The_Summary_and_Analysis_Essay

THE SUMMARY ANALYSIS ESSAY As the name suggests, the goal of this type of writing is to summarize an assigned piece of writing and then analyze that piece of writing, informing your audience of your position on the issue being raised. The first element of Summary/Analysis writing is to inform your audience, generally, what you think an author is saying in an assigned essay or article. This is the summary. Remember: your goal is not to retell but rather, to identify generally the high points and what you think he means. The second element of Summary/Analysis writing is to establish for your audience your position on the issue raised in the assigned essay. Think in these terms: do you agree or disagree with the author’s position, and why' And while you will not use the first-person “I” in this essay, you will be making clear what you believe to be valid or invalid about the what the author has to say by using declarative sentences. o-o-o-o-o Introductory paragraph – Should NOT refer to the assigned essay. Instead, it should focus generally on the issue that is raised in the essay. You may use as your introduction one of the following: an anecdote, either personal or 3 rd person, that you can relate to the subject to be discussed; a statistic that you can relate to the subject; a fact that you can relate to the subject; a quote, from either a famous person or someone non-famous, that you can relate to the subject; or a question that functions as a lead-in to your discussion of the essay. You may also use some other form of introductory device. Summary paragraph – Example : Should begin with the sentence: In his essay “Bones Break, but Boys Endure,” author John Vorst . . You should finish this sentence with a general statement of what main point – or thesis – you believe the author is making with his essay. This is the controlling theme for your entire analysis of his essay, so it must be clear. However, you will NOT use specific examples from the essay in this paragraph; rather, you will speak generally about the author’s thesis. Sub-theme #1 (topic idea) paragraph – Use words like “for instance” or “for example” or “another example offered”. 1. Example with details from text to “show” how theme #1 is a major point raised by the author 2. Example with details from text to “show” how theme #1 is a major point raised by the author Analysis paragraph : Your analysis/opinion of theme #1. In this paragraph, you state what you think about the author’s point. Refer to specific examples as needed. Sub-theme #2 (topic idea) paragraph – 1. Example with details from text to “show” how theme #2 is a major point raised by the author 2. Example with details from text to “show” how theme #2 is a major point raised by the author Analysis paragraph : Your analysis/opinion of theme #2. In this paragraph, you state what you think about the author’s point. Refer to specific examples as needed. Summary/Conclusion: In this paragraph, you should sum up / restate, in a few sentences, the author’s main point; reiterating what conclusions YOU have drawn about the essay. THE END x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x Essay should be 2 - 2 ½ pages long, in 12-point, Times New Roman font or Arial and double-spaced You may use the word “I” only in a personal anecdote introduction. It should appear nowhere else in this essay. You will NOT use the word “you”, in any form, anywhere in this essay. You must stay “connected” to the essay. Remember that your analysis is of the author’s text, not simply the issue in general. Always relate your thoughts to the essay being discussed. Too many students wander away from a discussion of the assigned essay and the issues raised in that essay. Instead, they talk about personal experiences they have had that are similar to the examples used in the essay. THIS IS WRONG! Remember that you should be focusing on an analysis of a written work, so keep your writing and opinions directed toward the assigned reading.