How to Write an Article Review Tips, Template, and Format (2023)

how to write an article review

Wondering how to write an article review? Scholars and students can examine and weigh other scholars’ work by reviewing their articles in specific fields. On the other side of the education system, experts usually review their colleagues’ work to provide clarity, then study discipline and the writer’s contribution. When you are trying to answer the inquiries of what an article review is, you first need to understand the nature of the analysis. This is why our expert article writers have compiled this guide on writing an article review to give deep insights on the tips, template and format. They also help students with their article review assignments.

Definition of an Article Review

An article review is a form of academic essay that is professionally written, and that demands much analysis and properly structured presentations of the arguments. This is usually a critical evaluation constructive through summarizing a particular field, comparing classification, and analyzing. 

Using data-based searches to portray the research is usually advisable when writing a scientific review. Your main aim is to present a clear and summarized presentation on the topic you have been working on. Below is a guideline on how to write an article review.

The writing of the article involves:

  • The analysis, classification, critique, summarization, and also comparison. 
  • If a review does not present any new information, it is not worth composing; thus, you are to present a response to another author’s work.
  • It requires new theories in evaluating and analyzing new concepts and studies relevant to the article’s topic.
  • You should look at other samples from credible sources to better understand how an article review is written.

How to Write an Article Review: The Different Forms of Reviews

Different article reviews are often used in article writing: As we look at how to write an article review, let’s look at the different types of article reviews.

An article review is known as a journal. Like the rest of the article, reviews are different in format, and the publication’s strengths and weaknesses are evaluated. 

Research article review

This marks from a journal review, anything concerning science. Regular scientific journals have more data concerning the background that you use to analyze publications that are further comprehensive in this matter. 

Scientific article review

This review talks more about scientific studies and thus contains more comprehensive background information for readers to analyze. 

The Format of an Article Review When Understanding How to Write an Article Review

The critical style required by your professor is what an article review should adhere to. If you need to know what the requirements are. We advise you to seek clarification on the preferred format and ask for more pointers to clarify the review.

How Many Publications are There to Review?

  • In your format, you must cite the article in APA, MLA, ASA, CHICAGO, and others.
  • Length-wise, how long an article review should be?
  • Must you consider the main point of the article review only or even the essential ideas in the article review?
  • Does your lecturer, teacher, or instructor need the details related to the background info?

You can begin writing your task after attaining the answers to the above simple questions.

Beneath is a sample of the MLA and the APA formats because the two are the most major citation styles. 

How to Write an Article Review in APA Style

In most cases, articles usually appear in academic papers, newspapers, and websites. After deciding to write the article review using the APA format, you must cite all the information sources you used.

  • Web – the writer’s last name, AA’s leading, and the middle initial. The publication month and date, the Title, and the link for retrieval
  • Journal – the writer’s last name, AA as the middle and first initial, the date of publication as the year, the Title, then the Title of the periodical, the volume (issue), and lastly, the pp-pp 
  • Newspaper – the last name of the author of the newspaper, AA (first name and the middle name), the year, month, the newspaper publication date, and the Title of the magazine, pp, xx-x

How to Write an Article Review in MLA Style

  • Web – the last, the first initial, and the middle initial, the Title of the publication, then the Title of the website’s publisher followed by the publication date, and lastly, the access date on the web.
  • Newspaper – The last name and first name of the author, the publication’s title, the newspaper’s title, and the month followed by the newspaper’s publication year.
  • Journal – the author’s last name and first name, followed by the publication’s Title and then the journal’s series volume title. The publication year, the name of the database, the month, and the date, remembering the access year of the journal. 

The Article Reviews the Pre-writing Process

In this kind of assignment, it tends to become very unclear and thus leaves you uncertain of where you to start. You should start with a few preparations to write a good article review. Below are the two steps to start correctly.

Step 1

You should describe the correct organization for your article review. Having a featured idea for your article review will help determine how you will read the article.

  • Summarize the article – check and present the crucial points, concepts, claims, and information generally presented in the article.
  • Determine the points that appear positive – place out the solid concepts and ideas, the discerning conclusions the writer has presented in their work.
  • Discover the missing objectives – you should determine if the author has contradicted his/herself or if the author has any contradictions on some points. Determine if the writer used enough information and arguments to support his thoughts.
  • You should ascertain the unanswered questions – lastly, you should determine if the writer left off some questions.

Step 2

You are to take a step forward and evaluate the article. Below is just but an easy guide that will aid you:

  • Assess the piece’s Title first, remembering its abstract, introduction, opening sentences, subheadings, and conclusion.
  • You should start by reading the piece from the beginning to the conclusion. These parts are where the authors include all their crucial information. Thus, analyzing these parts will give you a good understanding of the information.
  • You should read the whole article after completion.

The above steps usually bring up the pre-writing process. When done with this, know you can step further toward the article review. We are going to take you through the writing process as well.

The organizing of this assignment is one very important thing. Before writing an article review, you can outline your task or use an article review template to organize your thoughts more importantly.

Article Review Template

Moving forward in your article reading, you must comprehensively arrange your thoughts through an outline. When you are reading the articles, write down important facts, the contradictions, and the contributions. You must observe and know the strengths of your publication. You should start by outlining the steps you will follow appropriately.

If your instructor does not require a critique or a personal section, thus your facts should be seen after your writing. Like in other projects, an article review has to have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Thus, consider dividing your outline according to the section, the sub-sections, and the subheading at the body. If you encounter difficulties in the brainstorming and the pre-writing process in your assignment, search for an example of an outline. 

Parts of an Article Review

When learning how to write an article review, remember that your article review must comprise the following parts:

  • On the pre-heading page – in this section, you will list all the articles you want to review and include the publication’s Title. You should also include all the writers who contributed to it and the writer’s affiliations.
  • The optional conforming details: the name, the phone digits, the email, the fax digits
  • The running head: In the APA style ONLY, your characters in the Title must be at least 40 characters.
  • The summary page: this is usually optional, depending on the instructor’s instruction. The summary is about 800 words long. You must use direct-to-the-point language, which is not technical. You should not repeat the text verbatim and not give references at this point.
  • The title page: The full Title 250 abstract should have a title of about 4-6 words that are key points.
  • The introduction:  this is where the writer should introduce his main agenda 
  • The body: you are to include the heading and the subheading. 
  • The cited or the references: give credible resources of where you scoped your information.
  • The optional suggested pages to read: most pages that you would want your reader to read on 
  • Table figure legends 

Simple Article Review Template

Knowing how to write an article review needs planning ideas. Below is an article review template from experienced writers.

Step 1: Write the Title

Your Title should reflect the main topic focused on your work; thus, the Title can be decretive, interrogative, or declarative. 

Step 2: Cite the whole article review

Compose a good citation for your article review. The most important part is that you should remember the citation format as instructed by your professor. For instance, an article citation in MLA format must appear as follows:

The writer’s first name. The article’s title, the periodical Title, and the issue’s day.

For example:

Abraham John. “The World of Dreams.” Virginia Quarterly 60.2(1991): 125-67. Print

Step 3: Identification of an article review

When you have cited your work, you must add the reviewed article’s identification as follows: 

  • The article’s Title.
  • The writer
  • The journal’s Title
  • The date that it was published (year )

All this information should be in your paper’s first paragraph 

Example 

The report, school dropouts have increased due to poverty.This report was composed faith Brian – a health officer – in the year 2000 

Step 4: An article review introduction

How your assignment is organized is significant. Before you start the writing process, outline your essay or take advantage of an article review template to put the thoughts in your mind in order. 

  • Wondering how to write an article review introduction? An introduction should mention the important information, then check out an example so you can better understand the whole essay.
  • Place a follow using the main arguments summary of the article. 
  • Emphasize gap identification and text disparities, remembering the question that needs to be answered.

Step 5: The whole article, summarize it.

Summarize the article as a whole by considering what the writer has written. Jot down the article reviews’ findings and the most relevant and important facts. Add this information to the conclusion.

Step 6: Critique it

You are to bring forward the weaknesses and strengths you have come across in the publication. Emphasize the knowledge that you bring forward. You should also write the contradictions that are evident in the text. Take a point of either backing up or not supporting the writer’s assertions. Templates and rubrics can be used to evaluate the persons’ grading of the article.

Step 7: How to write an article review conclusion

In this segment, you are to go back and look at the essential information of this piece—the outcomes in your article review and your critique of the review. You should also jot down roughly on validity, accuracy, and significance of your article review outcomes. You are supposed to give way forward in the research field and keep these pointers at the back of your brain. 

  • When you analyze the article review, emphasize the main points. Doing this will benefit you in highlighting your main arguments in the evidence that has been used.
  • While writing your article review, you should always use credible evidence from credible sources when backing up your point. When putting direct quotations into use, this is one of the best things that are supposed to be done. 
  • Pick quotes that support your main agenda and thus use quotations as adequately as possible. 
  • Every time you refer to a public website, use direct quotations.
  • Put a spell checker into use to have an opinion that is additional to your article review.  

The post–writing procedure proofreads your work. 

Once everything is correctly done, proofread your article essay; challenging students to skip this step is very important.

Use the following points to proofread your paper 

  • Grammar
  • Punctuation 
  • Mechanics 
  • Other simple mistakes 

The next step is identifying if unnecessary data must be removed from your paper. The last thing is to check the ideas in your work. Make sure that you put into discussion 3-4 main points.

Conclusion on How to Review an Article

Above is a comprehensive guideline on how to write an article review and an article review template you can use. Follow our guidelines, and you are set to write a good article review. Still need help writing an article review? Our essay writers have done thousands of article reviews and are available to tackle yours. Contact us for an estimate and place an order.

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