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The Tennessee Solution to Disappearing Book Reviews

Long before the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the devastation of newspapers and media outlets of all kinds, book reviews around the country had already started to disappear. Papers like the San Francisco Chronicle , the Boston Globe , the Los Angeles Times , and the Washington Post eliminated their standalone sections; the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Dallas Morning News let their book editors and staff critics go; coverage evaporated in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Orlando Sentinel . News outlets that once reviewed more than five hundred books every year—and, in some cases, three times as many—now rarely cover them at all.

That national crisis came for the Volunteer State just over a decade ago. Tim Henderson, the executive director of Humanities Tennessee, the state’s affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, remembers noticing fewer book reviews and fewer publications, but also talking with struggling local arts and culture writers. “When we saw the disappearance of arts coverage across the state, it was obvious we should respond,” Henderson said, “but not how.”

Humanities Tennessee eventually created something called Chapter 16 : a part-digital, part-print publication that covers literature and literary life in the state by doing what almost any other outlet would—running reviews, profiles, interviews, and essays—but also by doing what almost no other outlet could afford to do: giving away its content for free, not only to readers but to any publication of any kind that wants to reproduce it. “We knew there was an audience for this, and we serve readers, not a bottom line, so we wanted to find a way to provide this free of charge,” Henderson said.

That is why, every week, as many as half a million people read something from Chapter 16 , and it is why, although the outlet calls itself “a community of Tennessee writers, readers, and passersby,” it offers what might be a model of sustainable arts coverage for the rest of the country. From the beginning, Henderson and his colleagues hoped that Chapter 16 would become a template for other states and regions where arts coverage is disappearing but grants, donations, and, above all, readers still exist. “This is a model people should really be looking at,” Serenity Gerbman, a program director at Humanities Tennessee, said. “We really think it’s the future of local journalism.”

Since 1989, Humanities Tennessee had been running the annual Southern Festival of Books , in Nashville, and, for almost as long, it had been trying to figure out how to sustain that event’s audience during the other fifty-one weeks of the year. When the Great Recession decimated newspapers and bookstores around the state, they grew worried about the state’s literary life—not only local authors with books in need of readers but Tennesseans in need of new things to read and critics with fewer venues for their work. The nonprofit news outlet ProPublica was two years old at the time, and Humanities Tennessee thought something similar could succeed locally—only instead of focussing on investigative journalism, it would focus on books coverage, archived in a central place and distributed to as many outlets as possible, in order to provide the sorts of pieces that the local newspapers themselves no longer could. “The creative talent was there, and the readers were there,” Gerbman said, “and we felt like it was our responsibility to showcase it.”

Years before, Gerbman had driven the Tennessee novelist William Gay to and from a reading in Clarksville. They got lost that night on the way home, and a long conversation turned longer; in the course of it, Gay, who had spent much of his life hanging drywall and painting houses, and hadn’t published anything until he was in his late fifties, got to talking about his sadness that Tennessee didn’t show as much pride in or offer as much support for its writers as neighboring Mississippi. “That struck me,” Gerbman said, remembering Gay, who died in 2012. A few years later, she thought of his words again, when the novelist Inman Majors came home to Knoxville for a reading and confessed his disappointment that no newspapers in Tennessee had covered his book.

“There are so many working writers here, publishing books and doing good work, and we felt it was important for people to see that,” Gerbman said. The founders of Chapter 16 made it the publication’s mission to try to cover every book by a Tennessee author, every book about Tennessee, and every book by any author coming to Tennessee for an event at one of the state’s more than two dozen independent bookstores and nearly one hundred colleges. Even their name reflected that regional pride: Tennessee was the sixteenth state to join the Union.

That mission makes its contents unusually eclectic. “In some ways, we’re extremely narrow, and other ways we’re extremely broad,” Maria Browning, a fifth-generation Tennessean and the editor of Chapter 16 , said. “Maybe we’re covering an academic book or a genre book that no one else would review, but it was written by a Tennessee author” or “some big best-seller because the author is passing through Tennessee on their tour.” Search the archive of Chapter 16 and you will find an interview with John Prine that his wife conducted when the musician’s songbook, “ Beyond Words ,” came out; reviews of Karl Marlantes, Elizabeth McCracken, and Richard Powers; and Q. & A.s with the writer Kwame Alexander about basketball, with the Presidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin about civic virtues, and with the historian Keisha Blain about working-class women who shaped the Black nationalist movement before Black Power.

When Chapter 16 started, its founders worried that there might not be enough books to cover. It turned out that there were too many Tennessee-related books and events to write about them all, and so their editorial choices reflect the books they feel are of greatest interest to their audience; there is no prohibition on negative reviews, but there is a preference for pieces that constructively criticize or thoughtfully celebrate. “We don’t trash books,” Browning says, “but we never lie. We care about our authors, but also our readers, so we’re truthful.”

Within a few years, Chapter 16 had become a daily publication with at least one new piece posted on its Web site every weekday, forty-five weeks of the year. Today, Browning says, most of those pieces run in print in at least one of the state’s major newspapers, and they sometimes appear in multiple outlets, including blogs, out-of-state dailies, or tiny local weeklies. All of them are collected into a weekly digital newsletter that is sent out to a smaller group of subscribers. For its media partners, the publication was an easy sell: free books coverage, written to your specifications, tied to events in your city or authors from your neck of the woods, whether that is Memphis, Chattanooga, or anywhere else in the state. For readers, it is a gift, although sometimes an invisible one: hundreds of thousands of people who read reviews or interviews syndicated from Chapter 16 in its regular partner publications—the Knoxville News Sentinel , the Memphis Commercial Appeal , the Nashville Scene , and the Chattanooga Times Free Press —may never notice the tagline indicating where it originated.

The Institute for Nonprofit News has more than two hundred member media organizations, from East Lansing Info , in Michigan, to MLK50: Justice Through Journalism , in Memphis. Most of them focus on investigative reporting; Chapter 16 is one of only a few nonprofit media outlets in the country dedicated to coverage of the arts. Initial and ongoing funding came from the National Endowment for the Humanities, but Chapter 16 is also an independent affiliate of the Library of Congress’s Center for the Book, which has promoted literacy and libraries since 1977. Most states decided to open a physical center, but Humanities Tennessee opted to do something different: theirs would be a virtual center, so that anyone in the state, regardless of Zip Code, could access it at any time.

The first step was hiring Margaret Renkl, who was about to lose her job as book editor at the Nashville Scene . An Alabama native, Renkl has lived in Tennessee since the eighties; she knew the literary landscape well, and she knew that other writers were losing their writing gigs the way she was in a shrinking trade. She spent six months planning an editorial calendar and putting together a roster of critics, most of them freelance refugees from publications that were scaling back or shuttering.

The editorial salaries have always been the largest expense, but Chapter 16 pays all of its thirty contributing writers competitive rates. Still, Humanities Tennessee invests only around a hundred thousand dollars a year in the project, a fifth of what its annual book festival costs. “It’s such a good use of public money,” Renkl said. Now a contributing writer at the Times , she left Chapter 16 before publishing her own book, “ Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss .” Wondering why other states have not followed Tennessee’s lead, Renkl said, “It’s unparalleled in how many different constituencies it reaches and helps.”

One of the most grateful of those constituencies is the state’s independent bookstores, since the coverage that Chapter 16 provides to its media partners helps drum up audiences for their store events, thereby selling books and cultivating a common literary culture across one of the longest states in the country. For Star Lowe, who opened Star Line Books, in Chattanooga, a few years ago—she was forced to close the store this summer, after revenues fell on account of the pandemic—the publication is a lifeline to what she calls Tennessee’s other “bookies.” “Memphis may as well be in Egypt if you hail from Kingsport,” Lowe said. “It’s easy to feel a disconnect, so I love that I am able to feel linked to my neighbors across the state when I open my Chapter 16 newsletter.”

Another grateful group are the critics themselves. Emily Choate, who started as an intern at Chapter 16 , has been contributing reviews for eight years now. She lives just north of Nashville, in a town called White House, and told me that learning the art of criticism while interning for the editorial staff helped her build a freelance career, which sustains her life as a fiction writer. “To be a Southerner writing in Southern publications about Southern books—it’s a really beautiful responsibility,” Choate said. She also says the community around Chapter 16 is what inspired her to think locally, and made her want to be involved with other regional literary projects, like the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance , whose members gather under the motto “We come from our personal podunks and gather in our common Peauxdunque.”

Not all of Chapter 16’s writers are locals: Hamilton Cain was raised in Chattanooga but has lived in New York for three decades now, working first at the Strand, then in book publishing for a few houses, and now as a full-time book critic for magazines and newspapers around the country. He found out about Chapter 16 when it reviewed a book he wrote, “ This Boy’s Faith: Notes from a Southern Baptist Upbringing .” He’s been writing for the outlet ever since. (His writings include a review of my book, last year, before an event for Union Ave Books, in Knoxville.)

“It’s great to be plugged into what I most love and miss about the South: its literary traditions,” Cain said, connecting Chapter 16 to a long lineage of literary history in the Volunteer State, including the New Criticism, which grew out of a collective of writers at Vanderbilt University. For Cain, the publication is essential not only for what it does inside the state but also its role as a beacon to those outside of it. “I think Chapter 16 has pushed back on the contraction in the industry, and on what people think about Southern culture,” he said. “It says we’re cosmopolitan, we make things, beautiful and literary things, even though we’re not New York.”

Like Cain, David Dark, a lifelong Nashvillian, first learned of Chapter 16 when it reviewed one of his books, “ The Sacredness of Questioning Everything .” Two years ago, Dark, who teaches religion at Belmont University, wrote his first piece for the site, about the philosopher James P. Carse, in advance of Carse’s planned visit to Belmont’s campus. It was one of many pieces about religion and politics that Dark would write for Chapter 16 .

At a cocktail party last year celebrating the publication’s tenth anniversary, Dark looked around the room and realized just how eclectic and creative a crew it was—people he had previously seen one by one at events from across the decades and around the state, gathered together in one place. “I always tell my students to amplify the oracle, to amplify whatever thoughtfulness you find, to sponsor the culture you want to see more of,” Dark said. “And that’s what Chapter 16 does.”

How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to Write a Book Review- A Step-by-Step Guide

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could be improved? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “How to write a Book Review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair: Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “How to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!

What is the difference between a book review and a report?

Who is the target audience for book reviews and book reports, how do book reviews and reports differ in length and content, can i write professional book reviews, what are the key aspects of writing professional book reviews, how can i enhance my book-reviewing skills to write professional reviews, what should be included in a good book review.

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Chapter Review

16.1 overview of the neurological exam.

The neurological exam is a clinical assessment tool to determine the extent of function from the nervous system. It is divided into five major sections that each deal with a specific region of the CNS. The mental status exam is concerned with the cerebrum and assesses higher functions such as memory, language, and emotion. The cranial nerve exam tests the functions of all of the cranial nerves and, therefore, their connections to the CNS through the forebrain and brain stem. The sensory and motor exams assess those functions as they relate to the spinal cord, as well as the combination of the functions in spinal reflexes. The coordination exam targets cerebellar function in coordinated movements, including those functions associated with gait.

Damage to and disease of the nervous system lead to loss of function. The location of the injury will correspond to the functional loss, as suggested by the principle of localization of function. The neurological exam provides the opportunity for a clinician to determine where damage has occurred on the basis of the function that is lost. Damage from acute injuries such as strokes may result in specific functions being lost, whereas broader effects in infection or developmental disorders may result in general losses across an entire section of the neurological exam.

16.2 The Mental Status Exam

The cerebrum, particularly the cerebral cortex, is the location of important cognitive functions that are the focus of the mental status exam. The regionalization of the cortex, initially described on the basis of anatomical evidence of cytoarchitecture, reveals the distribution of functionally distinct areas. Cortical regions can be described as primary sensory or motor areas, association areas, or multimodal integration areas. The functions attributed to these regions include attention, memory, language, speech, sensation, judgment, and abstract reasoning.

The mental status exam addresses these cognitive abilities through a series of subtests designed to elicit particular behaviors ascribed to these functions. The loss of neurological function can illustrate the location of damage to the cerebrum. Memory functions are attributed to the temporal lobe, particularly the medial temporal lobe structures known as the hippocampus and amygdala, along with the adjacent cortex. Evidence of the importance of these structures comes from the side effects of a bilateral temporal lobectomy that were studied in detail in patient HM.

Losses of language and speech functions, known as aphasias, are associated with damage to the important integration areas in the left hemisphere known as Broca’s or Wernicke’s areas, as well as the connections in the white matter between them. Different types of aphasia are named for the particular structures that are damaged. Assessment of the functions of the sensorium includes praxis and gnosis. The subtests related to these functions depend on multimodal integration, as well as language-dependent processing.

The prefrontal cortex contains structures important for planning, judgment, reasoning, and working memory. Damage to these areas can result in changes to personality, mood, and behavior. The famous case of Phineas Gage suggests a role for this cortex in personality, as does the outdated practice of prefrontal lobectomy.

16.3 The Cranial Nerve Exam

The cranial nerves can be separated into four major groups associated with the subtests of the cranial nerve exam. First are the sensory nerves, then the nerves that control eye movement, the nerves of the oral cavity and superior pharynx, and the nerve that controls movements of the neck.

The olfactory, optic, and vestibulocochlear nerves are strictly sensory nerves for smell, sight, and balance and hearing, whereas the trigeminal, facial, and glossopharyngeal nerves carry somatosensation of the face, and taste—separated between the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and the posterior one-third. Special senses are tested by presenting the particular stimuli to each receptive organ. General senses can be tested through sensory discrimination of touch versus painful stimuli.

The oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves control the extraocular muscles and are connected by the medial longitudinal fasciculus to coordinate gaze. Testing conjugate gaze is as simple as having the patient follow a visual target, like a pen tip, through the visual field ending with an approach toward the face to test convergence and accommodation. Along with the vestibular functions of the eighth nerve, the vestibulo-ocular reflex stabilizes gaze during head movements by coordinating equilibrium sensations with the eye movement systems.

The trigeminal nerve controls the muscles of chewing, which are tested for stretch reflexes. Motor functions of the facial nerve are usually obvious if facial expressions are compromised, but can be tested by having the patient raise their eyebrows, smile, and frown. Movements of the tongue, soft palate, or superior pharynx can be observed directly while the patient swallows, while the gag reflex is elicited, or while the patient says repetitive consonant sounds. The motor control of the gag reflex is largely controlled by fibers in the vagus nerve and constitutes a test of that nerve because the parasympathetic functions of that nerve are involved in visceral regulation, such as regulating the heartbeat and digestion.

Movement of the head and neck using the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles is controlled by the accessory nerve. Flexing of the neck and strength testing of those muscles reviews the function of that nerve.

16.4 The Sensory and Motor Exams

The sensory and motor exams assess function related to the spinal cord and the nerves connected to it. Sensory functions are associated with the dorsal regions of the spinal cord, whereas motor function is associated with the ventral side. Localizing damage to the spinal cord is related to assessments of the peripheral projections mapped to dermatomes.

Sensory tests address the various submodalities of the somatic senses: touch, temperature, vibration, pain, and proprioception. Results of the subtests can point to trauma in the spinal cord gray matter, white matter, or even in connections to the cerebral cortex.

Motor tests focus on the function of the muscles and the connections of the descending motor pathway. Muscle tone and strength are tested for upper and lower extremities. Input to the muscles comes from the descending cortical input of upper motor neurons and the direct innervation of lower motor neurons.

Reflexes can either be based on deep stimulation of tendons or superficial stimulation of the skin. The presence of reflexive contractions helps to differentiate motor disorders between the upper and lower motor neurons. The specific signs associated with motor disorders can establish the difference further, based on the type of paralysis, the state of muscle tone, and specific indicators such as pronator drift or the Babinski sign.

16.5 The Coordination and Gait Exams

The cerebellum is an important part of motor function in the nervous system. It apparently plays a role in procedural learning, which would include motor skills such as riding a bike or throwing a football. The basis for these roles is likely to be tied into the role the cerebellum plays as a comparator for voluntary movement.

The motor commands from the cerebral hemispheres travel along the corticospinal pathway, which passes through the pons. Collateral branches of these fibers synapse on neurons in the pons, which then project into the cerebellar cortex through the middle cerebellar peduncles. Ascending sensory feedback, entering through the inferior cerebellar peduncles, provides information about motor performance. The cerebellar cortex compares the command to the actual performance and can adjust the descending input to compensate for any mismatch. The output from deep cerebellar nuclei projects through the superior cerebellar peduncles to initiate descending signals from the red nucleus to the spinal cord.

The primary role of the cerebellum in relation to the spinal cord is through the spinocerebellum; it controls posture and gait with significant input from the vestibular system. Deficits in cerebellar function result in ataxias, or a specific kind of movement disorder. The root cause of the ataxia may be the sensory input—either the proprioceptive input from the spinal cord or the equilibrium input from the vestibular system, or direct damage to the cerebellum by stroke, trauma, hereditary factors, or toxins.

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• Authors: J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix
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• Book title: Anatomy and Physiology
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Read, review & discuss, percy jackson- book club: chapter 16.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Chapter 16: We Take a Zebra to Vegas Written by Katlyn

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover met Ares in the diner parking lot. Percy confronted him about the trick he played on them and Ares was very satisfied with himself, and he told them that their ride was in the parking lot. It was an animal transport. Ares gave them a backpack full of supplies and sent them on their way. Percy stopped Ares and asked about his mother. Ares told him that his mother was not dead, she was being kept so that whoever had her had the upper hand with Percy. Ares left them, and they hustled into the back of the truck. They discovered that the transport was escorting a zebra, antelope, and male albino lion. Grover was disgusted by the ‘humane’ transport these animals were given, but Percy told him they would help them later.

Annabeth apologized to Percy about freaking out with the spiders. She said it was because of the Arachne story where Athena turned her into a spider after challenging her to a basket weaving contest. She then asked Percy about what Luke said earlier, and Grover was embarrassed that Percy would not want Percy to accompany him if he knew the truth. Grover was the satyr that was supposed to transport Thalia back to Half-Blood Hill. Annabeth and Luke were the other travelers with them. Grover failed because he tried to save everyone from the Kindly Ones versus saving just Thalia. Annabeth and Percy told Grover it was not his fault, then he fell asleep.

Percy noticed Annabeth was deep in thought rubbing her necklace. He asked about her father’s college ring and she said he sent it to her since Athena helped him through his doctoral program. He also said he missed Annabeth and wanted her to come home. She believed him and did come home but ended up in the same situation as before. After a few moments of silence Annabeth told Percy that in the big fight she would fight by his side even if Athena did not.

Percy had a nightmare. He was taking a standardized test in a straightjacket with Thalia in the same situation next to him. Percy got out of the jacket and went to persue Hades. He overheard him talking to someone else about how something was stolen and how they everything was going to plan with Zeus and Poseidon fighting. They then realized that Percy was there and they called him to them. The scene then changed with Percy on a throne of human bones reaching out for his mother. He then realized his hands were withering to bones and he was being smoked by Chimera poison.

Read the rest of the recap and join in the discussion on the questions HERE

Characters Involved (Characters who are interacted with) Percy Annabeth Grover Ares Maurice Eddie bellhop Darrin

Characters Mentioned (Any other character’s mentioned by name)

Nancy Bobofit

Places Visited Denver (diner parking lot) Las Vegas (Lotus Casino)

“You think you’ll ever try living with your dad again?”

She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Please. I’m not into self-inflicted pain.”

“Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I placed a satyr’s sanctuary on them.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning they’ll reach the wild safely,” he said. “They’ll find water, food, shade, whatever

they need until they find a safe place to live.”

“Why can’t you place a blessing like that on us?” I asked.

“It only works on wild animals.”

“So it would only affect Percy,” Annabeth reasoned.

I balled up my fists. “You’re pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from Cupid statues.”

Questions for consideration

Why do you think Percy could also hear the animals talking in the truck?

Who do you think ran the Lotus Hotel and why?

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Josh's Notes

• documentation , habit stacking , incremental growth , systems

Atomic Habits chapter 16

Don’t break the chain

You might have heard this Jerry Seinfeld story. He writes jokes every day. Some are funny. Some are not. His goal has nothing to do with quality. His goal is to not break the chain.

You can buy habit trackers based on this idea. OK, I couldn’t find any with a quick Amazon search. But I’ve seen them there – giant, undated wall calendars. Anyway, this habit tracking hits 3 of Clear’s 4 laws.

Update: Here’s a smaller wall calendar-style habit tracker that I’m considering.

Habit tracking is obvious, attractive, and satisfying,

And it goes much deeper than that.

Habit tracking makes it obvious. And it makes it evident. You don’t have to try to remember what you did or how you’re doing. You have evidence. Now you can accurately reward or chastise yourself. You can find trends and address shortcomings. That’s impossible without the proper information.

Habit tracking is attractive and satisfying. This is a habit that becomes a reward. It’s motivation on tough days. And, depending on how you do it, it can be a trigger.

Get back on the horse

Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is a start of a new habit.

James Clear

James has a rule: never miss twice.

When your habit breaks down – and it will – get back at it as quickly as you can. Do bad work if the alternative is no work.

Not a perfect idea

This might be the most disappointing section of the book. That’s easy to do. The book is excellent. But nothing is perfect.

This section is titled, How to Recover Quickly When Your Habits Break Down . It’s an idea I want to know more about. I “lost” February to an illness we couldn’t get out of the house.

The section never answers the question. It covers why it’s important and provides great examples

“Just Do It” is a marketing slogan, not actionable advice. And it isn’t at all helpful after you’re derailed.

Some tips for getting back in the saddle

• Document your habits and habit stacks. Ideally, you do this before your habit falls apart. But if you haven’t, recreate what you remember and invent the rest.
• Use habit stacks. Yes, this is another task best done while things are going well. If you’re using habit stacks and your habit breakdown, you can restart the entire stack with a single trigger.
• Create a new trigger. Clear discusses this in an early chapter. It’s easier to create new habits on new triggers than to modify your reaction to existing triggers.

And a thought about working on bad days: Know your limits. Know what you can do on a bad day. Know what you should avoid on bad days. Let’s just say that should never write code on cough syrup and I learned that the hard way.

What do you track?

Be careful what you’re tracking. Your brain likes shortcuts. It may subtly push you into doing things that make your numbers good without getting you any results.

And don’t ignore things you can’t track. Clear’s example is how losing weight makes you feel. If you only look at the numbers, you might quit if the numbers aren’t where you want them. But if your weight loss program is making you feel great, the numbers almost don’t matter.

Key takeaways and implementation

Consistency creates identity. Identity makes habits automatic.

I’m testing a productivity system that’s similar to a “don’t break the chain” type planner. It’s only been a week and I’m happy with its effectiveness and simplicity.

And I’m working on improving my life documentation. Life is complicated. I can’t believe I ever tried to operate without a written plan. Humans are designed for that kind of memorization.

Series Content

• Intro and Expectations

Like this article?

Keep reading.

Atomic Habits Chapter 6

Atomic Habits chapter 13

Chapter 16: Domestic Policy

Chapter 16 Review

Chapter summary 16.1, what is public policy.

Public policy is the broad strategy government uses to do its job, the relatively stable set of purposive governmental behaviors that address matters of concern to some part of society. Most policy outcomes are the result of considerable debate, compromise, and refinement that happen over years and are finalized only after input from multiple institutions within government. Health care reform, for instance, was developed after years of analysis, reflection on existing policy, and even trial implementation at the state level.

People evaluate public policies based on their outcomes, that is, who benefits and who loses. Even the best-intended policies can have unintended consequences and may even ultimately harm someone, if only those who must pay for the policy through higher taxes.

RECALL KEY TERMS

Check your understanding, think critically.

What are some of the challenges to getting a new public policy considered and passed as law?

CHAPTER SUMMARY 16.2

Categorizing public policy.

Goods are the commodities, services, and systems that satisfy people’s wants or needs. Private goods can be owned by a particular person or group, and are excluded from use by others, typically by means of a price. Free-market economists believe that the government has no role in regulating the exchange of private goods because the market will regulate itself. Public goods, on the other hand, are goods like air, water, wildlife, and forests that no one owns, so no one has responsibility for them. Most people agree the government has some role to play in regulating public goods.

We categorize policy based upon the degree to which costs and benefits are concentrated on the few or diffused across the many. Distributive policy collects from the many and benefits the few, whereas regulatory policy focuses costs on one group while benefitting larger society. Redistributive policy shares the wealth and income of some groups with others.

Of the types of goods introduced in this section, which do you feel is the most important to the public generally and why? Which public policies are most important and why?

CHAPTER SUMMARY 16.3

Policy arenas.

The three major domestic policy areas are social welfare; science, technology, and education; and business stimulus and regulation. Social welfare programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare form a safety net for vulnerable populations. Science, technology, and education policies have the goal of securing the United States’ competitive advantages. Business stimulus and regulation policies have to balance business’ needs for an economic edge with consumers’ need for protection from unfair or unsafe practices. The United States spends billions of dollars on these programs.

What societal ills are social welfare programs designed to address?

CHAPTER SUMMARY 16.4

Policymakers.

The two groups most engaged in making policy are policy advocates and policy analysts. Policy advocates are people who feel strongly enough about something to work toward changing public policy to fix it. Policy analysts, on the other hand, aim for impartiality. Their role is to assess potential policies and predict their outcomes. Although they are in theory unbiased, their findings often reflect specific political leanings.

The public policy process has four major phases: identifying the problem, setting the agenda, implementing the policy, and evaluating the results. The process is a cycle, because the evaluation stage should feed back into the earlier stages, informing future decisions about the policy.

In the implementation phase of the policy process, is it better to use a top-down approach or a bottom-up approach on Federal policies? Why?

CHAPTER SUMMARY 16.5

Budgeting and tax policy.

Until the Great Depression of the 1930s, the U.S. government took a laissez-faire or hands-off approach to economic policy, assuming that if left to itself, the economy would go through cycles of boom and bust, but would remain healthy overall. Keynesian economic policies, with their emphasis on government spending to increase consumer consumption, helped raise the country out of the Depression.

The goal of federal fiscal policy is to have a balanced budget, in which expenditures and revenues match up. More frequently, the budget has a deficit, a gap between expenditures and revenues. It is very difficult to reduce the budget, which consists of mandatory and discretionary spending, but no one really wants to raise revenue by raising taxes. One way monetary policies can change the economy is through the level of interest rates. The Federal Reserve Board sets these rates and thus guiding monetary policy in the United States. 

What are some suggested solutions to the anticipated Social Security shortfall? Why haven’t these solutions tended to gain support?

American Government (2e) Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/20/gcse-results-day-2024-number-grading-system/

GCSE results day 2024: Everything you need to know including the number grading system

Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.   

Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren’t what you’re expecting.  

When is GCSE results day 2024?  

GCSE results day will be taking place on Thursday the 22 August.     

The results will be made available to schools on Wednesday and available to pick up from your school by 8am on Thursday morning.  

Schools will issue their own instructions on how and when to collect your results.   

When did we change to a number grading scale?  

The shift to the numerical grading system was introduced in England in 2017 firstly in English language, English literature, and maths.  

By 2020 all subjects were shifted to number grades. This means anyone with GCSE results from 2017-2020 will have a combination of both letters and numbers.  

The numerical grading system was to signal more challenging GCSEs and to better differentiate between students’ abilities - particularly at higher grades between the A *-C grades. There only used to be 4 grades between A* and C, now with the numerical grading scale there are 6.  

What do the number grades mean?  

The grades are ranked from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest.  

The grades don’t exactly translate, but the two grading scales meet at three points as illustrated below.  

The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A, while the bottom of grade 4 is aligned to the bottom of grade C.    

Meanwhile, the bottom of grade 1 is aligned to the bottom of grade G.  

What to do if your results weren’t what you were expecting?  

If your results weren’t what you were expecting, firstly don’t panic. You have options.  

First things first, speak to your school or college – they could be flexible on entry requirements if you’ve just missed your grades.   

They’ll also be able to give you the best tailored advice on whether re-sitting while studying for your next qualifications is a possibility.   

If you’re really unhappy with your results you can enter to resit all GCSE subjects in summer 2025. You can also take autumn exams in GCSE English language and maths.  

Speak to your sixth form or college to decide when it’s the best time for you to resit a GCSE exam.  

Look for other courses with different grade requirements     

Entry requirements vary depending on the college and course. Ask your school for advice, and call your college or another one in your area to see if there’s a space on a course you’re interested in.    

Consider an apprenticeship    

Apprenticeships combine a practical training job with study too. They’re open to you if you’re 16 or over, living in England, and not in full time education.  

As an apprentice you’ll be a paid employee, have the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and get time set aside for training and study related to your role.   

You can find out more about how to apply here .  

Talk to a National Careers Service (NCS) adviser    

The National Career Service is a free resource that can help you with your career planning. Give them a call to discuss potential routes into higher education, further education, or the workplace.   

Whatever your results, if you want to find out more about all your education and training options, as well as get practical advice about your exam results, visit the  National Careers Service page  and Skills for Careers to explore your study and work choices.   

You may also be interested in:

• Results day 2024: What's next after picking up your A level, T level and VTQ results?
• When is results day 2024? GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and VTQs

Tags: GCSE grade equivalent , gcse number grades , GCSE results , gcse results day 2024 , gsce grades old and new , new gcse grades

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Book Review

The Word from Nashville

Margaret Renkl surveys a complex, confounding region

By Richard Tillinghast | February 14, 2022

In Graceland, at Last , Margaret Renkl provides an introduction to the contemporary South and offers a corrective to some persistent oversimplifications. Renkl will discuss her work at Vanderbilt University in Nashville on February 24.

A Modern Mother’s Surprising Secret

In The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames , a daughter confronts her mother’s Dickensian childhood

By Jane Marcellus | April 20, 2021

Growing up, Justine Cowan struggled with her demanding, ambitious mother, Eileen, a talented pianist who claimed noble Welsh ancestry. In her memoir, The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames , Cowan explores the grim truth of her mother’s origins and comes to understand their fraught relationship.

Portrait of an Activist

Street chaplain Lindsey Krinks finds her own voice through serving the voiceless

By Beth Waltemath | March 10, 2021

In Praying with Our Feet , Lindsey Krinks, founder of Open Table Nashville, a nationally acclaimed interfaith nonprofit, describes her journey of integrity and faith as she embraces a calling to street chaplaincy and a ministry of healing. Krinks will discuss the book at a virtual event hosted by The Porch in Nashville on March 15.

Being Good Is Not Enough

Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist John Archibald wrestles with his father’s legacy

By Jim Patterson | March 9, 2021

In Shaking the Gates of Hell , Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist John Archibald of The Birmingham News struggles, even anguishes, over the legacy of his father, a United Methodist minister. Archibald will discuss Shaking the Gates of Hell at a virtual event hosted by Parnassus Books in Nashville on March 11 at 6 p.m. CST.

Baking Can Save You

Lisa Donovan’s memoir is never short of passion

By Tina Chambers | September 30, 2020

As much a manifesto as a memoir, Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger by Nashville writer and pastry chef Lisa Donovan is beautifully written, fresh, and powerful — in the tradition of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. Donovan will appear at the 2020 Southern Festival of Books, held online October 1-11.

Grief, Guilt, and Greed

Communing with the dead is good business in Helene Dunbar’s Prelude for Lost Souls

By Tina Chambers | September 9, 2020

“St. Hilaire was all about guiding the living through contact with the dead,” explains 17-year-old Russ in Helene Dunbar’s new young adult novel, Prelude for Lost Souls. “We simply relayed the words of the dead to those who needed to hear them.” Russ is one of three troubled teens whose lives intersect one summer in a mysterious New York town. Dunbar will discuss the book at YA-hoo Fest, an online celebration of young adult literature hosted by the Southern Lit Alliance in Chattanooga, September 14-17.