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Professor Desiderio ENC 1101: Freshmen Composition
First “Long” Essay: Analytical Summary In this assignment, you will use the principles of Writing Analytically—particularly “The Method” from Chapter 2—in order to write an analytical summary of one of the five selections that we have read for this unit: either Bradford, Underhill, Gardener, Rowlandson, or Waban. As we will discuss on class on Wednesday, a “summary is not simply the unanalytical reporting of information; it’s more than just shrinking someone else’s words” (WA 56). As our authors of Writing Analytically state, “to write an accurate summary, you have to ask analytical questions,” such as: § Which of the ideas in the reading are most significant? Why? § What does the author do to make the reader aware of these ideas? § How do these ideas fit together? § What are the key passages? Your analytical summary should include a discussion of how your author employs or resists conventional or traditional language or beliefs about religion and/or Native Americans. Pay particular attention to the binaries of such texts—civil/uncivil, Christian/Indian, civilization/wilderness, and cruelty/compassion—and to how your author engages with them in his or her text. This essay must be 2-3 pages long and must be typed, double-spaced, in a 12-point font with 1 inch margins. Your name, the name of the assignment, and the date should appear in the upper left corner of the first page. Make sure to review the “Strategies for Making Summaries More Analytical” (WA 56-59) before writing this assignment. Criteria for Evaluation: An excellent summary: § Identifies the main point(s) of the text § Identifies the text’s use of binaries § Describes the structure and organization of the text § Accurately communicates the author’s intention and goals § Focuses on how and why an author writes something rather than what an author writes § Follows relevant length and format guidelines § Is well written and well organized First Draft Due: Monday, September 27 (bring copies of your paper for me and peer group to class) Peer Response Day: Wednesday, September 29 Conferences with me in DM 462 C regarding your draft: September 30-October 4 (note that class is canceled on October 4 for
the mandatory conference) |
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