SUMMARY-RESPONSE ESSAY

Responding to Reading
Reading Critically
Not about finding fault with author
Rather engaging author in a discussion
by asking questions as you read an
article or essay
Requiring author to meet certain
demands that employ good writing
techniques:
How to read critically
Good note taking
Keep a Readers log
Authors Name and title of Article

Summary: List
main ideas, key
features,
examples, and
Response:
evidence the

Log your reaction to each main point,

author may record your comments, and
questions
provide
Purpose of this Essay
To understand an authors main idea and
purpose for work
To recognize the main points that support
that main idea
To be able to summarize(paraphrase)
authors main ideas
To be able to respond or react to what the
author has to say (to support or defend
your point of view)
Preparing the Summary
Cite the author and the title of the text
Indicate the main ideas of the text
Paraphrase main ideas; quote sparingly,
use key words, phrases, and sentences
Include attributive tags
Avoid summarizing specific examples or
data
Be objective
Response
Your opinion of the authors ideas
Do you agree or disagree
How well is the essay or article written?
Structuring Your response
Requires your reaction to the text and
your interpretation of the text
A response of this nature will react to the
ideas or the argument
Simply, do you agree with the author?
Why or why not?
Provide evidence based on your
experiences to support your reaction
3 ways to provide evidence to support
your response

Your response requires that you provide

evidence to support your opinion,
whether you agree or disagree with the
author
Consider what sort of evidence will best
support your statements: personal
experience, evidence from text, outside
sources
1. Personal Experience
Use personal experience as examples to
demonstrate why you interpret the text
the way you do, why you react the way
you do, why you agree or disagree
I strongly disagree with so and sos first
point based on my own high school
experience, especially in my History
class.
Look at Abramowitzs essay for
examples of her personal experiences.
2. Evidence from the text
Cite specific phrases or sentences from
the text to support your:
explanation of the text
analysis of the effectiveness of the text
response to the text (why you agree or
disagree)
Look at Abromowitzs essay for
examples of her using evidence from the
text
3. Evidence from other
texts
Acceptable to bring in ideas and
information from other texts
Your prior knowledge
No research required for this assignment
Cite sources if you do use borrow
material from other sources
Look at Abramowitzs essay for
examples of her using outside texts or
sources.
Introduction
Brief introduction that will state these
items:
Title of the article or essay; Name of
author; Place of publication
Any key information you might know about
author to help establish authors credibility
State authors main idea
Thesis: a well thought out statement
stating your main point about the article or
essay.
Body Organization: Block
Pattern 1
I. Introduction with thesis
II. Summary of main point
III. Points You agree with
IV. Points you disagree with
Conclusion
Body Organization: Point by
Point
I. Introduction with thesis
Summarize point 1; agree or disagree
Summarize point 2; agree or disagree
Summarized point 3; agree or disagree
Conclusion
Note: you do not need to agree or
disagree with all points
Conclusion
End essay with a summary of your
response
You can add a new perspective about the
article, author, or topic
Important things to remember

Make sure to give reasons why you

disagree
Give examples, personal experience, facts,
any previous experience or knowledge you
can draw upon to support your opinion
Based on my experience with boys in class
in high school. . . .
Try to avoid over using I agree and I
disagree
The Summary: Discuss the Points that
Feagin makes in groups

Denying Individual Racism

White Views on Government Action Against Racism
Symbolic and Laissez Faire Racism
Views on Affirmative Action
Imaging the White Self
Fostering and Learning Racist Attitudes
Role of Elites
Everyday Racism: Subtle, Covert, and Blatant
Who Does the Discriminating?
Facing Lifetimes of Racial Discrimination
Racial Discrimination in Public Places
Denying Individual Racism
Slavery ended a long time ago
Institutionalized racism ended after the
Civil Rights movement
Racism is something that other people
are i.e.) grandparents, parents, KKK
members
Symbolic and Laissez Faire
Racism
Symbolic
Whites have replaced blatant racism with a more subtle
form
Whites believe blacks are making illegitimate demands
for societal changes (Feagin 342).
Criticized for not acknowledging that blatant racism still
exists
Laissez Faire
Whites have embraced the principle of desegregation but
are opposed to government intervention or actual
changes that involve living and going to school with black
people.
Allows whites to feel good about themselves
Affirmative Action
Whites believe affirmative action is not
needed b/c racism is dead.
Whites believe that if blacks arent
successful, its b/c they dont work hard
enough.
White elites shape views on this issue:
For example, media attention of this issue
goes up in the years preceding presidential
elections
Imaging the white self
Whites see white culture as superior.
Whites dont see financial benefits from
slavery and segregation
My family didnt own slaves.
Role of Elites in Fostering Racist Attitudes

Without realizing it, many white people

harbor negative attitudes towards blacks
These ideas are fostered by an elite few
through the media, schools, and even
churches
Everyday Racism
White people may not be aware of their
racism
May grab purse or lock door when a black
man walks by
White employer might hire a white man
over an equally qualified black man b/c he
feels more comfortable with his own kind
Who Does the
Discriminating?
3 types of racist whites
Blatant-KKK
Less subtle forms
Dont directly participate but dont stop it
White upper/middle class Americans
affect housing and jobs
Lower classes are more violent
Facing Lifetimes of Racial Discrimination

No way to tell impact of racism

Little research
Black people dont want to appear weak
Black people dont count small examples of
racism
Racial Discrimination in
Public
Whites assume blacks are going to steal
Whites charge more for cars
White medical professionals less likely to
use expensive procedures on black
patients
Respond to major points:
Points you agree with(Students will list)
1
2
3
Experiences or knowledge that support
your agreement
1
2
3
Respond to major points:
Points you disagree with
1
2
3
Experiences or knowledge that support
your agreement
1
2
3