The second review is your choice. It may be of a film, a theatre production (Hairspray?), music or dance performance or a restaurant.
THIS IS DUE NEXT WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 by midnight. There will probably be only 3 or 4 grades this marking period, so it is important to get all your work in on time. Length: minimum 400 words
Below you will find the criteria for writing different types of reviews.
How to write a restaurant review:
Offer Some Background – Be sure to offer as much information about the
restaurant you are reviewing as possible, including location, phone number, type
of cuisine, hours, etc. On many restaurant review websites you must add the
restaurant to the site database (if it is not already there) and fill in any
information the site asks for (like whether or not the restaurant serves
alcoholic beverages or takes reservations). If another user posted inaccurate
information – such as the wrong hours – change the information yourself or
inform the website directly.
Give Both Pros and
Cons – Maybe the food was less than stellar but was the service
unparalleled? If your restaurant experience was riddled with both pros and cons,
make sure you list both to provide readers with an accurate, well-rounded
review.
Name Specific Entrees – Most
restaurant-goers will appreciate specific recommendations and whether or not you
loved or hated the food. Listing specifically what you ordered will help
validate your opinions. Some review websites even have a spot where you can list
exactly what dishes you ordered.
Evaluate the Entire
Experience - While the food is obviously the main attraction of any
restaurant, there are other factors that can greatly influence the overall
dining experience including ambiance, décor and service are important to note.
For example, how quickly did you receive your food and was the server attentive
to your needs? Did the décor enhance or distract from the overall ambiance of
the restaurant? Be specific as possible about the details of the
restaurant.
Use Descriptive Adjectives – To
really spice up your review (no pun intended), use descriptive adjectives. For
example, instead of simply saying that the grilled chicken you ordered was
“bad,” tell why it was bad; was it dry, bland, too salty, etc? Rest assured, you
can never provide too much detail in a restaurant review.
Let Your Personality Shine Through – No one wants to read a
boring, dull review of anything, let alone a restaurant. Furthermore, there is
no added value or insight to your review if you simply copy what someone else
has already written. Make your review highly personal and unique to you, using
your own “voice;” readers will be much more interested and find your review
helpful if it is genuine
How to write a theatre or concert review:
1. Your review should be consistently clear, readable and interesting. Ultimately, your review should generate popularity and profitability.
Note: Music-loving freelancers who have built solid readership and suitable
publication experience have discovered that they may earn free media passes to
concerts. In other cases, concert reviewers can count concert tickets as
tax-deductible business expenses, if they have written and published concert
reviews for payment.
Many concert reviewers point out that they have even been invited backstage
to meet and interact with well-known musicians.
PRACTICAL STUFF
Here's a practical guide to writing a review of a live concert.
1) Writing Concert Reviews: Choose the concert you plan to attend and
review.
To start, most concert reviewers choose to specialize, focusing on their own
particular musical tastes. For example, if you simply love the symphony, you
might begin attending orchestral concerts and publishing concert reviews on such
performances. If you prefer hip hop, rap or rock music, attend a performance.
2) Writing Concert Reviews: Attend the program, and watch carefully.
Take notes, if possible. Be advised that recording devices (such as video
cameras and audio recorders) are not allowed in most concerts.
Make a list of songs or musical numbers performed during the concert. (Often,
concert reviewers may obtain set lists before concerts.) Jot down impressions,
specific performance details and any surprises that may occur during the
concert. These notes will prove essential when it comes time to write the
review.
Focus on your subject as much as possible, not any perceived "star" quality. Remember: real
journalists aim at writing the news, not to becoming the news.
3) Writing Concert Reviews: Include essential elements in your concert
review.
Be sure to include the name of the musical act (or acts) in your concert
review. Mention orchestral conductors, soloists and other key players by
name.
Briefly outline the musical genre, and point out why this concert may have
been notable. (as with the film review, you should have done some background reading.) For example, was this a reunion concert of previous musical
colleagues or a benefit concert for a certain charitable cause? Was the concert
part of a major musical event, such as a music festival, or simply a local band
performing in a street fair?
The best concert reviews evaluate both content and performances, describing
the songs and overall quality of the performance in specifics and overall.
Concert ratings may include musical specifics, as well as technical quality
(sound, staging, pyrotechnics, props and other details).
Although a concert review focuses primarily upon the performance, an adept
concert reviewer may also comment on the audience. Was it a full house with
standing room only or a sparsely attended event? Did the audience seem
enthusiastic and involved or disappointed and disinterested?
No concert review is complete without an accurate description of the concert
venue and the concert date. If the concert is part of a series or ongoing run,
the concert review should mention the remaining dates and times. If the
performers will take the same act on the road to other cities, a comprehensive
concert reviewer will cite the remaining tour stops and dates.
4. Writing Concert Reviews: Edit your concert review carefully
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