WR 097
Paper #1- Basic Summary
Purpose/Goals:
Summarizing is a critical fundamental skill you need to master in order to engage in academic conversation, such as writing a paper. This paper will help you focus on this skill and give you practice with the conventions of basic summary. After revising this paper you will be able to:
Ø Use the conventions of basic summary
Ø Be able to identify and convey the central idea of an essay
Ø Understand which points should be included and which can be left out
Ø Present another author’s ideas accurately in your own words without inadvertently plagiarizing
Ø Present another author’s ideas without including your own analysis or interpretation
Task:
Choose one of the essays by either Tannen “Gender in the Classroom” (NS 397), Tan (“Mother Tongue”) or Marquez (“Why and When We Speak Spanish in Public”) and compose a brief basic summary of it.
Formatting and Submission:
Make your summary as concise as you can without leaving out important points. The essay should be 1-3 paragraphs and certainly no more than a page.
Use the summary conventions we have discussed, such as introducing the essay with the full title and author’s name and referring to the author after that by his or her surname, using 3rd person, keeping your verbs in the present tense.
Remember that a basic summary should have the following attributes:
Ø Brief/concise – stick to the main ideas and don’t include unnecessary details
Ø Accurate – make sure you understand the essay and are describing it correctly
Ø Objective – don’t include ideas or analysis of your own
Ø Original – use your own words and phrasing and avoid using too many quotes
Drafts are due in class on Tuesday 9/30 and should be formatted according to MLA guidelines, including a title (and “Draft of Essay #1” is NOT an acceptable title ;-)).
I will comment on your drafts and we will meet in conference to discuss them. Final versions of the summary are due in class on Tuesday 10/09 and you must include the two copies of your draft (the one you worked on in class and the one I commented on) and any notes or pre-writing you did.