summary response essay components

BusyTeacher.org

The Summary Response Essay: 5 Essential Components

The summary response essay is a classic writing task for advanced english as a second language students who are embarking on an academic path..

It is often used to introduce students to the notion of source integration, and it can also serve as a foundation for introducing other rhetorical styles. As students prepare to undertake university coursework, they need to be prepared to respond to reading material responsibly and effectively, and the summary response essay is excellent way to help them begin to learn how to do so.

Prepare Your Students for Academic Writing

Summarizing.

This writing task is a fundamentally important one, as it will be a useful and necessary technique in many academic writing assignments that ESL students encounter in their studies. It’s especially challenging because a student’s ability to do so effectively depends on both reading and writing skills. If students are at a deficit in reading proficiency, the writing aspect of summarizing will be incredibly difficult. Likewise, if a student is strong reader, summarizing will be challenging if his or her writing skills are not of a comparable proficiency level. When teaching students how to summarize, the focus should be on main ideas. Often, students are tempted to include too many details, and a summary can turn into one long paraphrase in which students include too many details. A summary grid is a useful tool for helping students to pull main ideas out of a text before organizing them into a piece of writing. This graphic organizer is simply a chart that has space for students to write the main idea of portions of the text. It can be divided by sentence, paragraph, or section, depending on the length of the text. Students can use a summary gird to take notes and then further synthesize the information to decide what to include in a summary. Like anything we teach, summarizing needs to be broken down step by step when students first are first beginning to learn how to do so, and collaboration among classmates when students are first learning this concept will be very useful.

Paraphrasing and Quoting

There can easily be confusion between summarizing, paraphrasing , and quoting when students are learning to integrate sources into their writing. Therefore, it is often helpful to introduce these skills together, allowing students to compare and contrast the characteristics of each. Start by taking a passage and showing students an example of a summary, a paraphrase, and quote from the same excerpt, so they can begin to identify the defining features of all three. The focus of summaries should be on main ideas, which paraphrasing and quoting should preserve one, isolated idea in its entirety.

Organization

The organization of a summary response essay is typically a 4-5 paragraph essay that includes a short summary in the introduction that provides and objective overview of a text. The body of the essay is the response portion and should include student’s commentary on the reading or on an issue related to the topic or ideas stated within the reading. This format is a formative teaching tool because much of what students will encounter in later academic coursework will require them to engage in writing tasks that require stating information and then analyzing it. The summary response essay serves a stepping stone for this kind of thinking and writing process, and thus, the organization of ideas in a summary response essay is important as a foundational form.

Transitions

The summary response essay, like any basic writing task for English as a Second Language students, is also an opportunity to develop cohesion in writing. Students should be directed to choose appropriate connectors to join ideas, both between paragraphs and within them. Once students have mastered the general format of a summary response essay, the next step is to have them refine their writing by looking at how appropriate transitional words and phrases can be added to aid them in clarifying ideas and creating stronger arguments.

Argumentation Can Be Introduced

When students have become comfortable using the summary response format, argumentation can be introduced using the same structure. This allows students to focus on dealing with their ideas without needing to also worry about organizational issues in the essay. If they are working within the familiar framework of the summary response essay, they will be free to explore how concession and refutation can be used to strengthen opinions and enhance critical thinking. Argumentation is a concept that will take students some time to digest, so if students can work within a familiar framework, it minimizes the amount of new information that needs to be processed at once.

The summary response essay is a tried-and-true tool for developmental English as a Second Language writing and reading courses.

It is an essential component of any course that is preparing students to write academically with the use of source integration. Students will benefit greatly throughout their academic careers from the practice that the summary response essay affords them in terms of honing their summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting skills.

Like it? Tell your friends:

Less is more how to teach summary writing.

What You Can Do With Writing Prompts Part Three: The Parts of an Essay

Most Popular

12 days ago

Is Gen Z Actually Lazy? This Admission Consultant Doesn’t Think So

How to reference a movie in an essay.

11 days ago

How to Write a Position Paper

Inquiry vs enquiry, zoterobib review, how to write a summary response essay.

For college students, writing summaries may seem like just an overly simple and absurd exercise. Shouldn’t they have learned to do it at school already? Yet still, most professors will find students now knowing how to correctly comprise what they’ve read into a brief compilation of key ideas. And if they can’t write about what they’ve read correctly, how could they possibly write a proper response stating their ideas? So, let’s finally figure out once and for all how you should structure and write your summary response essays and save both your and your professors time correcting and rewriting those works.

Writing a Summary Response Essay – What to Include & How to Structure

So you need to write a response summary. The very first thing you will have to do is carefully read through the original text. You will need to note the key details provided in this work, as well as your own thoughts regarding what you’ve read. Sometimes you might indeed be given not a particularly interesting source, of course. But it doesn’t mean that it won’t evoke any thoughts or emotions in you. So, be cautious even when you feel bored – after all, that’s a feeling too.

As you went through the source and made notes, you will now have to make sure you collected all the needed information. What that might be? For starters, it’s the key details about the publication: its author, title, publication date and place, and the main idea (or purpose). You will also need to identify and put into your own words the author’s key argument / opinion /claim /perspective. Presenting supporting ideas here may be a good decision, as it will help both you and your reader connect the dots which led the author to draw the conclusion they did.

When you collect all of this, be sure to combine it into one logical narrative. You are not making a list or simple recollection of the mentioned facts. Your writing needs to flow like a river. That’s where a proper structure might help you out. This is how your summary response essay should be built:

• Topic paragraph This is the very start of the essay which includes the information we talked about: author of the source, title, publication place, and date. You can also provide the reader with a little background/context for the future discussion here.
• The Summary After setting the scene, you may continue writing and present the author’s perspectives and claims they made in their work. Don’t forget to give supportive ideas to your reader too, because only then you will be able to build a logical text. Write everything down in the order it was discussed in the original source and include its initial conclusion (don’t forget to write in your own words!). Note : You have to stay objective despite putting everything in your own words. Do not alter the facts or opinions given in the source and stay as accurate and close to the original as possible .
• The Response After presenting the summary, which can take any amount of paragraphs you need, you should move on to giving your opinion/evaluation of the reading material. Talk about your perspective on the presented issue. You are free to critique or agree with the author, just be sure to give a clear argument on why you think that way.

Following this structure, it should be easy for you to build a coherent narrative and state everything you have to say. And yeah, don’t just repeat the source, retelling everything verbatim – that won’t do you any good. Quotes are also usually not needed – after all, it’s a response summary and not just an analysis.

Types of Ideas that Can be Presented in Your Summary Response Essay

In a summary response essay, you’ll come across various types of ideas, such as facts, opinions, beliefs, and prejudices. Each requires a different approach in your response. For instance, you might reflect on new knowledge gained, agree with well-supported arguments, disagree based on personal experiences, or note omissions/inconsistencies in the author’s discussion. Moreover, analyzing the author’s text organization and purpose can deepen your response. This variety of ideas and responses helps move your essay forward and explore the original text much deeper.

Check out Our Free Summarizer

Step-by-step process of writing a summary response essay.

With a clear understanding of the structure and the ideas that you should include in your essay, it shouldn’t be as hard for you to compile a proper response summary. However, organizing the writing process correctly can also help make the process much quicker. That’s why we decided to analyze the existing tips and create a guide that would make essay writing more simple and effective.

Identifying Main Idea

Before starting your writing, make sure you found what was the point of the piece you’ve read. Ask yourself: Have I identified the text’s main ideas and supporting ideas? And, what were my initial reactions to the text? This will allow you to create a topic sentence for the summary paragraph and a thesis statement for the response paragraph.

Laying Down Supporting Facts

During this step, you have to dedicate time to picking the ideas that may help your reader understand the author’s point of view. You can also pinpoint the facts that may support your own opinion. Here, it would be helpful to ask questions: what led the author to draw these conclusions? Do I agree or disagree with the author’s points? Is it a little of both?

Outlining the Author’s Purpose

The third step is to determine the author’s purpose for writing and assess whether it was achieved. Maybe you will notice inconsistencies or biases in the writer’s logic. Or maybe something in the writing wasn’t as clear as it should have been.

Bring Everything Together

Now, as you have created your outline (because that’s what you were initially doing in the first three steps) you can bring all the pieces of this puzzle together. Add detalization to the outline. Express your opinion about the author’s main idea.

Note : When drafting your work (and first, you will create a draft that will become an essay only after you review it), be sure to include signal phrases to distinguish between the author’s and your own ideas. These can be words as ‘ Chomsky argues’, ‘Smith’s research states’ .

Finally, proofread your essay for errors and format it appropriately, according to the requirements stated by the professor.

Writing Example

To give you a clearer idea of how the summary response essay may look like, analyze the example we give below:

In “Existential Psychotherapy,” Irvin D. Yalom explores the existential approach to psychotherapy, emphasizing the human condition’s inherent concerns, such as death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. Yalom argues that confronting these existential realities can lead to personal growth and a more authentic existence. He presents a therapeutic framework that prioritizes understanding the client’s experience and encourages self-reflection and acceptance of life’s uncertainties. Yalom’s insights into existential psychotherapy resonate with me, particularly his emphasis on the importance of confronting existential concerns. I agree with his assertion that acknowledging our mortality and the limitations of our freedom can lead to a deeper appreciation of life and a more genuine connection with others. However, I find his discussion on isolation to be slightly lacking in addressing the role of social support and community in mitigating feelings of loneliness. Additionally, while Yalom’s approach to meaninglessness is thought-provoking, I believe that exploring one’s values and engaging in purposeful activities can also play a significant role in finding meaning. Overall, “Existential Psychotherapy” provides valuable perspectives on the human condition and the therapeutic process, encouraging both therapists and clients to embrace life’s complexities.

Keep in mind that this is just an approximate example. It doesn’t have the level of detalization that can be presented in this type of essay, however, it follows the appropriate structure and includes both a summary of the original work and the response paragraph.

Long-Term Skill Development: Why Summary Response Essays are Good for You

Writing summary/response essays isn’t just a school exercise. It can come in handy when crafting research papers or even compiling business reports. The first thing that this type of writing teaches you is to present complex ideas in simple words and brief formulations. The response part pushes you to form and articulate your opinions, a very important skill in persuasive writing and argumentation. Plus, the whole process boosts your ability to engage with texts critically and allows you to sift through different viewpoints and present your ideas clearly. So, while it might seem like just another assignment now, knowing how to write summary response essays can set you up for success in various writing tasks down the line.

What is a summary response essay?

A summary response essay is a piece of writing that presents a summary of an author’s main ideas and then offers a personal response to those ideas. It combines elements of summary and analysis, allowing the writer to engage with the text and express their own perspectives.

What are the key components of a summary response essay?

The key components of a summary response essay include a clear summary of the text’s main points, a thesis statement that presents the writer’s response, supporting arguments that elaborate on the response, and evidence from the text to back up the writer’s views.

What are some tips for writing a strong summary response essay?

For a strong summary response essay, start by thoroughly understanding the text. Then, create a clear and concise summary, followed by a well-defined thesis statement. Provide detailed arguments to support your response, using evidence from the text. Finally, structure your essay so it is well-organized and flows smoothly from one point to the next.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

Comments (0)

Welcome to A*Help comments!

We’re all about debate and discussion at A*Help.

We value the diverse opinions of users, so you may find points of view that you don’t agree with. And that’s cool. However, there are certain things we’re not OK with: attempts to manipulate our data in any way, for example, or the posting of discriminative, offensive, hateful, or disparaging material.

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

More from Summary Writing Guides

Synthesis vs Summary

Best Summarising Strategies for Students

How To Summarize A Story

Remember Me

Is English your native language ? Yes No

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Summary/Response Essays: Overview

A summary/response essay may, at first, seem like a simplistic exercise for a college course. But the truth is that most academic writing requires us to successfully accomplish at least two tasks: summarizing what others have said and presenting what you have to say. Because of this, summarizing and responding are core skills that every writer should possess.

Being able to write an effective summary helps us make sense of what others have to say about a topic and how they choose to say it. As writers, we all need to make an effort to recognize, understand, and consider various perspectives about different issues. One way to do this is to accurately summarize what someone else has written, but accomplishing this requires us to first be active and engaged readers.

Along with the other methods covered in the Reading Critically chapter , writing a good summary requires taking good notes about the text. Your notes should include factual information from the text, but your notes might also capture your reactions to the text—these reactions can help you build a thoughtful and in-depth response.

Responding to a text is a crucial part of entering into an academic conversation. An effective summary proves you understand the text; your response allows you to draw on your own experiences and prior knowledge so that you can talk back to the text.

As you read, make notes, and summarize a text, you’ll undoubtedly have immediate reactions. Perhaps you agree with almost everything or find yourself frustrated by what the author writes. Taking those reactions and putting them into a piece of academic writing can be challenging because our personal reactions are based on our history, culture, opinions, and prior knowledge of the topic. However, an academic audience will expect you to have good reasons for the ways you have responded to a text, so it’s your responsibility to critically reflect on how you have reacted and why.

The ability to recognize and distinguish between types of ideas is key to successful critical reading.

Types of Ideas You Will Encounter When Reading a Text

• Fact: an observable, verifiable idea or phenomenon
• Opinion: a judgment based on fact
• Belief: a conviction or judgment based on culture or values
• Prejudice: an opinion (judgment) based on logical fallacies or on incorrect, insufficient information

After you have encountered these types of ideas when reading a text, your next job will be to consider how to respond to what you’ve read.

Four Ways to Respond to a Text

• Reflection. Did the author teach you something new? Perhaps they made you look at something familiar in a different way.
• Agreement. Did the author write a convincing argument? Were their claims solid, and supported by credible evidence?
• Disagreement. Do you have personal experiences, opinions, or knowledge that lead you to different conclusions than the author? Do your opinions about the same facts differ?
• Note Omissions. If you have experience with or prior knowledge on the topic, you may be able to identify important points that the author failed to include or fully address.

You might also analyze how the author has organized the text and what the author’s purposes might be, topics covered in the Reading Critically chapter .

Key Features

A brief summary of the text.

Include Publication Information. An effective summary includes the author’s name, the text’s title, the place of publication, and the date of publication—usually in the opening lines.

Identify Main Idea and Supporting Ideas. The main idea includes both the topic of the text and the author’s argument, claim, or perspective. Supporting ideas help the author demonstrate why their argument or claim is true. Supporting ideas may also help the audience understand the topic better, or they may be used to persuade the audience to agree with the author’s viewpoints.

Make Connections Between Ideas. Remember that a summary is not a bullet-point list of the ideas in a text. In order to give your audience a complete idea of what the author intended to say, you need to explain how ideas in the text are related to one another. Consider using transition phrases.

Be Objective and Accurate. Along with being concise, a summary should be a description of a text, not an evaluation. While you may have strong feelings about what the author wrote, your goal in a summary is to objectively capture what was written. Additionally, a summary needs to accurately represent the ideas, opinions, facts, and judgments presented in a text. Don’t misrepresent or manipulate the author’s words.

Do Not Include Quotes. Summaries are short. The purpose of a summary is for you to describe a text in your own words . For this reason, you should focus on paraphrasing rather than including direct quotes from the text in your summary.

Thoughtful and Respectful Response to the Text

Consider Your Reactions. Your response will be built on your reactions to the text, so you need to carefully consider what reactions you had and how you can capture those reactions in writing.

Organize Your Reactions. Dumping all of your reactions onto the page might be useful to just get your ideas out, but it won’t be useful for a reader. You need to organize your reactions. For example, you might develop sections that focus on where you agree with the author, where you disagree, how the author uses rhetoric, and so on.

Create a Conversation. Avoid the trap of writing a response that is too much about your ideas and not enough about the author’s ideas. Your response should remain engaged with the author’s ideas. Keep the conversation alive by making sure you regularly reference the author’s key points as you talk back to the text.

Be Respectful. We live in an age when it’s very easy to anonymously air our grievances online, and we’ve seen how Reddit boards, YouTube comments, and Twitter threads can quickly devolve into disrespectful, toxic spaces. In a summary/response essay, as in other academic writing, you are not required to agree with everything an author writes—but you should state your objections and reactions respectfully. Imagine the author is standing in front of you, and write your response as if you value and respect their ideas as much as you would like them to value and respect yours.

Distinguish Between an Author’s Ideas and Your Own

Signal Phrases. A summary/response essay, especially your response, will include a mix of an author’s ideas and your ideas. It’s important that you clearly distinguish which ideas in your essay are yours, which are the author’s, and even others’ ideas that the author might be citing. Signal phrases are how you accomplish this. Remember to use the author’s last name and an accurate verb.

Examples of Signal Phrases

Poor Signal Phrases: “They say…” “The article states…” “The author says…”

Effective Signal Phrases: “Smith argues…” “Baez believes…” “Henning references Chan Wong’s research about…”

Drafting Checklists

These questions should help guide you through the stages of drafting your summary/response essay.

• Have you identified all the necessary publication information for the text that you will need for your summary?
• Have you identified the text’s main ideas and supporting ideas?
• What were your initial reactions to the text?
• What new perspectives do you have on the topic covered in the text?
• Do you ultimately agree or disagree with the author’s points? A little of both?
• Has the author omitted any points or ideas they should have covered?
• Has the author organized their text effectively for their purpose?
• Have they used rhetoric effectively for their audience?
• Have your reactions to the text changed since you first read it? Why or why not?

Writing and Revising

• Does your summary clearly tell your reader the author’s name, the text’s title, the place of publication, and the publication data?
• Has your summary effectively informed your reader about the text’s main ideas and supporting ideas? Have you made the connections between those ideas clear for your reader by using effective transition phrases?
• Would your reader think your summary is objective and accurate?
• You haven’t included any quotes in your summary, right?
• Does your response present your reactions to the text in an organized way that will make sense to your reader?
• Does your response create a conversation between you and the author by regularly referencing ideas from the text?
• Would your reader think that your response is respectful of the author’s ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
• Have you used signal phrases to help your reader recognize which ideas are the author’s and which ideas are yours?
• Have you carefully proofread your essay to correct any grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and spelling errors?
• Have you formatted your document appropriately and used citations when necessary?

Sources Used to Create this Chapter

Parts of this chapter were remixed from:

• First-Year Composition by Leslie Davis and Kiley Miller, which was published under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

Starting the Journey: An Intro to College Writing Copyright © by Leonard Owens III; Tim Bishop; and Scott Ortolano is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

23 Strategy: Writing a Summary Response

Strategy: writing a summary response.

A summary response summarizes the main ideas of an author’s work and also responds to the author’s essay by critiquing or evaluating the ideas presented. Note that there is an appropriate time for opinion, evaluation, and summary; take a closer look at some of the best practices in structuring your summary response.

Topic Paragraph:

• Somewhere near the beginning of your essay include the full name of the text and author that is being discussed. Situate the issue with any relevant context or background information that might be necessary.
• Include necessary background or contextual information about the author . Consider profession, culture, education, and so forth. Additionally, describe the author’s perspective on the issues at hand and consider the “why.”
• Craft your thesis statement. In it, sum up what the author claims and include your opinion regarding the argument or perspective.

Subsequent Paragraphs: The Summary

• Lay out the author’s perspective(s). Present the facts of the author’s argument. *Note–Within the summary paragraph, this is not the time to include your own opinions.
• Discuss the context of the issue and explain the author’s overall perspective.
• Present the major points in the order that the author made them.
• Be sure to include the author’s concluding point(s) and any actions or recommendations that are relevant to the text.

Subsequent Paragraphs: The Response

Following the summary, you have the opportunity to respond, evaluate, and critique.

• Briefly recap the author’s main points and perspectives. Then, include your own perspective on the issues at hand and explain why that is.
• Include specific supporting examples and textual references to support your perspectives.

Loyola University Chicago Writing Center. (2017). How To Write A Summary Response Essay. Retrieved June 24, 2019, from https://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/writing/lucwcowls/How to Write a Summary Response Essay.pdf

The Writing Studio at Colorado State University. (2019). Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays. Retrieved June 24, 2019 from https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/rst/pop5i.cfm

Built In Practice: Summary and Response

Use strategies to pre-read and then actively read an essay from 88 Open Essays .

Critical Literacy III Copyright © 2021 by Lori-Beth Larsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Writing a Summary-Response

LESSON In this lesson, you will learn to write a summary-response A writing that combines a summary of a reading with personal thoughts and opinions about the reading. , which combines both a summary A brief restatement of an author’s main idea and major supporting details. Summaries are factual and should be written in the third-person with an objective point of view. of a reading A piece of writing to be read. A reading can either be a full work (i.e., a book) or partial (i.e., a passage). with your personal thoughts and opinions Point of view that shows a personal belief or bias and cannot be proven to be completely true. about the reading. It is not a formal paper An academic essay that usually includes research and citations. or essay A short piece of writing that focuses on at least one main idea. Some essays are also focused on the author's unique point of view, making them personal or autobiographical, while others are focused on a particular literary, scientific, or political subject. in the sense that it will not have an introduction The first paragraph of an essay. It must engage the reader, set the tone, provide background information, and present the thesis. , body The main portion of a writing that contains the main ideas and supporting details of the writing. This is where the author's purpose and thesis statement are supported and/or developed. , or conclusion The end portion of a writing that contains a summary or synthesis of the idea in the work. This includes a recap of key points and reminders of the author's purpose and thesis statement. . Instead, it consists of two distinct parts: a summary of the reading followed by your response A written analysis of a reading that shows understanding and fosters deep thinking about a work. to the reading. Each part is usually a paragraph A selection of a writing that is made up of sentences formed around one main point. Paragraphs are set apart by a new line and sometimes indentation. and the length of each paragraph depends on the length of the reading being addressed. For instance, if a reading is only a few paragraphs long, the summary-response would be two paragraphs, each with approximately four to five sentences.

It is important to keep in mind that the two paragraphs are distinct. The summary paragraph is a brief restatement of the author's main idea The most important or central thought of a reading selection. It also includes what the author wants the reader to understand about the topic he or she has chosen to write about. and supporting details Statements within a reading that tie directly to major details that support the main idea. These can be provided in examples, statistics, anecdotes, definitions, descriptions, or comparisons within the work. . It does not include your opinion. Your opinion goes in the response paragraph where you state your thoughts about the author A person who wrote a text. 's main idea and use supporting details from your own experience to explain your thoughts.

Summary-Response Process

Use a four-step process to write a summary-response of a reading. Step 1: Identify the main idea of the reading. For the summary paragraph, create a topic sentence A sentence that contains the controlling idea for an entire paragraph and is typically the first sentence of the paragraph. that identifies the main idea of the reading. Then, for the response paragraph, create a separate thesis statement A brief statement that identifies a writer's thoughts, opinions, or conclusions about a topic. Thesis statements bring unity to a piece of writing, giving it a focus and a purpose. You can use three questions to help form a thesis statement: What is my topic? What am I trying to say about that topic? Why is this important to me or my reader? that states your opinion about the author's main idea.

Step 2: Identify the supporting details for the summary and for the response. The next step is to identify the supporting details of the reading. In the summary paragraph, it is important to maintain the order of these supporting details. Once you note these points, consider how they relate to the author's main idea. Then, develop the supporting details for the response paragraph, showing how your own personal experience supports the thesis statement created in Step 1. Step 3: Identify the author's purpose The reason the writer is writing about a topic. It is what the writer wants the reader to know, feel, or do after reading the work. for writing. As part of the summary paragraph, ask yourself, "Why did the author write this? What did the author want me to know, think, or do after reading this?" As part of the response paragraph, address whether or not the author was successful achieving his or her purpose. Step 4: Write a summary-response of the reading. Bring Steps 1, 2, and 3 together to write the summary and the response paragraphs. The following is one way you could do this:             

Summary Paragraph

Sentence 1: Introduce the reading, stating the title and the author's name. You should also state the author's main idea. This may be as simple as adding the title and author to your topic sentence from Step 1.

Sentence 2: Write supporting sentences (or sentence) describing the supporting details of the reading you noted in Step 2 in order.

Sentence 3: Write a sentence that brings this information together and states the author's reason for writing that you noted in Step 3.

Response Paragraph

Sentence 1: Clearly state your opinion or thoughts about the author's main idea. Use the thesis statement you created in Step 1. Ask yourself, "How does my own thought/opinion about the reading relate to the author's main idea?"

Sentence 2: Write supporting sentences (or a sentence) describing how your personal experience supports your opinion or thought about the author's main idea.

Sentence 3: Write a sentence that brings this information together and states how your opinion or thought relates to the author's main idea.

Writing a summary-response is a skill you can use when thinking critically about an article A non-fiction, often informative writing that forms a part of a publication, such as a magazine or newspaper. in a newspaper, an editorial blog A website that hosts a series of articles, photos, and other postings, sometimes by a single writer (blogger) or by a community of contributors. , or any assigned reading in a class. In fact, it is a common assignment in many college classes. You can also use the same skills to help you write a cover letter A letter that is sent along with a resume that provides context and more information for the reader. when applying for a job where you must not only show an understanding of the job you are applying for, but also show how your experience makes you the best candidate for that position.

Read the following passage A short portion of a writing taken from a larger source, such as a book, article, speech, or poem. and see an example of how to use the Summary-Response Process to summarize and respond to a reading with complete, concise Describes writing that only uses words that are necessary for clarity, meaning, and interest. paragraphs.

Mile-High Home By Douglas Peters

There are many cities throughout the world that are alluring and exotic, but if you're looking for the best place to raise a family in the United States, Denver, Colorado is the place you want to be. From skiing in the winter to camping and hiking in the summer, there are plenty of year-round outdoor recreation activities for the entire family. It also has a strong local economy with many job sectors represented, so that even when the economy goes down elsewhere, Denver remains stable with plenty of good jobs that support the financial needs of any family. Finally, it has great public and private schools and many colleges and universities within a short drive of downtown so that people of all ages can fulfill their educational goals. All this, plus seven professional sports teams and an exciting urban nightlife—it's no wonder people from all over the world make Denver a new home for their families.

Step 1: Identify the main idea of the reading.

First, create a topic sentence that identifies the main idea of the reading.

        Topic sentence: Denver is a good place to raise a family.

Now, create a separate thesis statement that states your opinion about the author's main idea.

Thesis statement: I agree with the author because I like Denver and have lived there most of my life.

Step 2: Identify the supporting details of the reading and for the response.

Next, identify the supporting details of the reading for the summary paragraph.

Supporting details of the reading for the summary: Denver has great outdoor recreation, good jobs and schools, and lots of entertainment options.

Now, develop the supporting details for the response paragraph, showing how your own personal experience supports the thesis statement created in Step 1.

Supporting details for the response paragraph: I do all the activities the author lists. I have a ski pass for the winter and try to go mountain biking every weekend. I am also a Broncos football fan. I am a graduate of the schools there and now I work as a realtor in the downtown area.

Step 3: Identify the author's purpose for writing.

In this step, answer the questions, "Why did the author write this? What did the author want me to know, think, or do after reading this?" Then, write down whether or not the author was successful achieving his purpose.

These are all good things to have for a family and the author thinks that people ought to consider moving to Denver. I think the author was successful in pointing out some good things about living in Denver.

Step 4: Write a summary-response of the reading.

Finally, bring Steps 1, 2, and 3 together and write the summary paragraph and the response paragraph. Remember to introduce the reading in the first paragraph by stating the title and the author's name.

"Mile-High Home," by Douglas Peters, describes Denver, Colorado as an ideal city for people to raise a family. The article points out that the city has great outdoor recreation, good jobs, and good schools, all of which are important to families. It makes it seem ideal and Mr. Peters seems to encourage people to move there to raise their families.

I agree with the author because I like Denver and have lived there most of my life. In fact, I do all of the things listed in the article; I have a ski pass for the winter and I try to go mountain biking every weekend. Of course, I cheer for the home team and am an avid Broncos football fan. I am also a graduate of the schools there and now work as a realtor in the downtown area. I can definitely say that Denver is a great place for families.

Read the following passage and then complete the Summary-Response Process to summarize and respond to the reading with complete, concise paragraphs.

Time in School By Douglas Peters

Choosing to go to college is a good choice, but many people fail to take into account how much time is required outside of class in order to succeed. The main confusion is found in what I like to call the 80/20 rule. In high school, 80 percent of instruction and learning is done in the classroom and 20 percent is done at home. In college, this ratio flips to where just 20 percent of instruction and learning is done in the classroom while a full 80 percent is expected to be done at home. Planning for this kind of commitment requires students to take an honest look at what they do every day and exactly where they will fit all the work into their schedules. With so many students balancing work and family with college careers, it has become even more important for students to make sure they plan accordingly so they can do their very best in college.

Sample Answer

Going to college takes more time than most people expect.

I agree with the author because I found out the hard way and fell behind my first semester.

The author points out the "80/20 rule," which states that college classes require much more homework than people are used to in high school. Since many students work and have families, the author encourages future college students to schedule time to do homework before starting classes.

I was working at a restaurant and they would not respect the time I needed for school and would even schedule me during my classes. This meant that not only did I not have time to do homework, but I would miss class often, as well. I was able to find a different restaurant to work at and I am now able to schedule my shifts to fit my school schedule, which is what the author suggests.

Students should be prepared for the time commitment of college.

"Time in School," by Douglas Peters, shows how college usually takes a greater time commitment than most people expect. The author points out the "80/20 rule," which basically states that college classes require much more homework than people are used to in high school. Since many students work and have families, the author encourages future college students to schedule time to do homework before starting classes.

I completely agree with the author because I found out the hard way that college takes more time than I thought it would and fell behind my first semester. I was working at a restaurant and they would not respect the time I needed for school and would even schedule me during my classes. This meant that not only did I not have time to do homework, but I would miss class often, as well. Luckily, I found a different restaurant to work at and I am now able to schedule my shifts to fit my school schedule, which is exactly what Mr. Peters suggests.

The topic sentence in the summary paragraph says what the author thinks about the topic. The thesis statement is what I think about the topic.

You would see book and art reviews in newspapers or culture magazines, movie and TV reviews are written by bloggers online, and album reviews can be found in magazines or online, as well.

Copyright ©2022 The NROC Project

Writing Toolkit: Summaries and Summary/Response

• Getting Started
• General Writing Resources
• ESL/ELL Help
• Narrative Writing
• Descriptive Writing
• Illustrative Writing
• Definition Writing
• Abstracts and Summaries
• Summaries and Summary/Response
• Response, Reaction, and Position Essays
• Cause and Effect Essays
• Compare and Contrast Essays
• Process Analysis
• Division and Classification Essays
• Argument in Essays
• Critical Reviews, Critiques, and Evaluations
• Literary Analysis
• Timed Writing and Essay Exams
• Sentence Style & Effectiveness
• Components of an Essay
• Writing with Sources
• Word Choice & Spelling
• Punctuation
• Academic Integrity & Plagiarism
• APA Style Quick Guide
• Chicago Style Quick Guide
• MLA Style Quick Guide

Writing Modes and Essay Types: Summaries

"Summary Writing" by Wisc-Online is licensed under CC BY 3.0

• Summary From Harvard College Writing Center.
• The Writing Process: Guidelines for Writing a Summary From Hunter College's Dr. Murray and Anna C. Rockowitz Writing Center (RWC).

Summary/Response

Writing modes and essay types: summary and response essays.

• Writing a Reaction or Response Paper From Hunter College's Dr. Murray and Anna C. Rockowitz Writing Center (RWC).
• Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays From Writing@CSU.

Contact library for help

How can the library help you get in touch with us at https://www.ccconline.org/library-contact-us/ ..

• << Previous: Abstracts and Summaries
• Next: Response, Reaction, and Position Essays >>
• Last Updated: May 1, 2023 3:57 PM
• URL: https://cccs.libguides.com/WritingToolkit

Introduction

Goals and Goal Setting

Goals Common to All RST Writers

Other Goals to Consider

Defining My Own Goals

Advice about Assignments

Getting Started: Listing Topics to Write about in the Tutorial

Narrative One: Personal Piece on a Significant Experience

Narrative Two: Academic Piece on a Significant Experience

Summary/Response One

Summary/Response Two

Tutorial Evaluation Postscript

On Using the Resources for Writers

Generating and Developing Ideas

Finding/Expressing Main Ideas

Showing v. Telling Sentences

Focusing Topic Sentences

Thesis Statements

Reading Strategies

Assessing Your Reading Strategies

Summarizing

Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays

Discourse Analysis Worksheet

Trade Magazines

Selecting Readings

Teacher Advice: Summary/Response One

This first summary/response is designed to help students make the connection between their own experiences and the writing of others, as well as to start working on critical reading strategies that will play a large role in their success in CO150. Since you've prepared them for this assignment by having them read & respond to several responses on the web forum, the next step is to talk about the differences between that kind of informal response and an academic summary/response. You can do this by showing them a sample essay written for CO150 and talking about the differences, discussing the conventions of academic summary, and reviewing what they've already learned about writing an academic essay.

Note: The essay you assign can be critical to the student's success on this essay. If you choose an essay that is not an argument, be sure to point that out to the tutee. You might also generate a key question that the student can respond to with an argument. You and your tutee should look over the collected readings on selected topics--cultural snapshots, science & technology, environment, and current controversies--to choose a prompt essay you're both interested in. If you can't find one, have the tutee do some browsing in the journal room in the library to find a starting prompt. Working on a topic and using an essay that the student cares about will help the student respond meaningfully to the essay, so choose carefully!

The goals for this assignment are:

Suggestions for responding to this assignment: As always, be positive and encouraging. Let the student talk about how s/he approached the assignment and why s/he approached it this way. Encourage him or her to compare this experience with the experience of responding on the web forum informally, directly to the writer (different audience). Have the student compare the summary to the original essay (by doing a backwards outline of the original essay, for example, and then looking at the summary to see if it captures all of the main ideas). Then, you might ask the student to compare his or her own essay to a sample essay & discuss relative strengths and weaknesses. Come up with a revision plan together, if at all possible. Focus on the major writing elements through at least the first revision, and then look at sentence-level revisions as necessary.

How long to stick with this assignment : The sample semester guidelines have this essay going through three revisions. Depending on your student's reading/writing ability, you could do more or less with this assignment. Again, the essay doesn't have to be perfect, so work with it as long as you and the student think it's productive. Be sure to balance the benefits of further work on this essay against the benefits of reading more essays for practice (especially if you think reading is the main difficulty). The general guideline is that this essay is "finished" when the writer has produced an accurate summary and a focused response that is developed with some relevant personal experience.

So far, you've written an informal narrative and an academic narrative about a significant experience, and responded informally to some other students' narratives. Now it's time to write an academic response to an academic narrative. This kind of summary/response is an assignment you'll see in CO150, and is also common (in varying forms) in other disciplines like education and business.

The questions you'll answer ("Purpose") are (1) What are the purpose and main points of this writer's essay, and (2) Do you agree or disagree with one of his/her points based on your own experiences?

You're answering these questions for ("Audience") that same academic audience as for the last essay you wrote (Narrative 2). This audience is more specific, in that they have not read either the essay you're summarizing or your previous narrative. You'll have to give them enough information so that they can understand the author's essay by reading only your summary.

The goals are (1) to accurately summarize an article using the conventions of academic summary (your tutor will discuss these with you), (2) to provide a focused response to the article with a clear thesis statement, and (3) to develop your response using examples from your personal experience that are clearly related to examples/ideas from the article itself.

If you're having trouble getting started, take a look at the "Summarizing" section in the back of this resource packet. You might also revisit the section on "Reading Strategies." Be sure to use your notes on the article itself and your two-column log for ideas. Before starting to write, you might look again at the sample summary/response in this packet & any notes you made on it when you discussed it with your tutor.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter Five: Summary and Response

As you sharpen your analytical skills, you might realize that you should use evidence from the text to back up the points you make. You might use direct quotes as support, but you can also consider using summary.

A summary is a condensed version of a text, put into your own words. Summarizing is a useful part of the analytical process because it requires you to read the text, interpret and process it, and reproduce the important points using your own language. By doing so, you are (consciously or unconsciously) making choices about what matters, what words and phrases mean, and how to articulate their meaning.

Often (but not always), response refers to a description of a reader’s experience and reactions as they encounter a text. Response papers track how you feel and what you think as you move through a text. More importantly, responses also challenge you to evaluate exactly how a text acts upon you—to make you feel or think a certain way—using language or images. While a response is not an analysis, it will help you generate ideas for the analytical process.

Chapter Vocabulary

Identifying main points, concerns, and images.

If you ever watch TV shows with a serial plot, you might be familiar with the phrase “Previously, on _________.” The snippets at the beginning of an episode are designed to remind the viewer of the important parts of previous episodes—but how do makers of the show determine what a viewer needs to be refreshed on? And why am I watching full episodes if they’ll just tell me what I need to know in the first minute of the next episode?

Typically, the makers of the show choose short, punchy bits that will be relevant in the new episode’s narrative arc. For instance, a “Previously, on The Walking Dead ” might have a clip from ten episodes ago showing zombies invading Hershel’s farm if the new episode focuses on Hershel and his family. Therefore, these “previously ons” hook the viewer by showcasing only exciting parts and prime the viewer for a new story by planting specific details in their mind. Summaries like this are driven by purpose, and consequently have a specific job to do in choosing main points.

You, too, should consider your rhetorical purpose when you begin writing summary. Whether you are writing a summary essay or using summary as a tool for analysis, your choices about what to summarize and how to summarize it should be determined by what you’re trying to accomplish with your writing.

As you engage with a text you plan to summarize, you should begin by identifying main points, recurring images, or concerns and preoccupations of the text. (You may find the Engaged Reading Strategies appendix of this book useful.) After reading and rereading, what ideas stick with you? What does the author seem distracted by? What keeps cropping up?

Tracking Your Reactions

As you read and reread a text, you should take regular breaks to check in with yourself to track your reactions. Are you feeling sympathetic toward the speaker, narrator, or author? To the other characters? What other events, ideas, or contexts are you reminded of as you read? Do you understand and agree with the speaker, narrator, or author? What is your emotional state? At what points do you feel confused or uncertain, and why?

Try out the double-column note-taking method. As illustrated below, divide a piece of paper into two columns; on the left, make a heading for “Notes and Quotes,” and on the right, “Questions and Reactions.” As you move through a text, jot down important ideas and words from the text on the left, and record your intellectual and emotional reactions on the right. Be sure to ask prodding questions of the text along the way, too.

Writing Your Summary

Once you have read and re-read your text at least once, taking notes and reflecting along the way, you are ready to start writing a summary. Before starting, consider your rhetorical situation: What are you trying to accomplish (purpose) with your summary? What details and ideas (subject) are important for your reader (audience) to know? Should you assume that they have also read the text you’re summarizing? I’m thinking back here to the “Previously on…” idea: TV series don’t include everything from a prior episode; they focus instead on moments that set up the events of their next episode. You too should choose your content in accordance with your rhetorical situation.

I encourage you to start off by articulating the “key” idea or ideas from the text in one or two sentences. Focus on clarity of language: start with simple word choice, a single idea, and a straightforward perspective so that you establish a solid foundation.

The authors support feminist theories and practices that are critical of racism and other oppressions.

Then, before that sentence, write one or two more sentences that introduce the title of the text, its authors, and its main concerns or interventions. Revise your key idea sentence as necessary.

In “Why Our Feminism Must Be Intersectional (And 3 Ways to Practice It),” Jarune Uwuajaren and Jamie Utt critique what is known as ‘white feminism.’ They explain that sexism is wrapped up in racism, Islamophobia, heterosexism, transphobia, and other systems of oppression. The authors support feminist theories and practices that recognize intersectionality.

In most summary assignments, though, you will be expected to draw directly from the article itself by using direct quotes or paraphrases in addition to your own summary.

Paraphrase, Summary, and Direct Quotes

Whether you’re writing a summary or broaching your analysis, using support from the text will help you clarify ideas, demonstrate your understanding, or further your argument, among other things. Three distinct methods, which Bruce Ballenger refers to as “The Notetaker’s Triad,” will allow you to process and reuse information from your focus text. 1

A direct quote might be most familiar to you: using quotation marks (“ ”) to indicate the moments that you’re borrowing, you reproduce an author’s words verbatim in your own writing. Use a direct quote if someone else wrote or said something in a distinctive or particular way and you want to capture their words exactly.

Direct quotes are good for establishing ethos and providing evidence. In a text wrestling essay, you will be expected to use multiple direct quotes: in order to attend to specific language, you will need to reproduce segments of that language in your analysis.

Paraphrasing is similar to the process of summary. When we paraphrase, we process information or ideas from another person’s text and put it in our own words. The main difference between paraphrase and summary is scope: if summarizing means rewording and condensing, then paraphrasing means rewording without drastically altering length. However, paraphrasing is also generally more faithful to the spirit of the original; whereas a summary requires you to process and invites your own perspective, a paraphrase ought to mirror back the original idea using your own language.

Paraphrasing is helpful for establishing background knowledge or general consensus, simplifying a complicated idea, or reminding your reader of a certain part of another text. It is also valuable when relaying statistics or historical information, both of which are usually more fluidly woven into your writing when spoken with your own voice.

Summary , as discussed earlier in this chapter, is useful for “broadstrokes” or quick overviews, brief references, and providing plot or character background. When you summarize, you reword and condense another author’s writing. Be aware, though, that summary also requires individual thought: when you reword, it should be a result of you processing the idea yourself, and when you condense, you must think critically about which parts of the text are most important. As you can see in the example below, one summary shows understanding and puts the original into the author’s own words; the other summary is a result of a passive rewording, where the author only substituted synonyms for the original.

Original Quote: “On Facebook, what you click on, what you share with your ‘friends’ shapes your profile, preferences, affinities, political opinions and your vision of the world. The last thing Facebook wants is to contradict you in any way” (Filloux).

Each of these three tactics should support your summary or analysis: you should integrate quotes, paraphrases, and summary with your own writing. Below, you can see three examples of these tools. Consider how the direct quote, the paraphrase, and the summary each could be used to achieve different purposes.

Original Passage

It has been suggested (again rather anecdotally) that giraffes do communicate using infrasonic vocalizations (the signals are verbally described to be similar—in structure and function—to the low-frequency, infrasonic “rumbles” of elephants). It was further speculated that the extensive frontal sinus of giraffes acts as a resonance chamber for infrasound production. Moreover, particular neck movements (e.g. the neck stretch) are suggested to be associated with the production of infrasonic vocalizations. 2

The examples above also demonstrate additional citation conventions worth noting:

• A parenthetical in-text citation is used for all three forms. (In MLA format, this citation includes the author’s last name and page number.) The purpose of an in-text citation is to identify key information that guides your reader to your Works Cited page (or Bibliography or References, depending on your format).
• If you use the author’s name in the sentence, you do not need to include their name in the parenthetical citation.
• If your material doesn’t come from a specific page or page range, but rather from the entire text, you do not need to include a page number in the parenthetical citation.
• If there are many authors (generally more than three), you can use “et al.” to mean “and others.”
• If you cite the same source consecutively in the same paragraph (without citing any other sources in between), you can use “Ibid.” to mean “same as the last one.”

In Chapter Six, we will discuss integrating quotes, summaries, and paraphrases into your text wrestling analysis. Especially if you are writing a summary that requires you to use direct quotes, I encourage you to jump ahead to “Synthesis: Using Evidence to Explore Your Thesis” in that chapter.

Summary and Response: TV Show or Movie

Practice summary and response using a movie or an episode of a television show. (Although it can be more difficult with a show or movie you already know and like, you can apply these skills to both familiar and unfamiliar texts.)

Watch it once all the way through, taking notes using the double-column structure above.

Watch it once more, pausing and rewinding as necessary, adding additional notes.

Write one or two paragraphs summarizing the episode or movie as objectively as possible. Try to include the major plot points, characters, and conflicts.

Write a paragraph that transitions from summary to response: what were your reactions to the episode or movie? What do you think produced those reactions? What seems troubling or problematic? What elements of form and language were striking? How does the episode or movie relate to your lived experiences?

Everyone’s a Critic: Food Review

Food critics often employ summary and response with the purpose of reviewing restaurants for potential customers. You can give it a shot by visiting a restaurant, your dining hall, a fast-food joint, or a food cart. Before you get started, consider reading some food and restaurant reviews from your local newspaper. (Yelp often isn’t quite thorough enough.)

Bring a notepad to your chosen location and take detailed notes on your experience as a patron. Use descriptive writing techniques (see Chapter One), to try to capture the experience.

What happens as you walk in? Are you greeted? What does it smell like? What are your immediate reactions?

Describe the atmosphere. Is there music? What’s the lighting like? Is it slow, or busy?

Track the service. How long before you receive the attention you need? Is that attention appropriate to the kind of food-service place you’re in?

Record as many details about the food you order as possible.

After your dining experience, write a brief review of the restaurant, dining hall, fast-food restaurant, or food cart. What was it like, specifically? Did it meet your expectations? Why or why not? What would you suggest for improvement? Would you recommend it to other diners like you?

Digital Media Summary and Mini-Analysis

For this exercise, you will study a social media feed of your choice. You can use your own or someone else’s Facebook feed, Twitter feed, or Instagram feed. Because these feeds are tailored to their respective user’s interests, they are all unique and represent something about the user.

After closely reviewing at least ten posts, respond to the following questions in a brief essay:

What is the primary medium used on this platform (e.g, images, text, video, etc.)?

What recurring ideas, themes, topics, or preoccupations do you see in this collection? Provide examples.

Do you see posts that deviate from these common themes?

What do the recurring topics in the feed indicate about its user? Why?

Bonus: What ads do you see popping up? How do you think these have been geared toward the user?

Model Texts by Student Authors

Maggie as the focal point 3.

Shanna Greene Benjamin attempts to resolve Toni Morrison’s emphasis on Maggie in her short story “Recitatif”. While many previous scholars focus on racial codes, and “the black-and-white” story that establishes the racial binary, Benjamin goes ten steps further to show “the brilliance of Morrison’s experiment” (Benjamin 90). Benjamin argues that Maggie’s story which is described through Twyla’s and Roberta’s memories is the focal point of “Recitatif” where the two protagonists have a chance to rewrite “their conflicting versions of history” (Benjamin 91). More so, Maggie is the interstitial space where blacks and whites can engage, confront America’s racialized past, rewrite history, and move forward.

Benjamin highlights that Maggie’s story is first introduced by Twyla, labeling her recollections as the “master narrative” (Benjamin 94). Although Maggie’s story is rebutted with Roberta’s memories, Twyla’s version “represent[s] the residual, racialized perspectives” stemming from America’s past (Benjamin 89). Since Maggie is a person with a disability her story inevitably becomes marginalized, and utilized by both Twyla and Roberta for their own self-fulfilling needs, “instead of mining a path toward the truth” (Benjamin 97). Maggie is the interstitial narrative, which Benjamin describes as a space where Twyla and Roberta, “who represent opposite ends of a racial binary”, can come together to heal (Benjamin 101). Benjamin also points out how Twyla remembers Maggie’s legs looking “like parentheses” and relates the shape of parentheses, ( ), to self-reflection (Morrison 141). Parentheses represent that inward gaze into oneself, and a space that needs to be filled with self-reflection in order for one to heal and grow. Twyla and Roberta create new narratives of Maggie throughout the story in order to make themselves feel better about their troubled past. According to Benjamin, Maggie’s “parenthetical body” is symbolically the interstitial space that “prompts self-reflection required to ignite healing” (Benjamin 102). Benjamin concludes that Morrison tries to get the readers to engage in America’s past by eliminating and taking up the space between the racial binary that Maggie represents.

Not only do I agree with Benjamin’s stance on “Recitatif”, but I also disapprove of my own critical analysis of “Recitatif.” I made the same mistakes that other scholars have made regarding Morrison’s story; we focused on racial codes and the racial binary, while completely missing the interstitial space which Maggie represents. Although I did realize Maggie was of some importance, I was unsure why so I decided to not focus on Maggie at all. Therefore, I missed the most crucial message from “Recitatif” that Benjamin hones in on.

Maggie is brought up in every encounter between Twyla and Roberta, so of course it makes sense that Maggie is the focal point in “Recitatif”. Twyla and Roberta project themselves onto Maggie, which is why the two women have a hard time figuring out “‘What the hell happened to Maggie’” (Morrison 155). Maggie also has the effect of bringing the two women closer together, yet at times causing them to be become more distant. For example, when Twyla and Roberta encounter one another at the grocery store, Twyla brings up the time Maggie fell and the “gar girls laughed at her”, while Roberta reminds her that Maggie was in fact pushed down (Morrison 148). Twyla has created a new, “self-serving narrative[ ]” as to what happened to Maggie instead of accepting what has actually happened, which impedes Twyla’s ability to self-reflect and heal (Benjamin 102). If the two women would have taken up the space between them to confront the truths of their past, Twyla and Roberta could have created a “cooperative narrative” in order to mend.

Maggie represents the interstitial space that lies between white and black Americans. I believe this is an ideal space where the two races can come together to discuss America’s racialized past, learn from one another, and in turn, understand why America is divided as such. If white and black America jumped into the space that Maggie defines, maybe we could move forward as a country and help one another succeed. When I say “succeed”, I am not referring to the “American dream” because that is a false dream created by white America. “Recitatif” is not merely what characteristics define which race, it is much more than. Plus, who cares about race! I want America to be able to benefit and give comfort to every citizen whatever their “race” may be. This is time where we need black and white America to come together and fight the greater evil, which is the corruption within America’s government.

Teacher Takeaways

“This student’s summary of Benjamin’s article is engaging and incisive. Although the text being summarized seems very complex, the student clearly articulates the author’s primary claims, which are a portrayed as an intervention in a conversation (i.e., a claim that challenges what people might think beforehand). The author is also honest about their reactions to the text, which I enjoy, but they seem to lose direction a bit toward the end of the paper. Also, given a chance to revise again, this student should adjust the balance of quotes and paraphrases/ summaries: they use direct quotes effectively, but too frequently.”– Professor Wilhjelm

Works Cited

Benjamin, Shanna Greene. “The Space That Race Creates: An Interstitial Analysis of Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif.’” Studies in American Fiction , vol. 40, no. 1, 2013, pp. 87–106. Project Muse , doi: 10.1353/saf.2013.0004 .

Morrison, Toni. “Recitatif.” The Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable 12th edition, edited by Kelly J. Mays, W.W. Norton & Company, 2017, pp. 138-155.

Pronouns & Bathrooms 4

The article “Pronouns and Bathrooms: Supporting Transgender Students,” featured on Edutopia, was written to give educators a few key points when enacting the role of a truly (gender) inclusive educator. It is written specifically to high-school level educators, but I feel that almost all of the rules that should apply to a person who is transgender or gender-expansive at any age or grade level. The information is compiled by several interviews done with past and present high school students who identify with a trans-identity. The key points of advice stated are supported by personal statements made by past or present students that identify with a trans-identity.

The first point of advice is to use the student’s preferred name and/or pronoun. These are fundamental to the formation of identity and demand respect. The personal interview used in correlation with the advice details how the person ended up dropping out of high school after transferring twice due to teachers refusing to use their preferred name and pronoun. This is an all-too-common occurrence. The trans community recommend that schools and administrators acquire updated gender-inclusive documentation and update documentation at the request of the student to avoid misrepresentation and mislabeling. When you use the student’s preferred name and pronoun in and out of the classroom you are showing the student you sincerely care for their well-being and the respect of their identity.

The second and other most common recommendation is to make “trans-safe” (single-use, unisex or trans-inclusive) bathrooms widely available to students. Often these facilities either do not exist at all or are few-and-far-between, usually inconveniently located, and may not even meet ADA standards. This is crucial to insuring safety for trans-identified students.

Other recommendations are that schools engage in continual professional development training to insure that teachers are the best advocates for their students. Defend and protect students from physical and verbal abuse. Create a visibly welcoming and supportive environment for trans-identified students by creating support groups, curriculum and being vocal about your ally status.

The last piece of the article tells us a person who is trans simply wants to be viewed as human—a fully actualized human. I agree whole-heartedly. I believe that everyone has this desire. I agree with the recommendations of the participants that these exhibitions of advocacy are indeed intrinsic to the role of gender-expansive ally-ship,

While they may not be the most salient of actions of advocacy, they are the most foundational parts. These actions are the tip of the iceberg, but they must be respected. Being a true ally to the gender-expansive and transgender communities means continually expanding your awareness of trans issues. I am thankful these conversations are being had and am excited for the future of humanity.

“The author maintains focus on key arguments and their own understanding of the text’s claims. By the end of the summary, I have a clear sense of the recommendations the authors make for supporting transgender students. However, this piece could use more context at the beginning of each paragraph: the student could clarify the logical progression that builds from one paragraph to the next. (The current structure reads more like a list.) Similarly, context is missing in the form of citations, and no author is ever mentioned. Overall this author relies a bit too much on summary and would benefit from using a couple direct quotations to give the reader a sense of the author’s language and key ideas. In revision, this author should blend summaries, paraphrases, and quotes to develop this missing context.”– Professor Dannemiller

Wiggs, Blake. “ Pronouns and Bathrooms: Supporting Transgender Students .” Edutopia , 28 September 2015

Education Methods: Banking vs. Problem-Posing 5

Almost every student has had an unpleasant experience with an educator. Many times this happens due to the irrelevant problems posed by educators and arbitrary assignments required of the student. In his chapter from Pedagogy of the Oppressed , Paulo Freire centers his argument on the oppressive and unsuccessful banking education method in order to show the necessity of a problem-posing method of education.

Freire begins his argument by intervening into the conversation regarding teaching methods and styles of education, specifically responding in opposition to the banking education method, a method that “mirrors the oppressive society as a whole” (73). He describes the banking method as a system of narration and depositing of information into students like “containers” or “receptacles” (72). He constructs his argument by citing examples of domination and mechanical instruction as aspects that create an assumption of dichotomy, stating that “a person is merely in the world, not with the world or with others” (75). Freire draws on the reader’s experiences with this method by providing a list of banking attitudes and practices including “the teacher chooses and enforces his choices, and the students comply” (73), thus allowing the reader to connect the subject with their lived experiences.

In response to the banking method, Freire then advocates for a problem-posing method of education comprised of an educator constantly reforming her reflections in the reflection of the students. He theorizes that education involves a constant unveiling of reality, noting that “they come to see the world not as a static reality but as a reality in process, in transformation” (83). Thus, the problem-posing method draws on discussion and collaborative communication between students and educator. As they work together, they are able to learn from one another and impact the world by looking at applicable problems and assignments, which is in direct opposition of the banking method.

While it appears that Freire’s problem-posing method is more beneficial to both the student and educator, he fails to take into account the varying learning styles of te students, as well as the teaching abilities of the educators. He states that through the banking method, “the student records, memorizes, and repeats these phrases without perceiving what four times four really means, or realizing the true significance” (71). While this may be true for many students, some have an easier time absorbing information when it is given to them in a more mechanical fashion. The same theory applies to educators as well. Some educators may have a more difficult time communicating through the problem-posing method. Other educators may not be as willing to be a part of a more collaborative education method.

I find it difficult to agree with a universal method of education, due to the fact that a broad method doesn’t take into consideration the varying learning and communication styles of both educator and student. However, I do agree with Freire on the basis that learning and education should be a continuous process that involves the dedication of both student and educator. Students are their own champions and it takes a real effort to be an active participant in one’s own life and education. It’s too easy to sit back and do the bare minimum, or be an “automaton” (74). To constantly be open to learning and new ideas, to be a part of your own education, is harder, but extremely valuable.

As a student pursuing higher education, I find this text extremely reassuring. The current state of the world and education can seem grim at times, but after reading this I feel more confident that there are still people who feel that the current systems set in place are not creating students who can critically think and contribute to the world. Despite being written forty years ago, Freire’s radical approach to education seems to be a more humanistic style, one where students are thinking authentically, for “authentic thinking is concerned with reality” (77). Problem-posing education is one that is concerned with liberation, opposed to oppression. The banking method doesn’t allow for liberation, for “liberation is a praxis: the action and reflection of men and women upon their world in order to transform it” (79). Educational methods should prepare students to be liberators and transformers of the world, not containers to receive and store information.

“I love that this student combines multiple forms of information (paraphrases, quotes, and summaries) with their own reactions to the text. By using a combined form of summary, paraphrase, and quote, the student weaves ideas from the text together to give the reader a larger sense of the author’s ideas and claims. The student uses citations and signal phrases to remind us of the source. The student also does a good job of keeping paragraphs focused, setting up topic sentences and transitions, and introducing ideas that become important parts of their thesis. On the other hand, the reader could benefit from more explanation of some complex concepts from the text being analyzed, especially if the author assumes that the reader isn’t familiar with Freire. For example, the banking method of education is never quite clearly explained and the reader is left to derive its meaning from the context clues the student provides. A brief summary or paraphrase of this concept towards the beginning of the essay would give us a better understanding of the contexts the student is working in.”– Professor Dannemiller

Freire, Paulo. “Chapter 2.” Pedagogy of the Oppressed , translated by Myra Bergman Ramos, 30 th Anniversary Edition, Continuum, 2009, pp. 71-86.

You Snooze, You Peruse 6

This article was an interesting read about finding a solution to the problem that 62% of high school students are facing — chronic sleep deprivation (less than 8 hours on school nights). While some schools have implemented later start times, this article argues for a more unique approach. Several high schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico have installed sleeping pods for students to use when needed. They “include a reclined chair with a domed sensory-reduction bubble that closes around one’s head

and torso” and “feature a one-touch start button that activates a relaxing sequence of music and soothing lights” (Conklin). Students rest for 20 minutes and then go back to class. Some of the teachers were concerned about the amount of valuable class time students would miss while napping, while other teachers argued that if the students are that tired, they won’t be able to focus in class anyway. Students who used the napping pods reported they were effective in restoring energy levels and reducing stress. While that is great, there was concern from Melissa Moore, a pediatric sleep specialist, that napping during the day would cause students to sleep less during that “all-important nighttime sleep.”

Sleep deprivation is a serious issue in high school students. I know there are a lot of high school students that are very involved in extra-curricular activities like I was. I was on student council and played sports year-round, which meant most nights I got home late, had hours of homework, and almost never got enough sleep. I was exhausted all the time, especially during junior and senior year. I definitely agree that there is no point in students sitting in class if they’re so tired they can barely stay awake. However, I don’t know if sleeping pods are the best solution. Sure, after a 20-minute nap students feel a little more energetic, but I don’t think this is solving the chronic issue of sleep deprivation. A 20-minute nap isn’t solving the problem that most students aren’t getting 8 hours of sleep, which means they aren’t getting enough deep sleep (which usually occurs between hours 6-8). Everyone needs these critical hours of sleep, especially those that are still growing and whose brains are still developing. I think it would be much more effective to implement later start times. High school students aren’t going to go to bed earlier, that’s just the way it is. But having later start times gives them the opportunity to get up to an extra hour of sleep, which can make a huge difference in the overall well-being of students, as well as their level of concentration and focus in the classroom.

“I appreciate that this author has a clear understanding of the article which they summarize, and in turn are able to take a clear stance of qualification (‘Yes, but…’). However, I would encourage this student to revisit the structure of their summary. They’ve applied a form that many students fall back on instinctively: the first half is ‘What They Say’ and the second half is ‘What I Say.’ Although this can be effective, I would rather that the student make this move on the sentence level so that paragraphs are organized around ideas, not the sources of those ideas.”– Professor Wilhjelm

Conklin, Richard. “ You Snooze, You Peruse: Some Schools Turn to Nap Time to Recharge Students .” Education World, 2017 .

Bloom, Benjamin S., et al. Tax onomy of Educational Objectives: T he Classification of Educational Goals . D. McKay Co., 1969.

Also of note are recent emphases to use Bloom’s work as a conceptual model, not a hard-and-fast, infallible rule for cognition. Importantly, we rarely engage only one kind of thinking, and models like this should not be used to make momentous decisions; rather, they should contribute to a broader, nuanced understanding of human cognition and development.

In consideration of revised versions Bloom’s Taxonomy and the previous note, it can be mentioned that this process necessarily involves judgment/evaluation; using the process of interpretation, my analysis and synthesis require my intellectual discretion.

Mays, Kelly J. “The Literature Essay.” The Norton Introduction to Literature , Portable 12th edition, Norton, 2017, pp. 1255-1278.

“Developing a Thesis.” Purdue OWL , Purdue University, 2014, https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/616/02/ . [Original link has expired. See Purdue OWL’s updated version: Developing a Thesis ]

Read more advice from the Purdue OWL relevant to close reading at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/4/17/ .

One particularly useful additional resource is the text “Annoying Ways People Use Sources,” externally linked in the Additional Recommended Resources appendix of this book.

Essay by an anonymous student author, 2014. Reproduced with permission from the student author.

This essay is a synthesis of two students’ work. One of those students is Ross Reaume, Portland State University, 2014, and the other student wishes to remain anonymous. Reproduced with permission from the student authors.

Essay by Marina, who has requested her last name not be included. Portland Community College, 2018. Reproduced with permission from the student author.

the verbatim use of another author’s words. Can be used as evidence to support your claim, or as language to analyze/close-read to demonstrate an interpretation or insight.

author reiterates a main idea, argument, or detail of a text in their own words without drastically altering the length of the passage(s) they paraphrase. Contrast with summary.

a mode of writing that values the reader’s experience of and reactions to a text.

a rhetorical mode in which an author reiterates the main ideas, arguments, and details of a text in their own words, condensing a longer text into a smaller version. Contrast with paraphrase.

EmpoWORD: A Student-Centered Anthology and Handbook for College Writers Copyright © 2018 by Shane Abrams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons
• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

5.7: Sample Response Essays

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 92549

• City College of San Francisco via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

Media Alternative

Listen to an audio version of this page (36 sec):

• Sample response paper "Spread Feminism, Not Germs" in PDF with margin notes     
• Sample response paper "Spread Feminism, Not Germs" accessible version with notes in parentheses     
• Sample response paper "Typography and Identity" in PDF with margin notes  
• Sample response paper "Typography and Identity" accessible version with notes in parentheses