BOOK REVIEW ARTICLE AND REVIEW PROCESS

• Book reviews and other works are subject to preliminary review by the Editorial Board.
• If deemed appropriate, they are sent to one or two reviewers.
• If the reviewers indicate that the work will be published after the suggested corrections are made, it is sent back to the author for final checks and corrections.
• It is then subjected to revision and editing to make it ready for publication.

NOTES FOR BOOK REVIEWS
This article is intended as a guide for those who wish to share book reviews.

What is a Review Article?
Review articles are introductory texts written about a compilation or copyrighted book, a scientific meeting or event, or a scientific article for discussion, but they also provide a critical commentary on the text or event being studied.

Book reviews differ from book reports. While a book report provides information solely about the content of the book, an academic book review constitutes only a part of the writing related to the content. The expectation from a review is that the ideas put forward about the subject of the book and the way this subject is handled are critically examined, and constructive comments are also made. Similarly, in the review of a scientific article, a critical approach is required to evaluate the ideas presented, discuss the consistency of the views, and examine the use of sources. In the review of scientific conferences, the aim is to convey the presentations and discussions to the relevant readership through scientific discourse.

Review articles require intensive effort on the book/event being studied. Review articles are not merely a “chore” requiring long hours of work, but rather an indispensable part of the scientific research process. This can be observed in many academic journals. Book reviews, in particular, are regularly followed by the academic community, allowing them to learn about interesting works and discover new studies, but above all, enabling scientists to monitor the scientific impact of their own work. This ensures that both the reviewed products and the reviewers gain many scientific benefits.

How to Write a Book Review?
While many reviewers examine only one book for review, some writers wish to examine two or more works. The basic format remains unchanged in these works. Such works may be longer than those reviewing a single book. TAHKİK Journal of Islamic Sciences Research and Publication is open to both types of writing.
The process before starting to write a book review can be divided into two stages: reading the book and preparing to write. After these two stages, you can begin writing the review.

Reading the Book
Considering the points listed below will help you in the book review process. Take notes while reading so that you don't have to go back later to find your observations and reference points.
• Purpose: What was the author's purpose in writing the book you read? Does the author clearly state this purpose, or are you inferring it from the text? Does the book present a central idea?
• Interpretation: How are connections made between the topics covered, how are events or individuals described, and how are these prioritized within the book? Does the author base their work on an analytical approach or a theory, or do they express ideas based on their feelings? Do you think the author's interpretations are logical and consistent? Do they clarify the topic they are addressing, or do they make it more ambiguous? Can you offer an alternative to their analysis or interpretations?
• Context: Are the ideas and events in the book placed within a broad context? Has the author been able to focus on the subject? Does the author's approach help you understand the subject better?
• Silence: Are there parts that the author has overlooked or ignored in the subject he/she deals with? Do these parts weaken the impact of the book? Does this make it easier for you to understand the author's purpose in the book?
• Form: Is the book well written? Is it easy to understand? Is it fluent? Or does it use heavy expressions and dense jargon that make it difficult to understand? Does the author demonstrate a talent that transcends easy communication? Does this writing style make the book more interesting and effective?
• Sources: What types of sources does the author use? Do the sources generally consist of printed documents or archival records? Can the author refer to other materials such as novels, interviews, and artworks? Does the author cover all the main sources related to the topic, or are there any neglected sources?
• Field-Literature: How connected is the book to other sources in the literature? Does the book open up a new field? Does it modify general approaches? Or does it repeat accepted views and take a particular side? Does it introduce a new methodology or theoretical approach? Does the work contain any controversy? If it is an older book, did it spark any controversy when it was published? You may need to do some additional reading to answer these questions.
• Background: Many academics want to know about the author's experience and qualifications. You can get an idea of the author's work by searching various databases, libraries, or the internet. Is the author a young academic, has he or she broken new ground, or does he or she have extensive experience in the field?

Preparing to Write Your Review
First, you have read the book and thought about it, so you should start developing the main sections of your review. Think about these points and how they will fit into your work. Then you should make a plan that will outline the main points: Your work will consist of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
• Key points: Go back to the notes you took earlier and prioritize your observations. This will help you focus on the central argument and the topic you will be evaluating. While considering the main points, you should also think about the most effective way to organize your thoughts. If the book is an anthology, you can structure your work by critically analyzing the articles that stand out or are relevant to your field of study and referring to the relevant sections.
• Main idea: As with any scientific work, your evaluation needs a main discussion. How will you summarize your evaluation of the book, and how will you incorporate this main discussion into the introduction, body, and conclusion sections of your work?
• Format: As part of your review, you should prepare a short synopsis that covers the book's main topics and discussions. This should be approximately one paragraph long and should not be a summary of the different chapters.

Writing the Review
Your review is a short critical essay. When writing or editing your work, you should ensure that the following points are included in the content.
a) A short, compelling introduction that presents the topic and main argument of your work.
b) A brief summary of the book. Many reviewers do this in the second paragraph of their review. Of course, it doesn't have to be in the introduction; you can do it in a different section if you prefer.
c) The body of your work should contain a series of observations about the book, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. Your ideas should be presented in a logical order, connected to each other. Don't present your ideas haphazardly; try to organize them effectively.
d) A short conclusion summarizing your main ideas. You can leave some points for your readers to think about.
e) The general article writing rules for TAHKİK Journal of Islamic Sciences Research and Publication also apply to review articles. Therefore, please pay attention to the writing rules and citation system.
f) Review articles for TAHKİK Journal of Islamic Sciences Research and Publication should contain between 1000 and 2000 words.
g) Your review should be written in clear language that complies with grammar rules. Read it carefully after writing it, and if you have worked on it on a computer, print out the final version. Never trust that the computer will correct grammar mistakes.
h) Your review title should include the following points:
• The author(s)‘ or editor(s)’ first and last names (indicate if it is a compilation)
• The book's title
• Year of publication
• Place of publication
• Publisher
• Number of pages
• Price, if possible (also indicate whether it is paperback or hardcover)
• ISBN number
i) Your review should conclude with the following information about you:
• Your first and last name
• Your institution and position
• Your short biography (15-20 words):
Example: Ahmet Sağlam, Ph.D., completed his doctorate in Philosophy at Istanbul University Institute of Social Sciences. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Western Philosophy at Sakarya University.
Source: https://insanvetoplum.org/kvn/kdn