English Composition II

Essay #1: Writing a Summary-Evaluation Response Essay

Length: Minimum 2 pages that includes the summary and response in one document  

For this first essay assignment, you will write a summary-evaluation-choosing one of the readings provided. We will first work on finding articles using search techniques online and in the library, then developing our critical reading and summarizing skills. After writing the summary, you will write a response to the essay. Thus, this assignment provides you with opportunities for an objective (summary) and (evaluative) response.

The essay will have two parts that provide different ways of reading an article.

To summarize an essay, article, or book, you should not include your own thoughts about it, but describe/explain what the major parts of the essay are as objectively as possible, using quotes from the essay that cannot be paraphrased such as key concepts and phrases. Although written in your own words, the summary does not include your opinions. Since the summary eliminates those details that are not needed to convey the major points, it is naturally shorter than the original. In general, a summary should be around 200 words and will work as the introduction for your response. You can use very short, quoted material—a catchy phrase, or something you cannot describe with your own words—but most of a summary is your own words.

To respond to an essay is to express your reaction or position toward the article you have read. The response will be longer than the summary (400 words min) and will embody a particular idea that you want to convey to the reader about the writer’s ideas, how these ideas are pertinent or not to your own life, and/or why you agree or disagree with the writer’s ideas. You are required to use at least 2 quotes in this section.

Thus, the paper should include and will be graded on the following:

•  A brief introductory sentence that includes the title of the essay (as a link to its online source), a summary of the article’s main points (one or two paragraphs);
• A focus/thesis statement (in the response section) that expresses a stance/your response overall toward the essay and at least 2 criteria to evaluate;
• Body paragraphs that refer to and develop the thesis/main point of your response;
• At least 2 quotes from the article in the response section;
• Use of MLA citation practices including in-text quotations and a citation of the article chosen.

Questions that should be Addressed in a Summary

1.        What is this article about? What is being studied/discussed/argued?

2.       What main points are being made to support their claim or argument?

3.       What evidence is provided to support the author’s observations/arguments?

Summary Criteria

·         Condensed version of a text that starts with a sentence that introduces the author, the article and the source of the publication

·         Objective/neutral tone

·         Direct and concise

·         Represent the article accurately (understand what it is about)

·         Balanced and proportional coverage (cover all major points, do not focus on minutiae)

·         Use quotations sparingly if at all (not required) (a key phrase)

·         Use attributive tags (suggests, points out, argues, claims) to clarify author’s position

·         Unified and coherent (beginning, middle, end)

·         Minimum: 150 words

Response Criteria

·         Has at least 2 quotes from the original text but used sparingly (parts of sentences)

·         Focused and coherent (beginning, middle, end)/Thesis or main point

·         Have an evaluative viewpoint or stance toward the article (not just a summation of the article)

·         Develop your ideas, not just state them

·         Organized into paragraphs

·         Length: Minimum 300 words

·         Must use MLA citations