Task 3

In this module you will write a 5-paragraph review: an article rating the value of a certain experience and providing evidence to convince the reader whether s/he should experience it. You can write your review on a restaurant, product, movie, or book. Your purpose is to help others learn more about the experience and whether they should try it for themselves. A good reviewer will provide clear, logical evidence to support their evaluation. Avoid exaggerated rhetoric. Support your points rather than letting your opinions become the focus.

Complete the following steps to draft your review.

Activity 1. Review the following information:

Tailoring your Review to a Popular Audience

Activity 2. Take notes on the experience.

Visit the restaurant, use the product, watch the movie, or read the book. Take detailed notes on your first impressions, what you observe during the experience, and what you like and/or dislike about it. Pay close attention to the relevant senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch). Do additional research by exploring websites dedicated to the experience you have chosen.

Decide how you will rate the experience, from 1 to 5 stars. Decide whether you would recommend that others experience it. Use the following scale: 1 star: unsatisfactory; 2 stars: almost satisfactory; 3 stars: satisfactory; 4 stars: good; 5 stars: excellent.

Activity 3. Draft your review according to traditional patterns of thought in essay writing.

Use the below guidelines to structure your 5-paragraph essay.

HEADLINE

Write a snappy title that summarizes what you will say in your review.

INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph)

• Leading sentence: Hook your reader in with a descriptive detail that highlights why your experience was either positive or negative.
• Include basic information (name of the experience, who created/founded it, when it was released/opened, type).
• Explain briefly why it’s worth reviewing (the stakes): Is it new? Popular? A classic that people return to again and again? Does it have relevance in this current place or time?
• Thesis statement: End the intro paragraph with a sentence where you rate the experience overall, from 1 to 5 stars, and give some sense of why you chose your rating.
• Follow the thesis with a “roadmap” that lists the main points you will cover to support your argument. Remember that you should typically build toward your best evidence.

BACKGROUND/DESCRIPTION (1 paragraph)

Include more details about the experience. Who are the key players? Describe important features (for example, plot and characters or musicians or menu). Remember the “5 w’s & h”: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Provide relevant details about the history of the restaurant, product, film, or book.

EVALUATION (2 support paragraphs)

Give evidence to support why you gave the experience the rating you gave it. Break this section into two chunks of information and discuss each chunk in one paragraph. For example, if the experience was overall excellent, thoroughly explain two reasons why, one in each paragraph. If the experience was overall okay, you could explain positive aspects of the experience in one paragraph and negative aspects about the experience in the other. If the experience was overall unsatisfactory, thoroughly explain two reasons why, one in each paragraph.

CONCLUSION (1 paragraph)

Reiterate your rating of the experience and your main reasons for that rating. Close on a strong note that emphasizes whether you do or do not endorse the material. Remember that people will determine whether to see a movie, read a book, or visit a restaurant based on your review. Place the experience into context. Is it alike or unlike other movies/restaurants/books? Which, and how so? What does your review tell us more broadly about the restaurant industry or pop culture?

REQUIREMENTS: Be sure your review is 5 full paragraphs including an introduction, background, 2 support paragraphs and a conclusion. Clearly state the thesis in the intro and make sure the information in the review backs up your thesis. Include a headline and cite your sources in APA format.