Book Club Presentation Guidelines
There are two goals I would like each group to accomplish with the book club
presentation. First, it is important to communicate the significance of the book
that you are presenting. Listed below are the topics that need to be presented in
the presentation. Additionally, it is also important to learn how to put together a
dynamic and cohesive group presentation. In the years to come there is no
question that you will be faced with group projects. This is an opportunity to learn
how to create an effective group presentation.
Criteria for Presentation
Author’s background- some areas you might examine include: the author’s
relationship to the subject (is it personal narrative or are they reporting on the
topic), other works the author has written and how this particular work compares
to those, a bit of how the author’s background influences the writing. Of course
there are other avenues to explore and that is up to the group to decide which is
most important.
Short synopsis of the book- the group should provide a brief summary of what
the book is about. This will help all students in the class understand the major
issues and topics in the book.
Major Issues- what topics are covered in the book and how are they presented.
This section needs to provide analysis and commentary from the group
determining the significance of the book. Some questions to consider: is the book
Controversial? Why or why not? What social issues are dealt with and how?
Does the book challenge people’s perspectives? How? So, you get the idea of
the type of questions that need to be addressed.
Historical Context- When and where is this taking place. What is the larger
context the book is working in? This section will take a fair amount of outside
research. The goal is to give the class the backdrop out of which this book
emerged.
Miscellaneous- What are the overall impressions of the group on the writer’s
style, the effectiveness of the book, and your recommendations. Also this section
can include any additional information that you feel pertinent to the presentation.
For instance, you may wish to introduce topics related to the culture that this
book is exploring.
Grading- I will be examining both content and presentation skills with each
counting as 1/3 of the total grade. The final third of the grade will come from a
reflection paper that each individual will write after the presentation. I will provide
a grading rubric the week before the presentation.