Pledged Secret Life of Sororities

Recently, sororities and fraternities have been in the news due to deaths and accidents that happen during pledging for entrance into these collegiate organizations. An interesting topic for a book report or review is to overview the concept of pledging and report what Alexandra Robins writes in her New York Times bestseller. Have the writers at Paper Masters use the book Pledged in a custom research paper on sorority or fraternative pledging.

Book: Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities by Robbins. Publisher: Hyperion. Author: Alexandra Robbins. 1st Edition. Copyright 2004, New York
ISBN: 0-7868-8859-8.

What to include in a critical book review for Pledge:Secret Life of Sororities Research Paper:

Reviews generally provide:

1. Full bibliographic information (author, title, edition, publisher, place of publication, year of publication), often presented as a heading or introductory sentence
2. A brief description of the contents of the book
3. An assessment of the author's authority / biases
4. An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the book based on the purposes of the author, and using evidence to support the reviewer's argument
5. An overall assessment of the book

Suggested steps in writing a critical book review on Pledge: Secret Life of Sororities Research Paper:

1. Get to know the work by reading the book carefully and by reading other opinions of the book (use the resources of the library to find other critical reviews). In getting to know the book, use all the information within the book itself. Look at the title page, is there a sub-title? Note when the book was first published. Is there a table of contents, or chapter headings? If so, use these as an orientation to the organization and contents of the book. If a bibliography is present, give it careful scrutiny to determine what may have contributed to the author's conclusions. Also consider the quality and veracity of these sources. Always read the preface or introduction for statements about the book's intentions and/or limitations. As you read, take notes and flag passages that you feel are illustrative of the purpose, theme and style of the work. Note strengths as well as weaknesses, and use the questions below to guide your assessment.
2. Establish the thesis of your review. Think about what the main point of your criticism will be. Consider the author's intention in writing the book and whether this was achieved.
3. Organize your notes into an outline which incorporates your thesis.
4. Write the review, including the elements discussed above.
5. Edit and revise the review before submitting it.

Questions to consider when reading the book and writing the review for Pledge:Secret Life of Sororities Research Paper:

1. Authority / Objectivity
   · Who is the author?
   · What are her or his particular credentials and expertise in this area? What makes her or him an expert on this John Dillinger?
2. Audience
   · Who is the intended audience of this book (academics, students, the general public)? Is the book appropriate for its audience?
3. Scope / Purpose / Content
   · What is the subject of the work and the broad field and/or genre into which it fits?
   · What is the scope of the work? Is this a comprehensive overview or a detailed analysis?
   · What is the author's purpose in writing this book? What has he or she set out to prove? What is the overarching thesis of the book? How well has the author met these goals? Does the author do what she or he has set out to do?
   · What are the main points set out by the author?
   · How does the author prove the thesis and main points? What is the author's methodology? What evidence does the author provide to support his or her argument (sources, data, personal anecdotes, etc)? Is this evidence convincing?
4. Style
   · How is the book structured? Is its development orderly and logical?
   · What is the author's writing style? Is it narrative or analytical? Is the prose readable and appropriate to its intended audience?
5. Other points to consider
   · How does this book compare to other books on the same subject? Does it present a unique perspective or new research?
   · Does the book have illustrations? A list of references or a bibliography? An index? Are there any other features? Are they effective and useful?
   · Does the author suggest areas for further research or discussion?
   · What has been left out?
6. Finally
   · What is your final assessment? Would you buy this book or recommend it to others?