Article Summary Assignments

Overview: Below are the details for all reading summaries that are assigned for the rest of the semester.  If a summary is listed in the class schedule, this is what I’m asking for.  These summary assignments are designed to provide practice in reading/responding critically and to build your writing skills. In these responses, you’re being graded on the thoroughness of your summary as well as mechanics, so take your time, edit it, and turn in a polished revision.

Tasks: Summarize the article in its entirety (for more on how to summarize, see NA pages 173+). To complete the summary, you’ll need to do two things:

Task A: Thesis: A crucial skill in research is being able to find the driving argument of a source as you read it. Thus, in a line by itself, write “Thesis” and then provide the actual word-for-word thesis of the article you’re responding to. This needs to be the one sentence in that article, quoted directly, which best sums up the entire argument. Some articles have difficult thesis statements to identify, so pick the one sentence that most looks to be the thesis to you.

*) The thesis must be a direct quote, not something you come up with yourself. If you're unsure, go ahead and list two or three possible sentences.

*) Since it will be a direct quote, this thesis must have a parenthetical citation.

Task B: Summary: Second, summarize the article in question; tell me all the major points the piece makes. You’ll have to boil every major argument down into just a few sentences. This summary will NOT use direct quotes, only summary of the major ideas presented here. Your grade here will be based on your ability to summarize what I consider the major arguments of the piece.

*) This summary needs to be at least 175 words long to hit all the major arguments, but could end up being much longer.

*) If you missed what I consider to be a major argument from the article in question, you will lose points since that’s the only way I can tell if you read and comprehended it.  Thus, if you are worried that I won’t give you full points, feel free to add a little more.

Format:

A) Each summary will be in full MLA format. You must use parenthetical citations when you quote the article's thesis. You do NOT need a works cited page.

B) If you have multiple summaries due on one day, you must submit them each as a separate document.  Do not simply turn them all in as one document.