These guidelines may vary depending on what media you are reviewing.
- See the movie/television program, listen to the music, or play the game. To write a review you need to have experienced the review topic. For games it would be alright if you only played the demo but it would be advised to finished the game and played all the other areas such as multiplayer, co-op, extras, and so on. It is better to watch the movie twice or listen to the music album even more times before writing the review.
- Take notes such as the names of the stars, director, songs that standout, etc. Also it would be a good idea to take notes of the flaws too. For example, does the plot make any sense, are the special effects/graphics any good, is it too short,or is it original.
- Take time to think about what you have just experienced before writing the review.
- Structure the review. Include an introduction, main body, and a conclusion. The review should be between 250 and 500 words. Less is alright for music reviews, but not too short.
- Entertain the reader. It is good practice to add a good line in the introduction to keep them reading. Give your opinion. It is alright to add a personal touch.
- Compare the topic to similar media.
- For movies and television, discuss areas like the plot, acting, sound track, directing, and so on if they are relevant. For example if the movie does not have much of a sound track but doesn't really need one then you might not want to discuss it. Do not give away too much information about the plot such as the ending or certain twists.
- When reviewing games, write about the plot, graphics, playability, online play, if it is worth replaying, and other relevant areas. Once again do not give away too much about the plot.
- For music write about areas like the album as a whole, tracks you like and dislike, compare it to previous albums, etc.
- Leave the review for a while and reread it before you submit it.
- Include a rating out of 100. This rating will be used to generate a top 100.