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The first and most important step in writing a review of a critical article is reading it carefully a number of times until you come to a full understanding of the author's position. Your first reading will give you a preliminary impression of the author's thesis and will help you understand the basic structure of argument. When reading the article a second time, it may be helpful to consider some of the following questions and jot down notes to clarify the author's position:
- What is the author's primary thesis?
- What is the intent of the article?
- If the author's thesis were correct, how would this influence current interpretations of the Decameron?
- What arguments or examples does the author use to support his/her position?
- Are these arguments/examples adequate to defend his/her thesis?
Once you understand the author's position and the arguments he/she uses to support it, decide whether or not you think his/her position is convincing. If so, explain how and why the author's arguments successfully lead to his conclusion; if you can think of any further points in support of the thesis, present them and explain why they are significant. If you disagree with the author, determine why you feel his/her arguments are inadequate. Are the examples he/she uses not concrete enough? Is he/she misinterpreting the text? Are there factors which the author has failed to take into consideration in his/her critical analysis? In either case, familiarize yourself with the parts of the Decameron treated by the author, examining them carefully for anything he/she may have missed.
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Pedagogy Links:
Class Activities
Activities Related To the Brigata
Translation Activities
Women in the Decameron Module
Guida linguistica per leggere il Decameron
Hints for a Great Classroom Presentation
Writing a Winning Term Paper: Content
Writing a Winning Term Paper: Style and Format
Sample Essay and Commentary
Reviewing a Critical Article
Bibliographic and Research Tips
Teaching with Computers in the Classroom
Thinking About Technology
Faculty Use of An Instructional Management System
Class Participation Assessment Guidelines
Web Resources for Effective Teaching and Learning
Using Technology to Bring Research into the Classroom
Teaching and Persuasive Communication: Class Presentation Skills
Teaching to Variation in Learning
Constructing a Syllabus
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