4.7: Organizing Your Summary/Response Essay
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- 304795
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)A summary/response essay consists of five paragraphs and four main parts: the introduction, summary paragraph, response paragraphs, and conclusion.
For the summary paragraph, follow the same guidelines as laid out in Chapter 3. To review, a summary should:
Summary Components
- Express the overall main idea in a one-sentence summary and include the article’s title and author.
- Outline all major important supporting details.
- Identify how the original article is organized and demonstrate that organization through the effective use of signal words, phrases, transitions, and other cohesive devices.
- Paraphrase by using the writer’s own words.
- Refer to the author often, especially by last name.
A. Moves of a Response Paragraph
The response paragraphs (of which there are usually two) have three main components that we can further break down into moves.
1. Quotation &
| - Start with a signal phrase that includes the author’s last name and the article title (optional). |
| - Quote a specific opinion or argument from the article. This point should be integral and related to the overall main idea. |
2. Explanation & - Provide context/background for the point (optional) and explain/paraphrase what it means.
3. Response &
| - State whether you agree or disagree and why. Give a specific reason. |
| - Provide support for your opinion (see Strategies for Responding). |
| - Discuss the significance of your support. Why is this important? |
| - Connect your response back to the author’s point by explaining how it relates to the point brought up in the article. |
The following is an example response paragraph with the moves color coded.
- Signal phrase
- Specific point from the article
- Context and/or explanation
- Agree or disagree and why
- Support
- Significance
- Connection back to author’s point
Souther asserts that "anger and violence are forces that tend to be seen as contrary to the aims of peacemaking; ignoring such forces are just as harmful to peace." He means to say usually violent feelings and actions, such as anger, are far from making peace or goals, but the feeling should not be ignored because it will be much harder to get to results or make peace. I partially agree with this sentiment because anger is a double-edged sword and has certain requirements to be considered useful. Although people can feel "anger" when they discover a problem and can become motivated to fight to achieve goals, "anger" is tricky. Even though I actively deal with problems and work when I feel angry, I have often lost my reason and made things go wrong. Therefore, "anger" can be harmful or beneficial depending on how it is used and who’s using it because each person has different tolerances. For example, if a person has a low tolerance for anger, this anger will be a hindrance rather than the driving force behind what they are trying to do. In other words, I don’t think that "anger" always helps to make peace. It is only when people think rationally and act rationally when they feel anger, rather than act immediately, that anger is used as a good driving force in peacemaking.
Color code the different moves in the response paragraph below then evaluate it.
- Signal phrase
- Specific point from the article
- Context and/or explanation
- Agree or disagree and why
- Support
- Significance
- Connection back to author’s point
In the article "Break Up the Monoculture," the author Helena Norberg-Hodge reveals that "long-term solutions to today’s social and environmental problems will also require a range of small, local initiatives that are as diverse as the cultures and environments in which they take place." It is true that whatever society suggests, these issues will be difficult to solve with one blanket solution. For example, there is a developing country which does not have enough resources in comparison with advanced countries. Any solution for advanced countries is useless for developing countries. That’s why monoculture is the problem: it is impossible to unify countless diverse aspects into one culture when they have such different needs to take into account. As a result, even though the world needs lots of efforts to make various solutions for the negative effects of globalization, it is essential to keep developing those solutions on a local rather than global levell.
Pick an opinion from the article you read for your summary assignment. Fill in the chart below to develop a response paragraph. Consider using the templates above to help.
| Write a sentence including the |
| author’s name and a quote from the |
| article you wish to respond to. |
| Write a sentence or two explaining |
| the quote in your own words. What |
| point is the author making? |
| Write a sentence stating whether you |
| agree or disagree with the point you |
| are responding to, and explain why |
| you agree or disagree. |
| Write a sentence explaining your point |
| in more detail. |
| Write a sentence or two providing an |
| example to help illustrate your |
| opinion. |
| Write a sentence or two explaining |
| how your example supports the point |
| you’re making. |
Write a sentence or two explaining how your example relates to the point made by the author.