follow mla formatting guidelines W r i t i n g

The summary should capture the main idea of the author’s work in your own words. Please do not directly quote the author or use the exact same words as the author. It should be one paragraph of no more than 150 words in length. When summarizing, do the following:

• Provide the author’s name, the title of the text, and the thesis of the text in the first sentence.
• Be objective (no personal judgements) and neutral (no opinions).
• Use third-person (he, she, it, they) and present tense.
• Clearly indicate that the ideas are the author’s, not your own, by referring back to the author several times throughout the summary.
• Be concise (100-150 words).
• Be accurate.
• Provide a parenthetical citation with the page numbers of the text at the end of the paragraph before transitioning to your own ideas.

The reaction should be a deeper examination of the meaning, value, writing strategies, language, and applications of the text. It should be 2-3 paragraphs in length. When reacting, do the following:

• Use first-person when appropriate
• Write 2-3 paragraphs, each with a clear topic sentence and thoughtful supporting points.
• Consider responding to 1-3 of the questions at the end of the text under the headings “Questions on Meaning,” “Questions on Writing Strategy,” and “Questions on Language”. You may also respond to any of the questions below. Each idea should be fully and thoughtfully developed.
  • What is surprising or interesting about the text?
  • What does the text imply about certain cultures, values, or beliefs?
  • What are some life experiences you have that relate to the text?
  • Why does the thesis matter?
  • How persuasive are the supporting points?
  • Has the author overlooked anything?
  • Are there any contradictions in the text?
  • Do you disagree with the author’s assumptions?
  • What ideas does this text spark in your mind?
  • What questions does the text inspire?
• Wrap up the composition with a brief conclusion.

The Work(s) Cited page at the end of the composition should provide the bibliographical information for the text you selected. Follow MLA formatting guidelines.

Please click the button to submit your summary and reaction through Turnitin. You will be able to resubmit your work up to 3 times before the due date, or only once after the due date.