Critical Analysis/Review Essay of Matthews’ The Rise of the New Woman.
The purpose of a critical analysis/review essay is to evaluate a book, in our case a piece of non-fiction, of historical relevance. Your review should analyze several aspects of the text under consideration, including the argument, content, organization, main themes, and relevance for understanding the historical time period in which it covers (in this case the rise of the New Woman and Suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th century). A critical review essay is not a book report. It does not summarize the text; rather it analyzes the author’s arguments, evaluates his/her supporting evidence, and determines its contribution to the field of history. Review essays can be full of praise, disdain, or somewhere in-between but always approach the text with a critical perspective. Try to create an understanding of the book’s historiographical significance, and the contribution it makes to the field of history. To do this, it is expected that you will use secondary and perhaps even some primary sources to support your argument from both the course assignments and outside material. It might be best to begin by finding several academic reviews of the book you are reading. Use these reviews to help you understand both what a review essay looks like and how to construct your own critique of the text. Remember to make use of the textbook and other external readings we have used so far in this course as a starting point. You should have minimum of three sources (not including the text itself). Assigned length (no less than 4 full pages and no more than 5 pages, not including title page or bibliography) No use of Wikipedia; no citations from Wikipedia. Paper recognizes the purpose of the assignment, that of a critical analysis, and includes a clear and concise thesis statement. Paper provides a BRIEF (less than a page) summary of the book and the time period in which the book covers.
Critical Analysis/Review Essay of Matthews’ The Rise of the New Woman