12.6: Writing a Reader Response
- Page ID
- 223125
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)When your teacher assigns you a reader response, they are asking you to read and think critically about that source. Your teacher does not want the essay to center on whether or not you liked the text. Instead, you want to focus on making a point about the source that could include any of the following ideas: how effective or ineffective the source is in its purpose, how convincing the text is for its target audience, or how correct or incorrect the text is in some of its assumptions and arguments. But a reader response can move past all of these more general ideas to make your own, specific point about the work.
Specifically, make sure that your reader response does these three things:
1. Show that you have read and understood the source.
Demonstrating to your teacher that you have read, understood, and thought about the source is the first part of writing successfully about sources. Additionally, it is a good rule of thumb to assume that your readers have not read the essay you are discussing. Even though you know your teacher has read the text you are writing over, pretend they haven’t: introduce the text as if your reader has never heard of it and provide enough evidence as you make your point so that your reader understands both the text and your point about it.
2. Identify and explain the main point or purpose of the text
It is good practice to introduce the source as you begin the paper and then introduce your thesis after you have explained the source. However, as you introduce the source, you don't just want to tell the author and title. Instead, the source introduction should also concisely introduce the main point of the text. Restating the main point of a text in your own words is not easy and will most likely take some revision, so be patient with yourself as you complete this step and see pages 175-176 for example source introductions.
3. Demonstrate your own point about the text using evidence form the text to support your point
A reader response is different from a summary in that you are relaying the evidence that you need to support your point instead of just giving an overview of the text. As you begin the reader response, do tell the text’s main point but limit this retelling to two or three sentences maximum. After that, relay the information that you need to make your point as you get into the body paragraphs.
The Reader Response Thesis
The thesis for the reader response should make a point about the text you are analyzing for the response. Students fall into two traps when writing the reader response thesis: they just summarize the essay or they just tell their opinion (Ex: it was a good essay). However, a reader response essay should move past just summarizing a text or giving your opinion. Instead, you want to make a unique point about what the text means or how you relate to it as a modern reader. Again, look back at your assignment sheet. Chances are that your teacher has given you some clues about how they want you to relate to the text.
Example Reader Response
See the example reader response at the end of Chapter 2 (pp. 51-53) for more help with what a reader response essay might look like. Additionally, many of the examples in of planning in Chapter 2 relate to a reader response, so take a look there for more detailed help.