Descriptive review is a type of text that objectively presents the characteristics of a work, in an impartial manner and that does not reveal the opinion of the author of the review.
Read too: After all, what is a review?
Topics in this article
- 1 - Summary of descriptive review
- 2 - What is a descriptive review?
- 3 - Characteristics of the descriptive review
- 4 - Structure of the descriptive review
- 5 - How to write a descriptive review?
- 6 - Example of a descriptive review
- 7 - Differences between critical, descriptive and scientific reviews
- 8 - Differences between descriptive review and summary
Summary about descriptive review
- A descriptive review is the type of review that describes the work concisely.
- In this type of review, the author does not make critical considerations, as he must only present the work impartially.
- It consists of an introduction, description of the work and conclusion. When available, it also presents a references section.
- The descriptive review should not be confused with the critical review, the scientific review or the summary.
What is a descriptive review?
A descriptive review is a type of text that focuses on concisely presenting the characteristics of a work, such as a book, film, exhibition or any other form of artistic or intellectual production. Unlike a critical review, which includes analyzes and value judgments, the descriptive review's main objective is to provide a clear and objective view of the content of the work in question.
This type of review usually includes information about the plot, characters, setting, author's style, and other important elements, providing the reader of the review with a complete understanding of what to expect when engaging with the work described in it.
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Characteristics of the descriptive review
The descriptive review has some particular characteristics.
- Objectivity: When describing the work, the author lists elements that compose it in an impersonal and non-judgmental way.
- Concise description: In the descriptive review, the description is made by presenting, in a succinct and precise way, the elements that make up the work, such as plot, setting, characters, story development, among others.
- Contextualization: It is often good to provide contextualization to indicate other aspects that are important for understanding the work, such as the historical and political moment, cultural and social impact of the work.
See too: Summary — what makes this text different from the summary?
Descriptive review structure
The descriptive review, in general, presents a basic structure.
- Bibliography of the reviewed work: ABNT standards are generally followed or other indicated standard.
- Reviewer identification: brings the name and other pertinent data of the author of the review, such as registration, profession or academic title.
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Review text: It is divided into three main parts: introduction, description of the work reviewed, conclusion and references, if any.
- A introduction presents the work's data (title, author, year of publication) and, when relevant, the historical or cultural contextualization.
- A description of the work brings relevant aspects for your understanding, such as plot, characters, setting and author's style, but in a concise and objective way.
- A conclusion briefly recaps what was described, emphasizing the importance of these elements for a good understanding of the work.
- When there are, the references bring other works in addition to the one reviewed, but which were cited during the descriptive review to assist in the presentation of the work.
How to write a descriptive review?
To write a descriptive review, the author must avoid expressing personal opinions or judgments about the quality of the work. Instead, he needs present the facts in an impartial and informative way, such as the characteristics of the work. This allows readers to decide for themselves whether the work is suitable for their interests, without being influenced by the reviewer's perspective.
In this way, the descriptive review plays a fundamental role in provide a comprehensive and informative overview for those who wish to learn about a work before committing to reading or viewing it.
Example of a descriptive review
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ASSIS, Machado. Dom Casmurro. 23rd ed. Rio de Janeiro: New Frontier, 2010. "Dom Casmurro", written by Machado de Assis in 1899, is a classic of Brazilian literature. The book tells the story of Bentinho, a young man from Rio de Janeiro in the 19th century, and his love for Capitu. The plot explores friendship with Escobar, Bentinho's unhealthy jealousy and the complexities of relationships. The plot is intertwined with characters such as Dona Glória, Bentinho's mother, and the influential friend José Dias. The narrative unfolds in a melancholic atmosphere, marked by philosophical questions and romantic intrigues. Machado de Assis uses a sophisticated literary style, full of irony and insight. His prose meticulously describes 19th century Rio de Janeiro, highlighting details of everyday life and social relations. While reading, the psychological complexity of the characters becomes evident, especially Bentinho and Capitu. "Dom Casmurro" is considered a masterpiece of Brazilian literature. In this narrative, Machado de Assis created a work that not only tells a story, but also explores universal themes such as love, jealousy and identity. |
Know more: How to write a good argumentative text
Differences between critical, descriptive and scientific reviews
A descriptive review seeks to present any work in an objective manner, providing details about this work, but without analyzing it from the point of view of the person writing the review.
Already the critical review, as the name already indicates, makes this presentation in an analytical way, that is, In addition to presenting the work, the author of the review gives his considerations about it, with positive and/or negative arguments about the work.
Finally, the scientific review specifically evaluates scientific or academic works, analyzing their main points, such as the methodology used in the research, the results and the conclusion. That's why, It is also a type of review that requires an argument equally based on scientific foundations, and not just on the opinion of the review author.
Differences between descriptive review and summary
The descriptive review is written presenting slightly more complete information about a work (such as the plot, characters and the context of its production), while the summary only presents brief content and less in-depth about something, without establishing analyses.
Sources
FRANCE, Sirlene Carvalho Rocha. Reviews, summaries and academic articles. Irecê: Itacaiúnas, 2016.
MEDEIROS, João Bosco. Scientific writing: the practice of notes, summaries, reviews. São Paulo: Atlas, 2009.
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
VIANA, Guilherme. "Descriptive review"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/redacao/resenha-descritiva.htm. Accessed on November 13, 2023.
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