Book and Resource Review Guidelines
Updated June 2011
The objective of the Books and Resource Review (B&RR) section of
AMLE is to provide our readers with insightful and informative reviews
of a diverse array of resources. We define the term "resources" broadly -
such that we are interested in reviews of not only books but also
software, hardware, internet sites, training programs, experiential
exercises, simulations, and other tools that may assist management
educators and practitioners in developing their knowledge, skills, and
awareness. Additionally, the current editorial board has made a
strategic decision to include reviews of resources drawn from outside of
the management domain. As a result, we are particularly interested in
reviews of applicable resources drawn from across the disciplines (e.g.,
Computer Sciences, Engineering, Education, Journalism, Humanities, Law,
Medicine & Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences), as
well as those specifically targeting management educators. A list of all
published reviews is available here on this website.
Although the editors will initiate the review of both popular and
classic media, we encourage editorial board members, and indeed Academy
of Management members, to recommend specific reviews that AMLE should
undertake. It should be stressed that AMLE will strive to address the
range of interests represented by all divisions and interest groups of
the Academy. In addition, we will strive to represent alternative,
unique, and emerging viewpoints from across the disciplines and around
the globe, both in the selection of resources and the selection of
reviewers.
What follows is a recommended format for the reviews. We encourage you to follow this, but also to consider whether an alternative approach might be appropriate given the nature of the resource and the nature of the review undertaken. If an alternative approach is preferred, please contact the B&RR section editor, Amy Kenworthy, before beginning the review, using the phrase AMLE Book and Resource Reviews in the subject line.
The Review
- Titles and Pre-Review Information: At the beginning of your review, place the following information:
Copyright Academy of Management Learning and Education
Reviews
(Title) The Great American Novel about Management
By Jane R. Doe and John M. Doe. New York, NY: Universal Publishers, 2001. 545 pages, hard cover.
Reviewed by J. Ben Arbaugh, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
- First paragraph: Explain as briefly as possible what the resource
(book, video, exercise, simulation, etc) is about. Try to capture the
reader's attention in the opening.
- Middle: Relate the main points of the work. Expand on these points
so that the reader can very quickly get a good feel for the material.
You can use quotes as long as they are not too long. If quotes are used,
indicate the page numbers after the quote. Please do not use footnotes!
You can include references to other works. If you do reference other
works, place the author(s)'s last name, year of publication, and, if
appropriate, the quoted page numbers within parentheses after the
sentence (see the Format Section for an example). Include the reference
in the Bibliography Section. You do not have to use references in a
review; they are optional and should be used only if they will enhance
the quality of your review.
- In the latter paragraphs of the review, indicate the strengths of
the work and your concerns, such as questions you have about the
presentation or generalizability. Ensure you adopt a constructive tone.
Help the reader to understand why you have concerns. Notice that we
stayed away from the word "problems" or "weaknesses", since those terms
may not help readers to understand the ways in which the work can be
useful. However, since this is your review, we leave it to your
discretion to determine whether the use of such terms is appropriate.
- End: Conclude your review by succinctly giving your overall opinion.
Include how you plan to use the work in your research and/or courses,
if appropriate. Finally, if applicable, how could practitioners benefit
from this material?
The Format
- Length: Maximum is 1500 words (about six typed double spaced pages).
Although there is no minimum, please use 1000 words (about four pages)
as a guide. If the review should run shorter or longer, please contact
the section editor, Amy Kenworthy.
- Type: 12 point, including all titles. Times New Roman is the font.
No bolding. Use Italics to highlight a word or phrase. Place book titles
in Italics when used in the body of the review.
- Headings: No subheadings. No page headers. Page numbering only at the bottom center of the page.
- Margins: Use 1" margins all around.
- Citing References (optional): Use author's last name and year, and
page number if a quote is cited. For example: (Ferris, 2001: 22) or
(Ford & Jones, 1998: 125-127)
- Bibliography (optional): Please follow the AMLE style guidelines (posted on this site under the "Authors" menu).
The Submission
- Form: Submit your review as an email attachment to Amy Kenworthy.
MS Word or Adobe Acrobat are preferred file formats. She will confirm
receipt of the attachment with a tentative timeline for review.
- Finally, if you have any questions about your review submission or
the submission process itself, please contact Amy Kenworthy via email.
Download the Guidelines in .pdf format.
Guidelines created by Barry Armandi, August 2001.
Revised by J. Ben Arbaugh, December 2004.
Revised by Kenneth G. Brown and Charmine E. J. Hartel, January 2009.
Revised by Amy L. Kenworthy, June 2011