LESSON 3:

Writing a Reaction Paper

A Reaction paper is an analysis and an evaluation of the material presented.

In a reaction paper, make sure to give a detailed overview of the experience and tell what
exactly was taken out of the experience.
A reaction paper should be more than a simple summary of the material that you are
reacting upon.
It should include your opinion or reaction to the material.
This may take on a variety of forms:

 You may compare the work to other related material;

 You may come up with ways to improve the work;
 You may express what you learned;
 You may concur with the work or argue against the work

You can even use “I” or the first person in this type of paper.

GUIDELINES IN WRITING A REACTION PAPER

Consider these general steps as you plan your writing:
Pull your thoughts together on what you have just experienced.
Come up with a thesis statement.
Come up with what reaction you want to write down on paper.
Decide on your organization and format.
Draft your reaction paper.

As a starting point for your reaction paper, select two or three major points from the
following list and write a paragraph for each point.
 React to the ideas presented
o Are they clear and suitable? Explain the ideas, give examples of their application
in the material presented, and compare/contrast the ideas with your own.
 Compare it to another material
o How was it similar to the other material? How was it different? Which did you enjoy
more? What makes it more enjoyable? Which did you learn more from?
  Discuss specific insights or facts you have learned or gained from reading the
material presented
o Discuss each insight or fact which you have learned in a detailed paragraph using
direct examples from the material presented.
o Include a page reference to the material you are reacting to.
 Make a judgment about the material presented and support it
o Did you like it? Why or why not? Elaborate on your answer by commenting on the
content, style, clarity, validity of ideas and method of presentation.
 Analyze the material presented
o What is its purpose? How does it go about achieving its goal? What is the
plan/method of presentation?
 Tell what other might gain from the material presented
o Is it valuable? Is it informative, entertaining, or accurate? Do you thing you
instructor should use it again? Why or why not?
In your conclusion, summarize your ideas and tie them together.

WRITING A REACTION OR RESPONSE ESSAY

Reaction or response papers are usually requested by teachers so that you’ll consider
carefully what you think or feel about something you’ve read. The following guidelines are
intended to be used for reacting to a reading although they could easily be used for reactions to
films too. Read whatever you’ve been asked to respond to, and while reading, think about the
following questions:
How do you feel about what you are reading?
What do you agree or disagree with?
Can you identify with the situation?
What would be the best way to evaluate the story?
Keeping your responses to these question in mind, follow the following prewriting steps:

PREWRITING FOR YOUR REACTION PAPER

The following statements could be used in a reaction/response paper. Complete as many
statements as possible, from the list below, about what you just read.

My Reaction to What I Just Read is That...

I think that; I see that; I feel that; It seems that; In my opinion; Because; A good quote is;
In addition; For example; Moreover; However; Consequently; Finally; In conclusion.
What you’ve done in completing these statements is written a very rough
reaction/response paper. Now it needs to be organized.
Organizing Your Reaction Paper
A reaction/response paper has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
The introduction should contain all the basic information in one or two paragraphs.

This sentence should give the title, author,

Sentence 1:
and publication you read.

These sentences give a summary of what

Sentence 2, 3, and sometimes 4:
you read (nutshell).

This sentence is your thesis statement. You

Sentence 5:
agree, disagree, identify, or evaluate.

Your introduction should include a concise, one-sentence, and focused thesis. The body
should contain paragraphs that provide support for your thesis. Each paragraph should
contain one idea. Topic sentences should support the thesis, and the final sentence of
each paragraph should lead into the next paragraph.

TOPIC SENTENCE
detail – example – quotation – detail – example – quotation – detail – example –
quotation – detail – example – quotation

Summary Sentence
You can structure your paragraphs in two ways:
Author
You

Author
In contrast to
You

The conclusion can be a restatement of what you said in your paper. It also is a
comment which focuses your overall reaction. Finally, it can be a prediction of the effects
of what you’re reacting to. Note: Your conclusion should include no new information.
Strategies for Writing a Conclusion
Conclusions are often the most difficult part of an essay to write, and many writers
feel that they have nothing left to say after having written the paper. A writer needs to
keep in mind that the conclusion is often what a reader remembers best. Your conclusion
should be the best part of your paper.
A conclusion should:
stress the importance of the thesis statement,
give the essay a sense of completeness, and
leave a final impression on the reader.
Suggestions
Answer the question “So what?”
 Show your readers why this paper is important. Show them that your paper
is meaningful and useful.
Synthesize, don’t summarize
 Don’t simply repeat things which are in your paper. Show them how the
points, supporting details, and examples you used are not random, but
concise and related.
Redirect your readers
 Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper
in the “real” world. If your introduction goes from general to specific, make
your conclusion go from specific to general.
Create a new meaning
 You don’t have to give new information to create a new meaning. By
demonstrating how your ideas work together, you can create a new picture.
Often the sum of the paper is worth more than its parts.
Strategies
Echoing the introduction: Echoing your introduction can be a good strategy if it
is meant to bring the reader full-circle. If you begin by describing a scenario, you can end
with the same scenario as proof that your essay was helpful in creating a new
understanding.
Example:
INTRODUCTION
 From the parking lot, I could see the towers of the castle of the Magic Kingdom
standing stately against the blue sky. To the right, the tall peak of The Matterhorn rose
even higher. From the left, I could hear the jungle sounds of Adventure land. As I entered
the gate, Main Street stretched before me with its quaint shops evoking an old-fashioned
small town so charming it could never have existed. I was amazed. Disneyland may have
been built for children, but it brings out the child in adults.
Conclusion
I thought I would spend few hours at Disneyland, but here I was at 1:00 A.M.,
closing time, leaving the front gates with the now dark towers of the Magic Kingdom
behind me. I could see tired children, toddling along and struggling to keep their eyes
open as best they could. Other slept in their parents’ arms as we waited for the parking
lot tram that would take us to our cars. My forty-year-old feet ached, and I felt a bit sad to
think that in a couple of days I would be leaving California. My vacation is over. But then,
I smiled to think that for at least a day I felt ten years old again.

Challenging the reader: By Issuing a challenge to your readers, you are helping
them to redirect the information in the paper, and they may apply it to their own lives.
Example
Though serving on a jury is not only a civic responsibility but also an interesting
experience. Many people still view jury duty as a chore that interrupts their jobs and the
routing of their daily lives. However, juries are part of America’s attempt to be a free and
just society. Thus, jury duty challenges us to be interested and responsible citizens.
Looking to the future: Looking to the future can emphasize the importance of
your paper or redirect the readers’ thought process. It may help them apply the new
information to their lives or see things more globally.
Example
Without well-qualified teachers, schools are littler more than buildings and
equipment. IF higher paying careers continue to attract the best and the brightest students,
there will not only be a shortage of teachers, but the teachers available may not have the
best qualifications. Our youth will suffer. And when youth suffers, the future suffers.
Posing questions: Posing questions, either to your readers or in general, may
help your readers gain a new perspective on the topic, which they may not have held
before reading your conclusion. It may also bring your main ideas together to create a
new meaning.
Example
Campaign advertisements should help us understand the candidate’s
qualifications and positions on the issues. Instead, most tell us what a boob or knave the
opposing candidate is, or they present general images of the candidate as a family person
or God-fearing American. Do such advertisements contribute to creating an informed
electorate or a people who choose political leaders the same way they choose soft drinks
and soap?

SUMMARY
In summary, this handout has covered prewriting and organizing strategies for
reaction/response papers.

Prewriting
 Read the article and jot down ideas.
 How do you feel about what was said?
 Do you agree or disagree with the author?
 Have you had any applicable experience?
 Have you read or heard anything that applies to this what the writer said in
the article or book?
 Does the evidence in the article support the statements the writer made?
Organizing
 Write the thesis statement first.
 Decide on the key points that will focus your ideas. These will be your topic
sentences.
 Develop your ideas by adding examples, quotations, and details to your
paragraphs.
 Make sure the last sentence of each paragraph leads into the next
paragraph.
 Check your thesis and make sure the topic sentence of each paragraph
supports it.