Tips for Writing a Good Review

1. Describe the experience

Don’t be tempted to just say ‘This was fine’. Describe the experience.

More helpful reviews provide more information, so that readers know what they might
experience—and can judge for themselves.

One-word reviews: don’t

A review that simply says ‘great’, ‘no problems’ or ‘avoid’ is not helpful, because it does not
give any context. Was it busy? Was it quiet? How can readers judge whether their experience
will be similar?

Take time to provide a bit of context and a bit more information, to help your readers.

2. Make your recommendation clear

Readers look at reviews to help them decide whether to visit, buy, read, watch, attend or even
date! This is the main takeaway from any review.

A good review therefore makes the writer’s recommendation very clear.

Some review sites allow you to leave a star rating—but even with that, make sure that you sum
up by giving a recommendation at the start or end of what you write.

3. Give the reasons for your recommendation

A recommendation is useful—but it is not enough on its own. People want to make their own
decisions, drawing on other people’s experience.

Explain the thinking and reasons behind your recommendation to support that process.

For example:

I don’t recommend this top. I often buy from here, and the sizing usually works well for me, but
this one was a very strange shape, and really didn’t fit well.

This tells readers that:

 You have experience of this shop, and you have bought from there before.
  That even if they have also shopped there before, and the fit is usually good, this may not
be suitable.

4. Offer an alternative if possible

If you are not recommending something, it can be helpful to readers to offer an alternative
that might work better.

For example:

I didn’t like this film for [reasons]. I wanted to see it because other reviewers said it was like
[second film]. However, if you like [second film], I recommend watching [third film] or [fourth
film] instead, as I think they are more [amusing/family-friendly/scary/other reason].

This gives readers somewhere else to look—and also tells them whether their taste is likely to
chime with yours.

“Not his/her best”

Some of the most useful reviews are those from people who are very familiar with a particular
writer/film-maker. They can offer a comparison with other books or films by the same person—
and therefore point readers/viewers towards something they may prefer.

5. Don’t be relentlessly negative—aim for constructive

feedback
Almost nothing is completely negative, or irredeemable.

If you are leaving a customer review, especially if it is mostly negative, try to be constructive in
your feedback. Suggest what could have been better, and how things could have been improved.

If it just wasn’t to your taste, then make that clear—and recognise that this is not the fault
of the venue/writer/anyone else.

For example:

This book is well-written, but it’s not really my taste. I have a bit of an on-off relationship with
this genre, and this one was definitely ‘off’ for me. If you love the genre, you’ll probably love the
book, because it’s fairly typical. However, if you’re looking for something a bit different, then
maybe look elsewhere.
The approach you should be aiming towards is respectful, especially if you can’t be nice.

Even if you didn’t like it, other people might—and you are often talking about someone’s
livelihood here. Assume they were doing their best, and give them the option to improve.

Should reviews be funny?

Is a good review funny?

Some of the best-known reviews—the ones that go viral—are wildly funny. Google sugar-free
gummi bears review for some samples.

Many such reviews have been viewed thousands of times, and upvoted thousands of times. They
get attention—which is good—and they are helpful to potential buyers—also good.

Can you write a good review that is also funny? Clearly the answer is yes.

Is funniness essential to a good review? No.

All that is necessary for a good review is that it provides the right information to help
people make their decision.

6. Be specific and honest

Many reviews that go viral do so because of the response from the subject of the review. At this
point, it becomes clear that the review writer was either lying, or feeling extremely entitled when
they visited and/or wrote the review.

Always be specific about what you experienced—and always be truthful.

For example, it is unhelpful to say “That was the worst customer service I have ever
experienced! Don’t go!

Instead, you might say:

“We were kept waiting for 30 minutes for a table, despite having made a reservation some days
ago. The waiting staff then took ages to take our order. The restaurant was extremely busy, but I
don’t think that’s an excuse – you shouldn’t have that many covers if you can’t serve them all,
and you certainly shouldn’t allow people in if you don’t have a table free.”

Being truthful also means not exaggerating. If you say you were waiting for 30 minutes, make
sure that you really were waiting for that long!

7. Don’t include personal information—either yours or theirs

It is a very bad idea to include your own personal information in a review, or anything
about individuals at the business—and you also shouldn’t include any information about
any other business either.

This means no plugs for a neighbouring restaurant, or your own catering business, or anything
like that. It also means not mentioning any employees by name—even if you say something very
positive about them.

It is also a very bad idea to leave reviews about somewhere you have worked on any site except
something like Glassdoor.

8. Proofread your review to check it makes sense

You should always proofread something that is intended for publication. This includes reviews.

FORMAT OF A NEWSPAPER REPORT

 Headline- A descriptive title which is expressive of the contents of the report.

 By line- Name of the person writing the report along with the designation. It is generally
given in the question. Remember, you are not supposed to mention your personal details
in your answer.

 Place and date of reporting- It is generally not mentioned in a magazine report

separately, but here, it is.

1.
1. Opening paragraph- It includes expansion of the headline. It needs to be short
as it is a general overview of the report.
2. Account of the event in detail– It is generally written in two parts: First,
complete account of what happened in it’s chronological sequence (preferably)
and second, the witness remarks
2. Concluding paragraph- This will include the action that has been taken so far or that
will be taken. It is the last paragraph.

MAGAZINE REPORT NEWSPAPER REPORT

Heading Headline
By line By line (along with the designation)
Opening paragraph Date and place
Account of the event Opening paragraph
Conclusion Account of the event and witness remarks
Conclusion
POINTS TO REMEMBER-

1. Make sure you use language which is suitable for the audience you are addressing to.
Usage of complex vocabulary for addressing children is not advisable.
2. Make sure you write in paragraphs.
3. Practice previous year question papers.
4. Read as many samples as you can. It will give you an idea as to how they are actually
written.
5. Read the question at least twice and highlight the important information. It is very
important to understand the question and read between the lines. Albert Einstein once
said,

“If you can’t explain it simply, you didn’t understand it well enough.”

1. Plan before you pen. Just make a list of all your important points on the rough sheet (last
sheet of your answer booklet) so that you do not forget relevant points while writing. This
also helps you in maintaining a sequence, which is very important.
2. Presentation is very important.
3. Make sure you double check for grammatical accuracy and spellings. They carry marks.
4. Leave adequate number of lines between paragraphs to make it look clean.
5. Underlining the main points is very important. But it is advised to do it after finishing
your exam. Use a pencil and scale for underlining.
6. Make small sentences. It restricts the scope of grammatical inaccuracies.

Suggested value points as given by examiners.

VARIOUS ACTIVITIES IN THE ADOPTED VILLAGE

Suggested value points: A Report should answer the questions:

 What – name of event and occasion, by whom conducted

 Where
 When -date and time Activities (Teaching & Social Work) held
 A comment on the quality of the activities organized

Q1. MMD School, Nashik, recently organised a science symposium on the topic: ‘Effect of
pollution on quality of life’. You are Amit/Amita Raazdan, editor of the school magazine.
Write a report on the event for your school magazine.

Answer:
 Report on Science Symposium held at MMD School, Nashik

-By Amit/ Amita Raazdan, Editor of the school magazine

A symposium was organised on 1 March 2022 in the school on the topic “Effect of Pollution on
Quality of Life”. All the science students were a part of the elucidative programme.

The event stared with the felicitation of the guest speakers. Thereafter, the participants were
espoused by Sh. Suraj Prakash. He acquainted them with the objectives and goals of the
workshop. The resource person Dr. Hari Om Gupta reflected his profound knowledge on the
topic and highlighted how important it is to curb the menace of pollution.
An exalting demonstration of effects of pollution on our lives galvanized the engrossed
participants. After the lunch break Dr. K.K. Arora, Resource Person, exhibited the possible steps
that can be undertaken at the personal level to reduce pollution. It was followed by another
session on the basic concept behind pollution reduction which triggered the young minds into
thinking innovative ways.

An interactive concourse ignited the inquisitiveness of participants. They have committed

themselves completely to bring about a change in the situation. The informative workshop
culminated with a vote of thanks proposed by the head of the science department.

Q2. You are Karan/ Kirti of L.M. Memorial Public School, Dwarka. Your school has
adopted a village as a social responsibility. Students are being taken to teach the children of
that village on a regular basis.

Write a report, for your school magazine, on the various other programmes organized

Answer:

VILLAGE ADOPTION- A STEP TOWARDS BEING SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

-BY KARAN/ KRITI

On the occasion of World Literacy Day, L.M. Memorial Public School, Dwarka has taken an
oath to embrace the village named Rajpur.

The school has taken the responsibility of educating the people residing in the village. Selected
students from each standard are taken there every weekend, during school hours to impart
knowledge. The first 6 month motive is to make each and every person capable of reading and
writing. Free books and stationery is being provided for quality education. Children are given
time to spend with each other, play games and interact. Apart from the educational needs, special
care is devoted to hygiene and sanitation. Girls are being given awareness on the importance of
menstrual hygiene as well. Various talent hunts have been organised which left everyone
overawed. The immense enthusiasm and zeal in the people to learn is the main driving factor.

A family kind of environment is being created. The school treats the people of the village as its
own students and is unbiased. By adopting a village, the school is making its students sensitive
towards the needs of the environment at a young age. It is committed towards raising the leaders
of tomorrow.

How to create a how-to guide

You may use the following steps to help you create your own effective how-to guide:

1. Understand your target audience

Before writing your how-to guide, it's important to understand your target audience. Do your
best to contemplate who might read your how-to guide and why. Consider their age, background,
level of knowledge on the subject and other demographics to determine important aspects of
your guide. Your target audience and their motivations may influence the language used in your
guide, the number and complexity of steps and the information deemed necessary to complete
the process.

2. Research the process

It's important that you understand the process completely when writing an instructional guide. If
you're unfamiliar with the process, consider researching it is as much as possible before starting
your guide. You may do this by reading other how-to guides, watching instructional videos,
practicing the process yourself or reading books and literature available on the subject. Having
an advanced understanding of the process can help you include all the important and accurate
information needed for successful completion.

Even if you have existing knowledge of the process, it may be helpful to do a small amount of
research to refresh your memory and update your techniques.

3. Decide on a title

Consider the title you'd like to use for your how-to guide. An effective title often concisely
summarizes the process your guide aims to describe and begins with "How To." Try to use a
bold, easily read font for your title and center it at the top of the page. For example, you might
title a guide for catching fish "How To Catch a Fish."

4. Create actionable steps

Once you fully understand the process and write your title, you may begin writing the steps of
your how-to guide. First, consider the number of steps necessary to convey all instructions
clearly. Then, assign subheadings or titles to each step that summarize their content. Then, write
your instructions for each step as clearly and simply as possible. Consider how actionable each
of your descriptions are, as sometimes, simply telling someone to do something doesn't give
them the tools necessary to do it. You may need to offer suggestions for how they could
complete the task.

For example, instead of saying, "do some research," you could say, "access online resources such
as search engines and training videos to conduct research."

5. Simplify your language

After completing your numbered steps, consider reading through your how-to guide to find any
areas of complex wording or intricate language. It's important that your audience clearly
understands your guide and simplifying any complicated content could help them better
comprehend the process. To do this, consider marking complicated words or phrases that you
could convey in fewer or simpler words and revising them to reflect these changes.

6. Incorporate examples

Sometimes, images and examples can help readers more easily visualize the instructions in your
guide. Consider adding examples or helpful pictures to clarify your statements. This may help
eliminate any confusion for your readers and could prevent the incorrect completion of steps.

7. Include additional tips

If there is additional information or helpful details about your process that don't fit cohesively
within your numbered steps, you may include a brief list of additional tips at the end of your
how-to guide. Consider information that was helpful when you completed the process,
information found through your research or any other important content from which a reader
may benefit. The number of tips to include may depend on the subject and complexity of your
guide, but try to keep your list to under five items to enhance readability.

8. Proofread

After completing your guide, it's important to proofread for any errors in spelling, grammar or
instructional content. Uncorrected errors in your guide may confuse your readers and could cause
the incorrect application of your instructions. Consider reading your guide aloud or having
someone else check it for mistakes and correcting them if they appear.

Example of a how-to guide

Below is an example of an effective how-to guide:

How To Ride a Bike for the First Time

1. Choose a location
Learning to ride a bike is often easier done on a smooth surface. Consider using your driveway
or an empty parking lot as your practice location. Be sure there aren't any potholes or large rocks
in the way and consider situating your riding path so that there is a softer area nearby, such as a
patch of grass or pile of leaves, to catch your fall if necessary.

2. Wear safety equipment

It's important to wear the proper clothing and safety equipment when learning to ride a bike.
Consider wearing a sturdy helmet, comfortable shoes, pants that won't get caught in the pedal
mechanism and elbow or knee pads for additional protection.

3. Find a partner

It's often easier to learn to ride a bike with a partner to help you keep your balance. Consider
asking a friend or family member to assist you. They can be present to hold on to the back of the
bike seat to help you remain steady during your first ride or simply offer emotional support.

4. Sit on the bike seat

Once you've chosen and put on your safety equipment and your partner is ready, you may sit
down on the bike seat. When seated, your toes should be the only part of your foot able to touch
the ground. If the seat is too high or low, you may adjust it using the lever on the base of the seat.

5. Put one foot on a pedal

Once you've adjusted your seat to the appropriate height and you've sat down securely on the
bike with both feet on the ground, you may put one foot on a pedal. Be sure to place your foot on
the pedal that is in the top position, not the one that is closest to the ground.

6. Push the pedal forward

You may now begin to gently push the pedal forward with your foot. While doing this, the
second pedal will rise as the first pedal will move closer to the ground.

7. Bring your second foot onto the second pedal

Once the second pedal is in the top position, place your other foot on the second pedal and gently
push it forward. This will alternate the pedals and turn the wheels of the bike, moving it forward.

8. Alternate the pedals

Continue alternating pedals by pushing on them with both feet, one at a time. The faster you
alternate pedals, the faster the bike will go.

9. Maintain balance
To maintain balance on your bicycle, try not to lean to the left or the right. Do your best to sit
upright, look forward and engage your core to prevent the bike from tipping.

10. Squeeze the brake to slow down or stop

When you're ready to slow down or stop, slowly squeeze the lever on the bike handle. This is the
brake mechanism and it will stop the wheels from spinning.

Tips for Riding Your Bike for the First Time

Remain calm

When learning to ride your bike, you may feel nervous about falling. Try to remember that your
safety equipment will protect you, and since it's your first ride, you likely won't be going fast
enough to sustain serious injury. Remaining calm may help you focus more easily and enjoy the
experience.

Brake slowly

Try not to squeeze the brake lever too quickly or suddenly, as this will cause the bike to stop
quickly and you could fall over the handlebars. When you're ready to slow down or brake, do so
gently and gradually.

Take your time

Remember, this is your first time riding a bike, so it's okay to take as much time as you need to
feel comfortable. You may not get it exactly right the first time, but with practice, you will be
riding with ease in no time.

Business Leaflets can highlight the benefits of your latest product, promo or showpiece event –
placing your message squarely in front of your audience.

But what makes a Leaflet campaign successful? Clever content, succinct messaging and a solid
tone of voice are all important. Explore how to write a Leaflet in six simple steps:

Step 1: Establish your own tone of voice

Tone of voice is summed up as the way in which a brand communicates with its customers and
the wider world. All content you create – from press ads and blog posts to site copy and social
media – must sound consistent in terms of words used, sentence structure, chattiness, cultural
references etc.
The most successful brands totally master tone of voice. Think about the way Apple, for
example, speaks. Or the offbeat charm of Innocent smoothies – all Fruit Towers and the Banana
Phone.

Consider the language your target audience will be most receptive to and use this to pique their
interest with convincing and compelling wording that’s true to your brand.

Step 2: Create eye-catching headlines

We are bombarded with hundreds of marketing messages every day. So how can your message
rise above the background noise?

Grab the attention of your audience with a headline that’s catchy, relevant, and benefit-led. One
key tip is to place the main benefit of whatever you’re advertising in the headline, surrounded by
supporting language. This is called benefit-led. For example:

 Sale: lead with the offer itself

 Event: use the details of where and when
 Product: focus on the main benefit

Step 3: Focus on the USPs

Position them in prominent places in an eye-catching way within your Leaflet design. Numbered
lists and bullet points are a brilliant way of clearly highlighting the take-home points of your
Leaflet – and grouping additional USPs. Your new phone has more to shout about than its new
screen, after all.

Build your Leaflet around these features, and translate them into lifestyle benefits. Say, for
example, you’re selling a smartphone that offers a better screen than others. You don’t simply
say ‘it has a better screen’.

You say something like: ‘Netflix on your phone looks as sharp as on your TV with the screen on
the…’ Turn features into benefits.

Position them in prominent places in an eye-catching way within your Leaflet design. Numbered
lists and bullet points are a brilliant way of clearly highlighting the take-home points of your
Leaflet – and grouping additional USPs. Your new phone has more to shout about than its new
screen, after all.

Step 4: Include key details

The essentials of your promotion must be included in your Leaflet structure. News stories, for
example, are always written to cover the who, what, when, where, why and how. And your
Leaflet should follow the same principle.
Company contact details, event dates, locations, product prices and promotional discounts are all
vital. They’re the snippets of information your readers need to act upon the call to action within
your Leaflet.

While the title takes precedence for drawing in the reader, these nuggets of information will help
to guide them towards your desired action.

Step 5: Get straight to the point

Keep it concise when you’re listing important information related to your promotion. Be
expressive, but also ensure what you’re saying is pertinent.

Plainly outline what you’re offering and speak directly to the customer. You’re trying to
persuade them to call, email, scan a QR code or visit the website, so talk to them using language
such as “you” and “you’re”.

Emphasise the benefits they’ll receive from whatever you’re advertising and feed their hunger to
learn more about it by being descriptive.

Step 6: Finish with a call to action

What is the purpose of the Leaflet? Prompt potential customers to act upon your marketing
materials by including a clear call to action, which signposts exactly what they need to do next
to…

 Take advantage of your offer

 Find out more about the product
 Book tickets for your event

Whatever action you want them to take, be clear. The most effective Leaflet writing examples
use plain English and don’t confuse with flowery language or metaphor.

Phrases such as “Visit our website at…” “Discover more by joining us on…” and “Explore our
range at…” are perfect examples of CTAs that are expressive and lead the reader to the next
point.

A strong CTA can make the difference in your Leaflet campaign being a success.

Leaflet writing: Do’s and don’ts

Do’s:

 Do use short, snappy sentences to keep the reader’s attention

 Do showcase your credibility by including awards won or qualifications
 Do use persuasive language
Don’ts:

 Don’t overload the reader with a lot of information

 Don’t waste the back page – print on both sides

When you print Leaflets with Solopress, you can be sure of a high-quality product that hits your
design goals. Simply upload your artwork using our online Leaflet template and we’ll handle the
printing using vibrant colours