According to ResearchGuide “An article review is a piece of writing where you summarize and assess another person’s article.”
A review paper is a professional paper writing which gives an in-depth analysis and a well-structured presentation of arguments. It is an acute and constructive evaluation of literature in a particular field by summarizing it. Writing a scientific review will give you access to database searches to frame the research. Its goal is to summarize everything and present a clear understanding of the topic of your choice.
There are different types of article review:
- Journal: It is a type of article review that evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of a publication.
- Research: In this type of review, the research method is evaluated to analyze and critique the given information.
- Science: A scientific article review includes anything in the world of science.
Following are 6 key points to keep in mind when writing a review article:
- It is not a list of conclusions for a paper
Do you have something new to say or add the paper? This is an important question one should ask them before starting to write a review. The reader of your review should be able to learn and take away something of value from it. Make it a point to include comparison, critique and assessment of the studies you are reviewing.
- Submit a proposal before writing a manuscript
It is advised to reach out to editors of the journal of your choice before writing a review since they will be able to guide you to understand whether or not writing this review will be of anyone’s benefit. This will increase your chances of getting your paper published.
For the proposal, give clear reasons why the particular topic/subject is important. You may need to give stronger reasons why you need to write this review.
- Have a good structure/framework of your article
After figuring out the purpose of writing this paper, move your focus to have a clear outline that will make you aware of the path you want to follow with this article. This not only makes your article much clearer but it will also help work on the DO’S and the DONT’S of your article review.
- Avoid using heavy words
Jargons could be easier for a seasoned researcher to understand but for someone who is starting off it could be really difficult. You are writing it as a subject expert but the person reading it may not be as skilled and informed as you are. Hence, this is an important thing to keep in mind that you’ve to write the review to appeal to the wider range of readers. In case you most definitely have to use technical terms, do not forget to mention them in the glossary.
- Always follow the journal’s guidelines
You wouldn’t want your review article to be rejected because you ignored this crucial step would you? Chances are you already know what journal guidelines are. If you don’t, it is basically set of rules that vary from journal to journal that instruct you on how to edit, format and submit your paper in a certain way that the particular journal follows before it is published. This is done to save time for the publisher and the writer.
- Read and re-read your first draft
As mentioned in previous blogs before, give your piece of work a fresh set of eyes i.e., ones you believe you have completed it take a break, get on to other ventures and work you have and come back after a few days. This will make it easier for you to spot any mistakes that you might have skipped over the first. You make this process faster, you may hire an editor who will do the same for you on your behalf and fine-tune it even further.