Summary and Response Essay

·         to reach the article please click this link to open it up. the essay has to be based on this link. https://www.city-journal.org/mass-incarceration  Essay should be 5-pages (i.e., 1,250 words) in length; typed, and double-spaced, and submitted in a Word file.  Points will be deducted for ignoring this criterion.     ·         APA style is required for both (a) citations in the body of your Essays, and (b) the References page.  Points will be deducted for ignoring this criterion.  ·         Do not use a canned bibliographic program to construct your References, a Citation Generator, or a standard citation provided by the source.  Points will be deducted for missing this criterion.   ·         The required word count noted above excludes the References page. ·         This is a scholarly project (e.g., based on fact/objective inquiry), and not an exercise in editorializing (i.e., based on personal opinion or belief), or a forum to offer gratuitous commentary.  Points will be deducted for ignoring this criterion.    You must proofread your Essay to ensure that it is free of typos, and other errors (e.g., grammatical, spelling, punctuation errors).  Points will be deducted for ignoring this criterion.    The Summary: A summary is a concise paraphrase of all the main ideas in the assigned article that you’ve been asked to read. It cites the author and the title (usually in the first sentence); it contains the article’s thesis and supporting ideas; it may use direct quotation of forceful or concise statements of the author’s ideas; it will NOT usually cite the author’s examples or supporting details unless they are central to the main idea. Most summaries present the major points in the order that the author made them and continually refer back to the article being summarized (e.g., “Damon argues that…” or “Goodman also points out that…”). The summary should take up no more than one-third the length of the work being summarized.   The Response: A response is a critique or evaluation of the author’s essay. Unlike the summary, it is composed of your opinions in relation to the article being summarized. It examines ideas that you agree or disagree with, and identifies the articles’ strengths and weaknesses in reasoning and logic–in the quality of supporting examples, and in organization and style. A good response is persuasive; thus, it should cite facts, examples, and personal experience that either refutes or supports the article you’re responding to, depending on your stance.   Two Typical Organizational Formats for Summary/Response Essays:   I.  Present the summary in a block of paragraphs, followed by the response in a block: ·         Intro/thesis ·         Summary (two to three paragraphs) ·         Agreement (or disagreement) ·         Disagreement (or agreement) ·         Conclusion   Note: Some essays will incorporate both agreement and disagreement in a response, but this is not mandatory.   II. Introduce the essay with a short paragraph that includes your thesis. Then, each body paragraph summarizes one point and responds to it, and a conclusion wraps the essay up. ·         Intro/thesis ·         Summary point one; agree/disagree ·         Summary point two; agree/disagree ·         Summary point three; agree/disagree ·        Conclusion Tips for Writing a Good Summary and Response Essays   Do: ·         Read the given article carefully. ·         Think about several major points you want to articulate in your Summary and Response Essay. ·         Describe your point first (e.g., “Lessons Learned,” “What you agreed on…” or “What you disagreed on…”). ·         Justify why you think that way. ·         Provide real-world example(s).  o   You may use any example you are familiar with, including ones we discuss in class or ones from the course readings.  However, please do not assume that I know what you are talking about when you just mention a name; provide sufficient background information and how your example(s) support your argument. ·         Discuss how your point relates to this class. After you finish articulating all the points, have a conclusive statement at the end.   What Not to Do: ·         Just summarize what you read o   I want to see your professional reflections–not simply a summary of what someone else wrote. ·         No evidence to back up your point (i.e., no examples). ·         Provide random examples or direct quotes from the assigned article without making careful effort to relate to your point.  Rather, you must provide appropriate examples to support each argument, as well as insights about how it relates to this class.  Also, do not overquote!   See also:  http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/rst/pop5i.cfm