting idea (facts, or an anecdote) + quotation + transition
2. Supporting idea (facts or an anecdote) + quotation + transition
3. Supporting idea (facts, or an anecdote) + quotation
III. Conclusion: (5-6 sentences)
A. Startling statement, rhetorical question, or prediction
B. Book’s contribution as it relates to the subject matter
C. Readers’ different reactions about the book from start to finish
D. Your overall reaction to the book (need an adjective here)
E. Book’s contribution to your knowledge about faith
F. What you have learned from Albom’s journey
G. For whom is this book written? How can we best benefit from the book?
H. Would you recommend this book to a friends or family member? Why or
why not?
Prof. Horn
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Important: Be sure that one body paragraph is on Pastor Henry Covington.
WRITING THE ROUGH DRAFT OF THE BOOK REPORT
The fourth step is to draft and write your report on the outline above while paying
attention to the following guidelines:
1. For the introduction, see if the author has written other books. You might use
Google or go to amazon.com. Also, look up the author’s background and make note
of what relates to this book’s subject matter. Name other books the author(s) has/have
written, if applicable. What position(s) has the author(s) had?
2. The first paragraph is a short synopsis (overview) that should not be longer than one
fifth of the report.
3. Maintain unity within the report as you develop two or three other paragraphs
including supporting details and quotations from the book. Omit irrelevant details.
4. Use transitions (moreover, similarly, in addition, furthermore …) and words like
“first, second, and third) when discussing each point to help the reader move logically
from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. Using transitions will help
achieve coherence.
5. End with an effective clincher; i.e., a startling statement, a rhetorical question, or a
prediction., argument, opinion, or a prediction.
Prof. Horn
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Important: Be sure that one body paragraph is on Pastor Henry Covington.
BOOK REPORT REMINDERS
1. The title of the book report is the title of the book centered on one line with the
author(s)’ name below it single spaced. The title of the book is underlined.
2. The entire book report must be double spaced with footers. Footers are single
spaced as follows: Last name, (first line); Prof. Horn (second line) in the lower
bottom of the page with the page numbers on the lower bottom right side.
3. Refer to the author(s) by last name or use the words “authors.” Do NOT refer to
him/her/them by the FIRST name. You don’t the author(s) personally!
4. The outline must be typed. A 10-point penalty will be deducted for an outline that
does not follow the model or if there is NO outline.
5. The book report must be reviewed by an online or “in person” tutor, but an “in
person” tutor is preferable, as he/she can spend up to 30 minutes reviewing your
report. Important: There is a 10-point penalty for no tutor’s review.
6. The book report requires a Grading Profile Sheet that is filled out IN INK. If you fail
to include, one, there is a 10-point penalty. The topic sentence is the first important
idea that announced what each point will be about. These paragraphs are from
(least important to more important to most important) you have listed in the
introduction that you will discuss in the body paragraphs. Important: The THESIS
is a complete sentence on the PROFILE SHEET!
7. Each paragraph in the three body paragraphs must be supported by a quote or quotes
from the author(s), using parenthetical documentation. The correct format is as
follows: (page number). Ex: (21). The period or questions mark after the statement
or questions goes outside the parentheses. Do NOT use websites.
8. Do NOT use “you” or “your” point of view (unless it is in a quote). Use the THIRD
person (he, she, it) instead. In the conclusion, you may use the pronoun “I” when you
state your reaction to the book and the pronoun “me” when you mention the reason
the book is important to you.
9. The book report should be a minimum of 3 pages long to a maximum of 5 pages
long.
10. PROOFREAD your book report carefully before submitting it, checking for
misspelled words, grammar problems, and punctuation and capitalization errors.
Suggestion: Read it ALOUD after your have typed the first draft.
Remember, this assignment cannot be revised, and it is 20% of your total grade.
Prof. Horn
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Important: Be sure that one body paragraph is on Pastor Henry Covington.
Prof. Horn
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