Reviews: Form

Understanding the Form of Reviews

Reviews are part of transactional writing where you share your personal evaluation of a specific product, service or event.
They are written for an audience that is interested in the particular area being reviewed such as a movie, book, product or service.
It combines facts and personal opinion. You relay information about what you are reviewing along with your own judgement about it.
It should contain a title, an introduction, the main body and a conclusion.
The title of the review should be catchy to grab the reader’s attention.
The introduction provides vital information such as the name of the product or event being reviewed.
The main body is where you share specific details and your personal judgement.
The conclusion summarises your overall thoughts and may include a recommendation.

Start with basic information. This includes the name of the product/service/event, the producer/author/organiser, and any necessary contextual details.
Provide a brief overview of what the product/service/event is about without giving too much away, keeping the intrigue alive.
Next is the critique, where you discuss strengths, weaknesses, and memorable moments in a balanced way.
Organise the main body in paragraphs, ensuring each paragraph has a clear focus. This could be on a specific feature, aspect or them of what you are reviewing.
Consider the use of sub-headings to guide the reader through your review, especially if it is longer or you are reviewing multiple aspects.
End with a summary and recommendation. This should recap the main points of the review and give your final judgement, such as whether you would recommend it to the reader or not.

Use both objective and subjective language. Objective language shares the facts, while subjective language conveys your personal opinions and feelings.
Reviews incorporate descriptive language to help the reader visualise or understand the experience of the product/service/event.
The use of comparative and superlative phrases helps to set the product/service/event in context within its field.
Employ persuasive language especially in the summary and recommendation to influence reader’s decision or viewpoint about the subject of the review.
Reviews often use first person (‘I’) perspective as they represent your personal judgement. However, ensure you balance this with sufficient factual information.