TW #4-Summary & Response Essay

Write a summary and response essay based on the following prompt:

Read the article “Let’s Really Reform our Schools” by Anita Garland. You will write a summary and response essay based on this article. Please follow the directions below.

Paragraph 1 (Summary) – Give a short summary of Garland’s article (5-7 sentences). If you use any of her exact words, put them in quotation marks and put the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence. (Look at the examples below.) Only one quote is allowed in the summary.

The first sentence should include the article title in quotation marks, the author’s full name, and the article’s overall main point.

Every sentence in the summary must have a reference to the author and a strong descriptive verb with only the main or important ideas the author brings out in the article mentioned in each sentence.

At the end of the introduction, write a thesis statement that gives your opinion of Garland’s changes to schools in America. This sentence should also hint at the questions you will answer in your body paragraphs. Please see the questions below.

Paragraphs 2-4 (only two body paragraphs required) – Choose 2 to 3 of the following questions to answer in your response paragraphs. Answer only one question per paragraph. Be sure to have a topic sentence that clearly shows which question you’re answering. Your topic sentences cannot be quotes for any paragraph.

What do you agree with? Why? Give 1-2 examples.

What do you disagree with? Why? Give 1-2 examples.

What from the reading connects with your life and experiences? How? Give 1-2 examples.

What surprised you about Garland’s changes to American School Systems? Explain. Give 1-2 examples.

What did you learn new from reading Garland’s article? Explain. Give 1-2 examples.

Paragraph 4 or 5 – Write a conclusion paragraph that sums up the points that you have made in your body paragraphs and gives one last big thought.

 Directions: The essay must have at least 400 words, a unique title, an introductory summary paragraph with a thesis statement, two to three body paragraphs with transitions and details, and a conclusion paragraph.

 Quotations are not required; however, if you do use a quotation, follow these instructions and examples.

1) Introduce the quotation with a signal phrase. Remember to refer to the author by her last name.

2) Put quotation marks (“ ”) around the author’s exact words.

3) Put the page number inside parentheses ( ) at the end of the sentence.

4) Put a period after the parentheses to end the sentence.

Example: Collier explains, “What I mean is that kind of anxiety we call stage fright, butterflies in the

stomach, a case of nerves . . .” (687).

Example: Collier’s basic rule is to “do what makes you anxious, don’t do what makes you depressed”

(687).

Example: Maxwell asserts, “Many residents remain silent out of fear, but I suspect the fear factor receives too much weight” (292).

Reminders:    

1) Do not use Garland’s exact words unless you use quotation marks.

2) Do not use a quotation as the topic sentence for any paragraph.

3)  You may use more than one (1) quotation in the body paragraphs, but not in the summary.   Only one (1) quote is allowed in the summary (introductory) paragraph.