SUMMERIZING

AND RESPONDING

Where Reading Meets Writing

Summarizing
First off, read the text carefully
Start by skimming the text to get a general sense of what it’s saying
Then reread the text more slowly, annotating it paragraph by paragraph
If you find a Thesis stating the main point, highlight it in some way
Try to capture the main idea of each paragraph in a single sentence
Summarizing
◦ State the main points concisely and accurately
◦ Describe the text accurately and fairly – using neutral language
◦ Present the author’s ideas evenhandedly and fairly
◦ A summary is not the place to share your own opinion
◦ Use neutral verbs such as states, asserts, or concludes instead of proves, or complains
Summarizing
◦ Use signal phrases to distinguish what the author says from what you say
◦ Introduce a statement with phrases such as “he says” or “the essay concludes”
◦ When first introducing an author, you may need to say something about their credentials
◦ For example: In “Our Declaration,” political philosopher Danielle Allen analyzes the language of the
Declaration of Independence.
Summarizing
◦ Use quotations sparingly, remember that this is just a summary
◦ Most or all of a summary should be written in your own words
◦ Document any text you summarize in a works-cited or reference list
Responding
◦ Responding to a text pushes you to engage with its main ideas
◦ You can respond in various ways:
◦ Taking a position on the text’s argument
◦ Analyzing the text
◦ Reflecting on the text
Responding
◦ If you’re responding to what the text says:
◦ Support your position with good reasons and evidence for your response
◦ Here are some questions to consider:
◦ What does the writer claim?
◦ What reasons and evidence does the writer provide to support that claim?
◦ What parts of the text do you agree or disagree with? Why?
◦ Are other perspectives being considered by the writer, not just their own?
◦ Are there aspects to the topic being overlooked by the writer?
Responding
◦ If you’re focusing on the way a text is written:
◦ What evidence does the writer use to convey their message?
◦ Pay attention to the writer’s word choice and look for patterns
◦ Here are some questions to ask yourself:
◦ What is the writer’s message?
◦ How well does the writer communicate that message?
◦ How does the writer support what they say: by citing facts or statisticts? By noting personal
experience? Are you persuaded?
◦ Are there any words, phrases, or sentences that you find notable and that contribute to the text’s
overall effect?
Responding
◦ If you’re reflecting on your own reaction to a text:
◦ Reflect on how your personal experience or beliefs influenced the way you understood the text. How did
it lead you to see the topic in a new way?
◦ When reflecting, think about these questions:
◦ How did the text affect you personally?
◦ What in the text got your attention?
◦ Did you have an emotional reaction: laughing, crying, uneasiness? What prompted that reaction?
◦ Does the text bring to mind any memories of past experiences? Does anything relate to your life?
◦ Does the text remind you of any other text?
◦ Does the text support (or challenge) any of your beliefs? How?
◦ Has reading the text given you any new ideas or insights?
Key Features of Summary and Response
◦ A clearly identified author and title
◦ A concise summary of the text
◦ Your essay should usually provide a concise statement (one sentence if possible) of your
overall response to the text.
◦ Your response itself will constitute an argument
◦ In support for your response, offer reasons and evidence
◦ Consider and acknowledge any possible counterarguments and positions other than yours