Formal Academic Summary & Rhetorical Analysis #1

FORMAL ACADEMIC SUMMARY: DIRECTIONS

1. Length & Manuscript Format: Your summary should be no longer than one typed double-spaced or wordprocessed page, using a readable, standard-sized font and point size, and standard 1” margins. The one-page limit includes the standard MLA heading on the first page of your assignment.

2. MLA-Style Bibliographical entry should introduce your Formal Academic Summary section.
Note formatting in Example Student Formal Academic Summaries & Rhetorical Analyses
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr121/winter2004/exampleFASRA.htm
Follow the MLA format for "Work in a Collection of Pieces by Different Authors" (Muller 701), but also insert any information about the original source & date of publication given in "header" notes at the beginning of the selected reading and/or in "Credits" at the end of the Muller textbook (C-1 to C-6). Examples of MLA-Style Bibliography Entries are given below.

3. First Sentence(s) of summary should formally re-introduce the name of the author(s) and title of the text you are summarizing, and establish the topic focus of the text.

4. Summary Body should present the main points, clearly and concisely: read closely and repeatedly to help you identify the author’s major purpose, thesis, & emphasis.

Select material for inclusion carefully and do NOT exceed the length limit given above or your summary will be penalized at least one-half grade. Staying within that limit means you cannot be comprehensive: omit less important points and supporting detail; generalize the point of specific illustrations. Use your interpretation of the author’s thesis, main purpose, and emphasis to guide your decisions regarding what to include and exclude.
Represent the major point(s) of the text accurately, fairly, and objectively—such that if the author read your summary, s/he could agree that you have done so.
Use occasional “author tags” (e.g., “according to Ehrenreich,” or “as Ehrenreich says”) to remind the reader and yourself that you are summarizing another’s text, not giving your own ideas.

5. Command of Standard Written English; and Effective Style, Clarity, and Coherence will also be considered in instructor’s grading. Please edit and proofread carefully.

What NOT to do in the Formal Academic Summary section:

a. Do NOT give your opinions about the ideas summarized or the quality of the writing (e.g., do not state whether you agree or disagree with the author’s ideas, or whether you think this is good or bad writing);

b. Do NOT repeat or restate points unnecessarily: be clear and provide transitions to be coherent and show relationships among main ideas represented, but be concise and make every sentence count;

c. Do NOT use extensive quotations: keep quotations to a minimum, limited to key ideas or special phrasing. In general, paraphrase, in your own words, the main ideas both to be more concise than the original text(s) and to show your understanding of the text(s).

d. Do NOT include minor points and details: stick to the major points; mention specific details and examples only if they are given primary emphasis and proportional space by the author(s) and/or they seem essential to illustrating the thesis or main idea.

Examples of MLA-Style Bibliographical Entries
MS NOTE: Double space your bibliographical entry & indent 5 spaces any 2nd & subsequent lines.

DIRECTIONS FOR RHETORICAL ANALYSIS:

1. Manuscript Format & Length: Begin your Rhetorical Analysis section on the second page of this assignment, entitle this section "Rhetorical Analysis," and be sure to use running page headers on the second and any subsequent pages of your manuscript.
Suggested Length for Rhetorical Analysis: 2 typed / wordprocessed and double-spaced pages (or about 300--500 words).

2. Write a rhetorical analysis of the selected essay: focus on analyzing 2 or 3 selected writing strategies used by the author. You may also wish to integrate relevant aspects of the rhetorical (communication) situation of the essay. Use the guidelines and questions given in the "Rhetoric" section following the selected essay, header notes preceding the essay, and More Rhetorical Analysis Questions to Consider given below, to help you select analytical points to discuss in this section.

Be sure to develop and support your analytical points with well-selected examples from the essay.
When you quote and/or paraphrase from the essay to illustrate your points, cite the page number parenthetically immediately following each quotation/paraphrase like this (232).

3. Identify one or two writing strategies used in this essay that you and other WR 121 students might use (or avoid) because the writing strategy seems effective (and/or ineffective). [In other words, what can we WR 121 students learn from analyzing rhetorical writing strategies used in this selected essay?] Then briefly explain why you judge each identified writing strategy to be effective (or ineffective).

4. Command of Standard Written English; and Effective Style, Clarity, and Coherence will also be considered in instructor’s grading. Use paragraph form and complete, well-formed sentences throughout, and please proofread and edit your final draft carefully.

More Rhetorical Analysis/Writing Strategy Points to Consider

To help you select two or three points to discuss in your Rhetorical Analysis section, review both the "Rhetoric" questions given at the end of your selected essay in our Muller textbook, and/or the following rhetorical aspects of your selected reading. Select Rhetorical Analysis points that you feel you understand, that you can explain and analyze, and that you can illustrate by citing one or more well-selected examples from reading selection.

Essay Structure. Consider the essay's structure. How is the essay organized? Can you distinguish sections devoted to introduction - body - conclusion (beginning-middle-end)? Where is the thesis/major purpose expressed? (Does this "essay" confirm, surprise, challenge your expectations of what an essay is supposed to be?) Is there a logical and/or effective order at work in the arrangement/presentation of successive ideas and points? And does this organization or structure seem logical and/or effective? Why or why not?

Strategies for Development. Which "Strategies for Development" (see Muller pp. 25-37 for possibilities) are used to structure the essay and/or support and develop its points? Also consider and respond to relevant questions posed in Muller pp. 6-7 and in the "Rhetoric" section following the essay (e.g. methods of support? special terms and expressions? vocabulary and level of discourse?)
What is/are the source/s of author's content and ideas--personal experience? professional expertise and knowledge? other "outside" sources --and if so, who does the author quote or cite, and why--how do they help the author achieve her/his ends?

Author's Tone and Persona. How would you describe the tone (or tones) the author used in this essay?--(as in, tone of voice, mood, the author's attitude toward the topic, the readers, self?) How does the author present her/himself in the essay? What is your sense of the person behind the words?

Style. Look more closely at style--i.e. word choice, sentence structure. Select specific examples that strike you as representative, distinctive, special, effective (and/or ineffective) about the author's ways of self-expression, of using language and/or of constructing sentences.

Author. Who is the author? What are her/his qualifications, background, perspective, values,
and/or special interest in writing on this topic? (See header note at the beginning of your selected reading.) How does the author present her/himself in the essay? Does information about the author add or detract from the essay's effectiveness? Why?

Original Communication/Publication Context. Where and when was this essay originally published? (See Formal Academic Summary (above) direction #2 on original source and date of publication.) What kind of publication is it, is it specialized in any way, andwhat kind of audience is likely to read it? Is the original date of publication current, out of date, and/or significant other ways?

Audience. Who is the intended (targeted, imagined, ideal) audience for this essay? With what kinds of readers do you think this essay would be most and/or least successful? And why? Use clues from both the original publication context, as well as internal clues within the essay itself, to help you speculate on the author's assumptions about her/his readers. For example, how much prior knowledge and experience, and/or what pre-existing opinions on the topic does the author seem to assume that her/his readers have? Do any particular sub-groups of readers--demographic identity, life roles, profession, beliefs, etc.--seem to be singled out (explicitly or implicitly) for special attention? Do you consider yourself to be an ideal or intended reader for this essay? Why or why not?

Evaluation Checklist: Formal Academic Name:_____________________________
Summary & Rhetorical Analysis #1 - Worth: 10% of Course Grade
WR 121, Prof. C. Agatucci, Winter 2004 Grade:_______________________

___ Submitted Late: ½ Grade Penalty

___ Submitted on time: Revision Option available. Original graded F.A.S. & R. A. #1 (incl. this evaluation sheet) must be resubmitted with Optional Revision.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS are met:_____
___Manuscript Form demonstrates good faith effort to follow directions & models
___Text Summarized & Analyzed from Muller is one of approved choices given.
___Plagiarism is avoided: Complete MLA-style bibliographical entry; quotation marks set off direct quotations; in-text parenthetical citation of quotation & paraphrase in Rhetorical Analysis.

___Learning Outcome 4 Employ one or more sources responsibly (without plagiarizing) in a summary or another writing assignment.

A. FORMAL ACADEMIC SUMMARY: (grade penalty if exceeds 1-page limit): _____________

___1. Length & Manuscript Format: No longer than one typed double-spaced or wordprocessed page--including header & bibliographical entry--using a readable, standard-sized font and point size, and standard 1” margins; formatted as one paragraph.

___2. MLA-Style Bibliographical entry—complete, correct & placed above summary.

___3. First Sentence(s) of summary re-introduce name of author, title of essay, & topic focus.

___4. Body of summary states thesis and main points . . .
. . . clearly and concisely, with transitions to show relationships among main ideas presented;
. . . accurately, fairly, & objectively, using occasional "author tags";
. . . and student summarizer avoids these problems:

a. Does NOT give opinions about ideas summarized or quality of the writing
b. Does NOT repeat or restate points unnecessarily
c. Does NOT use extensive quotations
d. Does NOT include minor points and details

B. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: ________________

___1. Manuscript Format & Length: Rhetorical Analysis, appropriately titled, begins on second page; Analysis is 1-2 pages (250-350 words) in length, labeled with running page headers.

___2. Well-Focused on 2-3 significant writing strategies, may integrate features of rhetorical (communication) situation), & demonstrates understanding of what Rhetorical Analysis is.

___Each analytical point is clearly explained & supported with well-selected examples from the essay;
___In-text parenthetical citations of page numbers for all quotations & paraphrases

___3. Evaluation of 1-2 writing strategies explains what WR 121 students can learn from this Rhetorical Analysis of the selected Muller reading.

___Learning Outcome 6 Use critical reading and writing to analyze and synthesize ideas in an academic writing sample, identifying rhetorical patterns, major assertions, and supporting details.
___Learning Outcome 10 Demonstrate an awareness of a variety of purposes and audiences.

C. GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS & STYLE: _________________
Overall, Formal Academic Summary & Rhetorical Analysis demonstrate:

___College-level Command of STANDARD WRITTEN ENGLISH, using complete, well-formed sentences throughout, edited effectively with few errors.
___Effective STYLE, CLARITY, & COHERENCE of sentence structure & word choice.