Overview:
For this assignment, you will write a 500-750 word essay that offers both a brief summary of one of the essays/articles we’ve read so far and your own focused response to it.
Purpose: (1) Summarize the purpose and main points of an essay or article, and (2) respond to his/her points based on your own experiences and/or reading.
Audience: The same general, academic audience as for the summary assignment. This audience has not read the essay to which you’re responding. You’ll have to give them enough information (through summary and paraphrase) so that they will understand the ideas to which you are responding.
The goals are (1) to accurately summarize an article using the conventions of academic summary, (2) to provide a focused response to one or two points from the article with a clear thesis statement, and (3) to develop your response using examples from your own
experience and/or other texts (if you choose) that are clearly related to examples/ideas from the article itself.
Steps:
First, select ONE of the following articles:
1. “We Are All Accumulating Mountains of Things,” by Alana Semuels 2. “‘You’ll Never Believe What Happened’ Is Always a Great Way to Start,” by Thomas King
3. “Why This Country Needs Gun Control,” by Emma Gonzalez
4. “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice,” by William J. Ripple et al.
5. “Land as Pedagogy,” by Leanne Simpson
Secondly, read the article closely, carefully, and actively. Annotate, summarize, and note your own questions and responses as you read. Then, write a 500-750 word essay that provides both a brief SUMMARY of the article you have chosen and a RESPONSE to ONE or TWO ideas that the author represents in his/her article.
Specific Requirements:
1. Your essay must be 3 to 6 paragraphs long.
2. You must include a clear and concise thesis statement that reflects both one or two of the author’s ideas and your own specific response/analysis to these ideas.
3. Include a neutral SUMMARY, similar in form and style to your first assignment, in order to familiarize your audience (who hasn’t read the text) with the ideas. 4. Respond in your own words to ONE or TWO specific ideas the author represents
in his/her article. You may speak personally, from experience, in this paragraph. You are not required to cite other texts or other people’s ideas in this section, but you may. If you choose to, please make sure you include the appropriate citation.
5. This assignment must follow MLA formatting and citation and it must include a complete and correct Works Cited list.