Book Review Instructions
If you are interested in reviewing books for the journal you should contact the Book Review Editor by email at patterss@andrews.edu. As you prepare the review please keep the following guidelines in mind.
Standard book reviews should be no longer than 300-450 words although, depending on the book being reviewed, they may be longer occasionally. Book reviewers should discuss the length of the review with the Book Reviews Editor before writing. All book reviews should be prepared and submitted according to the general of this journal.
The following information should be given about the book at the start of each review:
- Book Title, Author / Editor Name, Publisher, Year of Publication, ISBN: 000-0-00-000000-0, Number of Pages, Price
- Example: Leadership in organizations. By Yukl, G. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2008* (7th ed.). ISBN: 978-0-13-242431-8, xix, 628 pp., hardback [or paper], $144.00. Reviewed by Henry Goodson. (*Note: Please be careful to give the publication date indicated by the Library of Congress rather than the author’s copyright date.)
A book review should be a balanced and accurate description of the book, based on evidence and examples and not on subjective likes or dislikes of the reviewer. In addition, the review should include a fair assessment of the content with constructive comments about the strength and weaknesses of the book. Reviewers should also indicate the intended audience for the book and why Christian leaders would find it useful. Other aspects that may be part of a review are:
- The main ideas and objectives of the book
- How well they have been accomplished
- The context of thought or events that prompted the book
- The author’s expertise and position
- The soundness of methods and information sources used
- The style of the author
- How it relates to the larger field of leadership or a specific leadership issue (give references of authors indicated)
- Value of a reprinting/new edition
- Details of a series the book is a part of or of the conference the book is related to
When referring to a particular page in the book indicate the page number in parenthesis, e.g.: (51). If the book is a collection of articles or papers written by different authors do not get lost in detailing each author and chapter. Instead evaluate the main themes of the book and the unifying or diverging perspectives present.
Double space your writing, use Times New Romans, 12 point font, and a 1-inch margin all around the page. Use italics instead of bold or underline, especially in bibliographic references. Electronic submission in Word or RTF format is preferred. Following the book review please include a brief biographical note that indicates your full name, title, position, institution, organization, or school (with location) where you are serving, and any information about previous experience and/or nationality if pertinent to the review. Please include this reference even if you are a frequent reviewer writing for the journal.
You will receive a copy of your review after it is published. Thank you for your contribution.
Erich Baumgartner, Editor
Journal of Applied Christian Leadership
269.471.3487
Stan Patterson, Book-Review Editor
Christian Leadership Center
269.471.3217
Related links:
- Download Book Review Instructions as PDF
- Book Review Options
- Books Currently Available for Review