RWT exercise 1
Please complete a 300-word summary of the evaluation argument chapter in Good Reasons. Practice writing good prose with purpose and reaching out to your target audience (me-purpose? To show me you know the most important steps of evaluating in writing). Use the "summary guide" for help. DUE 8:00AM in Ohio USA time. After 11 hours from posting the question,
Some Keys to a Basic Summary
- Include the author(s), the title of the article/essay/chapter/document, the source name (where it appeared), and the original date of publication in your first sentence or two
- Explain the context (what happened that encouraged the author to compose/write the article or essay?) and purpose/focus
- Be objective-whether or not you agree does not matter. Do justice to the source.
- Describe the author's tone: serious, sarcastic, formal, friendly, angry, informal, satirical, humorous, authoritative, questioning . . . ? A combination of things?
- Articulate the author's purpose and intentions: to inform or persuade (and about what?)? Both?
- Clearly summarize all important information in a logical and organized way (generally not in the order it appeared in the original source): consider all points, assertions, positions, focused examples, etc. Create a general focus to your summary.
Things to Avoid in a Basic Summary
- Your opinion on the subject
- Misrepresentation
- Too much of the author's original wording
- Oversimplification
- Listing