Scholarly Book Report -- What is it?

Believe it or not, in my current class, "Formal Languages and Computation Theory," the professor provides for up to 5% extra credit if students complete a scholarly book report on a book of their choosing. This course has to be the hardest course I have taken since honors physics my freshman year (that was the course designed to weed people out of the Engineering Physics program.) While my two test results have been acceptable, I still have one more exam plus the final to go (did I mention that this course is H A R D ? ! !) He has politely suggested that everyone should do the extra credit which makes me suspicious that most people will need it in the end.

I've already chosen and read my book. Its a book in my field by Dr. Jan Borchers (any relation to Andy?) I'm guessing that he looks at this assignment as a chance for PhD students to hone their writing skills. Everyone is required to turn in a draft and he has already stated that its is very possible (probable?) that a rewrite will be required.

Does anyone have any advice on what a scholarly book report should or shouldn't be? Does it say anything about what is expected that the class itself is a requirement for PhD students? Here is what I think I am going to include:

a) A short synopsis of author's credentials and work in the field.
b) A summary of the book's topic.
c) A discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of how the topic was presented. Hopefully, I will be able to present some simularties or contrasts with other works in the field.
d) Conclusions about the significance of the work and what audience is best served by its treatment of the subject.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

It sounds like you're doing an academic book review, and you've pretty much got the parts down. Part "C" should be split into two, perhaps. You want an in-depth treatment of the author's argument with your discussion of its strengths and weaknesses, and you also want to spend a good bit of time contextualizing the book and its contribution within the field. (Though you may be going to do that in your summary in part "B".)

I think you're pretty much on the right track. Good luck!

 

Hi, I think you can expand a bit more on part C on what are the potential research work to be done on that topic.

Theory of Computation is still an area with a lot of unknowns. So I believe there would be a lot potential area to research. If your teacher is looking of insightful ideas and hence get admitted to the PhD program. This would be a good exercise.

Good luck.

 

Just add some scholarly references from outside the book itself. Five should be sufficient.

 

If I were you, I would head over to the university library and sift through the journals stacks to find out which ones are considered the scholarly journals in your field (computer science, I presume) and check out the book reviews in the back of said journal(s).