A review is a short text that is intended to describe a work or research to make it known. Although it is characterized by its objective approach, it can include evaluations or appreciations of the person who performs it. Likewise, you can make reviews on any subject; whether about a literary work, a scientific investigation, a movie, among others. Review concept usages types

A brief example of a review could be  Connecting with Nature (2010), where the author Emilio Leal explains in a friendly and simple way the physical and psychological benefits that humans obtain when they exercise outdoors. Although the text lacks solid scientific support, it is recommended to read it due to its pleasant writing.

Reviews are published on different platforms; they are found in newspapers, magazines, brochures, and supplements. In fact, they are currently frequently found on social media and on web pages.

It can be said that reviews are very useful tools since they work as summaries that encourage people to read or review the works. In the event that the review presents a negative review, people may still feel motivated to review the work to see if they agree with the opinion of the author.

In conclusion, reviews are short writings that describe or evaluate a book, a musical composition, a play, or an investigation of any kind. These writings expose the content of the work and are intended to express an opinion or make the work known.

Characteristics

The reviews are characterized by:

– Synthesis capacity

The reviews are very short texts, so they need a good capacity for synthesis (that is, to summarize) to include the most important ideas or opinions within the writing. In other words, the reviews are accurate and concrete.

– Analysis capacity

Reviews are characterized by their analytical skills because whoever writes them demonstrates their ability to read or understand the content.

In a review, a good analysis involves an objective and careful observation of the work, with the aim of presenting valuable and useful information for those who read the review.

– Identification of the work and its author

All reviews identify the work that is being discussed along with its author. In this way the understanding of the text is streamlined. Review concept usages types

For example: the marine biologist Andreina Morgado, in her research entitled Social life of dolphins (2020), carries out a study of the social behavior of these cetaceans, taking into account kinship ties and their reproductive life.

– Description of the content

Regardless of the topic, reviews always summarize the content of the work.

For example: if it is a movie, the most important events, the main actors, among other elements will be placed in the review. On the other hand, if it is an academic investigation, the review will describe the structure of the investigation, the objectives of each chapter, among others.

– Objectivity

In general, reviews are characterized by being objective. This means that they must be supported by logical analysis and appreciation. However, this may vary according to the subject you want to address in the review; For example, if the review will be dedicated to scientific or academic research, then subjective assessments should be avoided.

On the contrary, if the review is about a film or an artistic work, it can include certain insights from the writer. For example: “The film Frozen II, from directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, is an entertaining and refreshing production that will not disappoint younger viewers. In this continuation, Elsa will have to deal once more with her magical powers (…) “

What is a review for?

In general, the reviews fulfill the following functions:

– Publicize a certain work

Thanks to the reviews, people can know the theme or the general idea of ​​any work, be it literary, cinematographic, musical, painting, etc. For this reason, reviews serve to disseminate new artistic creations or the most innovative research.

– Encourage the reading or viewing of the work

After reading a review, the reader is likely to be motivated to review the entire work. For example: if a person liked the review of a certain movie, they will surely try to see that movie in the cinema or on a digital platform. For this reason it is affirmed that the reviews are a means of diffusion of the different works.

Review types

Reviews can be classified into:

– Descriptive

They are those that expose or describe a work in an organized way. That is, descriptive reviews narrate the events or events that occur in a given work. If it is a book or an investigation, the review will be based on a brief summary of the chapters. Review concept usages types

– Historical

Historical reviews are short texts that are intended to review or summarize important events within the story. They generally have a descriptive and informative structure. Likewise, they are also used to tell the history of the formation of companies or companies.

– Critics

Critical reviews are those that weigh or value a work based on the analysis of its elements. For this reason, it is considered that this type of reviews are argumentative texts; whoever writes them must defend their point of view based on logical reasons.

– Literary

These reviews are in charge of critically analyzing literary texts; These consist of manifestations related to writing, grammar and poetics. That is to say: literary texts are those that use language as a form of expression.

For this reason, an example of a literary review would be a text that analyzes the elements of a novel such as Don Quixote de la Mancha or One Hundred Years of Solitude.

– Comparisons

They are those that compare two or more works within their text. Usually these reviews make the comparison from a particular approach or from a certain perspective.

For example: comparison of the female characters between the film Kill Bill and the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood , both by director Quentin Tarantino; or the dreamlike elements in the paintings of the surrealists Salvador Dalí and René Magritte.

– Informative

These reviews are short texts that are intended to inform readers about the characteristics or aspects of a work. Some authors consider that informative reviews are equivalent to descriptive ones.

– Argumentative

As the name implies, argumentative reviews are those that are based on arguments for their development. They are generally used to convince readers to take a certain point of view or to give truth to an opinion. These reviews are very similar to critical reviews.

– Bibliographic

A bibliographic review consists of a short text where the different methodologies and references used by an author or researcher to carry out a work are placed.

In this type of reviews, no position is defended against the work, since its only objective is to make its content known.

– Mixed

Mixed reviews are all those that combine two or more types of reviews. For example: it can be a literary review that uses some aspects of a bibliographic review, or a comparative and literary review.

– Systematic

These reviews are a way of reviewing the works using organized and systematic methods. In addition, they sometimes express the conclusions qualitatively or quantitatively.

Due to their rigor, systematic reviews are widely used in scientific studies, as well as in the review of academic and professional research. For example: to review a newspaper article, a scientific work, among others.

Examples of reviews

Below are examples of each type of review:

– Descriptive review

The Little Prince (1943), by the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is a short novel that is accompanied by watercolor drawings by the same author. The play tells the story of a pilot who was stranded in the desert after his plane suffered a failure; There he meets a prince who comes from another planet, with whom he starts a conversation. Review concept usages types

In general, the work has a philosophical nuance, where the author poetically makes several social criticisms from the simple and childish perspective of the prince. That is, a criticism is made of the adult gaze and its way of perceiving the world.

– Historical review

The Bodegas Oviedo began on April 15, 1920, when its creators Horacio Oviedo and Alberto Méndez decided to join forces to make the most special wines in the region. From this moment, they began to make artisan wines made with small harvests, distributing some bottles among their relatives.

Those who received these bottles approved their content, which motivated the young members to increase production. After this, they expanded their product throughout the nation. At present, the wines of the Bodegas Oviedo are consumed all over the world by lovers of winemaking.

– Critical review

For this year’s Young Directors festival, the ambitious Eugenio Romero decided to adapt the classic Yerma (1934) by Federico García Lorca. For this occasion, Romero modified the original script in such a way that the work ends up losing its essence; the viewer is distracted by the new language and exotic costumes, leaving aside the message that Lorca wanted to convey in his text.

Likewise, for this montage the characters were located in the current time, which at first glance seems like a good idea. However, when the viewer deepens, he realizes that the chosen costumes, in conjunction with the urban scenography, did not add greater value to the staging.

What must be rescued from this montage was the performance of the actress Verónica Díaz, who authentically embodied the character of Yerma; his performance can be classified as moving.

– Literary review

In the work The life we ​​wanted (2017) by the French writer Pierre Ducrozet, the author reveals the disagreements and dissatisfactions of his entire generation; the novel covers the story of five friends who, after separating over the years, must meet again and deal with a past that they left unfinished.

Through an abstract and slightly surreal prose, Ducrozet reveals to the reader the emptiness that people face within modern and urban life.

– Comparative review

Salvador Dalí and René Magritte were renowned painters who had in common the surrealist approach in their paintings, however, the perspective of each of them was quite different.

For example, Dalí in his work Swans reflecting elephants (1937) filled all the spaces with bright colors and deformed figures; instead, Magritte in his painting Son of Man ( 1964) advocated a simpler aesthetic and flatter colors. Review concept usages types

– Informative review

The play Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) is an animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. It is a science fiction story that tells the adventures of the linguist Milo Thatch, who decides to go in search of the lost city of Atlantis.

In the course of the story, Milo shares with a team of adventurers and scientists; Furthermore, he meets the heir to the throne of Atlantis: Kida, with whom he will work to reveal the secrets of the ancient city.

– Argumentative review

In the documentary Lies about meat (2019), myths about the consumption of animal meat are revealed, based on proven scientific research. This production emphasizes the fact that human beings do not actually obtain proteins only from meat, since there are grains and legumes that provide the same amount of protein and even more.

To make this documentary, interviews were conducted with scientists and nutritionists, who defend this premise in detail.

– Bibliographic review

To elaborate her thesis Social Decadence in Latin America (2015), the author María de los Ángeles Turco analyzed in the first chapter the text Problematic Latina (2010) by Alberto Crespo; It was also based on the documentary El llanto de América (2005), produced by Gilberto Correa.

Later, for his second chapter, he decided to interview a group of people belonging to different social classes; This he did from the method of the journalist Gabriel López.

– Mixed review (comparative and literary)

The novel Don Quixote de la Mancha (1605) written by Miguel de Cervantes, presents a satirical vision of his time; The same occurs in the anonymous work La vida del lazarillo de Tormes (1550).

These novels were written at different times, so the style of prose presents notable differences. Despite this, both works portray the spirit of human societies in a time of change and rediscovery.

– Systematic review

In his article Inflation of 2019 , the economics journalist Carlos Seijas established that accumulated inflation for 2019 was 30%, which could have a strong negative impact on the purchasing power of citizens by 2020. Review concept usages types