Monnastes
English 99
100 points
Summary and Response Essay
Purpose: Summarize subject matter and key ideas
Respond to Content
Preparation:
1. Read and annotate, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” By Nicholas Carr
2. Participate in group “Mining for Information” activity
3. Prepare a “Reading the Text” graphic organizer
Writing Task:
Write a 3, no more than 4 page, typed, double spaced summary and response essay.
The student writer will…
1. Clearly state a thesis that shows whether they agree or disagree with Carr’s argument.
2. Produce an introduction, body (3-4), and conclusion
3. Practice paraphrasing
4. Practice integrating select quotations
5. Practice using a specific organizational pattern (block style or point by point style).
See Rubric for grading criteria.
Overview
A summary/response is a natural consequence of the reading and annotating process. In this
type of essay, writers capture the controlling idea and the supporting details of a text and respond
by agreeing or disagreeing and then explaining why.
The first step after active reading is writing a summary. Writing summaries is a common practice in
college. They pull together the general conclusions and approaches of experts who have done
research in a particular subject. Summaries should be written in your own words although you could
include short quoted excerpts if you decide the author’s or speaker’s words summarize a point most
precisely. Try to use pertinent quotations from the source, working them in gracefully where
appropriate. Probably the best way to write a summary is ask yourself the following questions:
--What issues are described, explained or resolved in this work?
--What is the controlling idea?
--What are the supporting details?
--What results or conclusions are made?
--What opinion does the author want readers to keep in mind about this topic?
--What information does the author use to convince readers?
After you have written your summary, double-check to be sure that all facts you included are
correct.
