Unit 6 Reflective Writing

Created by Melinda Dewsbury, Patricia Thong, Emily Keery, Nina Volzhanina, Chris Zhang, and Yvonne Bastian

Overview

In this unit, you will be introduced to three different writing genres that you will encounter during your time as a student. Although every assignment you write will need to be written in an academic tone and register, the structure and organization of your written work will vary significantly depending on the genre of writing you are asked to do. In this unit, we look at writing discussion board posts, personal response/reflection papers, and summary response papers.

Topics

This unit is divided into the following topics:

  1. Discussion Board Posts
    • Steps for Discussion Post Writing
    • Selecting posts to respond to
    • Time management tips
  2. Personal Response/Reflection
    • A Possible Structure for Reflection Papers
    • The DIEP Strategy for Reflection Papers
    • Concluding your Reflection Paper
  3. Summary Response Papers
    • Reading Critically
    • Writing a Summary
    • Writing a Response

Learning Outcomes

When you have completed this unit, you should be able to:

  • Describe the differences between discussion board posts, personal response/reflection papers, and summary response papers
  • Identify the steps in writing discussion board posts, personal response/reflection papers, and summary response papers
  • Explain what makes an effective discussion board post
  • Write a personal response/reflection paper
  • Write an effective summary response paper

Activity Checklist

The learning activities in this course are ungraded, unless specified. They are designed to help you succeed in your assessments in this course, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them.*

Unit 6 Learning Activities

Click here for a checklist of learning activities you will benefit from in completing this unit. You may find it useful for planning your work.

Activity 6.1: ✏️ Complete a True or False quiz on writing discussion board posts, then watch a video, checking your answers as you watch.
Activity 6.2: 📗 Read an example discussion board post and discuss its effectiveness in small groups.
Activity 6.3: 📗 Read the specified online resources on how to use discussion boards on Moodle.
Activity 6.4: 🎦 Watch a video about reflective writing and discuss what you learned.
Activity 6.5: 📗 Read two paragraphs and discuss which one is a better examples of reflective writing.
Activity 6.6: 📗 Analyze a paragraph for the various parts required in reflective writing.
Activity 6.7: ✏️ Complete a true or false quiz on what it means to read critically.
Activity 6.8: 📗 Read and dissect a sample summary paragraph.
Activity 6.9: ✏️ Complete a true or false quiz on the topic of summary response papers.

Assessments

Course Assessments will be posted and submitted in Moodle.

Resources

Here are the resources you will need to complete this unit.

  • Online resources will be provided in the unit.

6.1 Discussion Board Posts

Understanding the role of discussion, sometimes called forum posts,in your learning journey

With the rising popularity of online courses, discussion board posts have become a common type of graded assignments. Whether you like to participate in online discussions or are new to this genre of writing, this unit is designed to motivate you to gain the most out of your discussion board assignments and provide you with practical tips on how to write effective posts. Here are some motivational points for you to do discussion board posts well:

  • Participating in discussion boards (writing posts and reading other posts) helps a student to better understand and absorb the course material.
  • Discussion boards provide the space for a student to practice communication skills and showcase their knowledge of a topic.
  • While the percentage point for each discussion post may appear small (typically 5% for each), every percentage point adds up to your final grade. Doing each discussion post well sets you up for a better grade.
  • Engaging with fellow students about their ideas helps build community and connections between peers.
  • In contrast to an in person class discussion, discussion posts allow for more time to consider questions and write responses, and allow for all learners to participate, not just the outspoken or called-on students in a classroom setting.

Steps for Discussion Post Writing

Write your posts by following these five steps

  1. Read and understand
    • Read the discussion post instructions thoroughly to understand what is required.
    • Take note of any specific requirements such as word limits, due date for posting, and required readings.
    • Understand the scope of the topic that you should work on. Stay focused on the topic for that week or unit.
    • Understand the type of response required – personal reflection, argument, comparison, etc., and think about your response accordingly.
  2. Prepare adequate material
  • If specific reading materials are provided, read them thoroughly and highlight relevant points along the way.
  • If there are no reading materials specified, prepare by reading the relevant course books or by doing some research on the topic.
  • Pay attention to class teachings and discussions for ideas or examples that may be relevant to your discussion topic.
  1. Compose a draft
  • Take note of the different questions in the discussion topic. Answer each question using topic sentences to start the paragraph. (See Unit 3)
  • Use a formal, academic writing style. (See Unit 5)
  • Showcase your knowledge on the topic; support your point(s) by providing relevant citations from academic sources, examples and/or experiences.
  • Type out the draft of your post in a document. This also helps you to keep track of your posts and re-use relevant materials for written assignments if they are related to the topic. Moodle will keep an auto-save of your post as you compose, but your Moodle login will time-out after 2 hours and you may lose unsaved work.

  1. Review your draft
  • Check for grammatical and typographical errors.
  • Use suitable transition words to enhance the coherence of your post. (See Unit 3)
  • Highlight the significance of your main point using phrases such as
    > “This underscored the importance of …”
    > “________ resonated with my values because …”
    > “I realized this is a vitally important point because …”
  1. Post it!
  • Post on time, and if possible, early in the weekly cycle so that you can be the first to start a discussion on an interesting topic.
  • When you copy the post content from your document and paste it into the forum platform, be sure to check that the format complies with any requirements.
  • If your instructor requires APA-compliant posts, check for your font type and sizes, levels and sub-levels of bulleted lists etc. Use the formatting toolbar in Moodle to adjust heading levels. You will not be able to adjust the font.
  • If there are no guidelines on the required format, follow the APA 7 format as much as possible. Moodle does not have built-in tools for hanging indents and other features of an APA document.

Pick Your Battles: Selecting Posts to Respond to and Other Time Management Tips

Other Time Management Tips

  • Set up a weekly routine that takes into account the due dates of other assignments from all your courses.
  • Some instructors may have instructions on how much effort is expected for each post (for example, spend around 3 hours per post). This would give you a good guideline for your time management while achieving a good mark on your post.
  • One more tip: Review the grading rubric and response guidelines.
    • Some instructors provide grading rubrics, such as the following, that outline how they will assess your discussion posts and responses. Read the rubric below, paying attention to the guidance on what a substantive post is.

Sample Discussion Guidelines

Discussions are an important part of this online course. Most discussion postings should be no more than 250 words. You are also asked to read your fellow learner’s postings and then respond to at least two other people.

All postings should be carefully written and edited before being posted. Opinions should be well supported. Your responses should also be communicated in professional language, respectful of others, and to the point. Your assignment will be graded according to the following criteria:

Grading Criteria

Criteria 4-5 marks 2-3 marks 0–1 marks
Quality of posting Sound evidence that student has done course readings and has a thorough knowledge of discussion topic Evidence that most of course readings are done and student has some knowledge of discussion topic Minor evidence that course readings were done and student understands discussion topic
Communication skills Postings are clear, concise and easy to understand Postings are usually, but not always clear, concise and easy to understand Postings are too short/long and/or unclear and hard to understand
Critical thinking and self-reflection Exceptionally well- supported, thoughtful, insightful comments made on others’ and own postings Some evidence of critical thought and self-reflection on others’ and own postings Minor evidence of critical thought and reflection on others’ and own postings
Contribution to the Learning Community Regularly participates in, and facilitates interaction among members of online community Interacts now and then with other members of online community Rarely interacts or responds to other members of online community
TOTAL /20

Discussion Responses

As you discuss, be sure to respond substantively.

Substantive responses may include:
  • Providing a new thought, idea, or perspective;
  • Citing an experience or example of what we are learning;
  • Adding a new twist on a perspective;
  • Critically thinking about an idea/concept;
  • Questioning or challenging a principle/perspective;
  • Asking a question or making a comment that shows you are interested in what another person says or encourages another person to elaborate on something they have already said;
  • Sharing a resource (a reading, web link, video) not covered in the syllabus that adds new information or perspectives to our learning;
  • Making a comment that underscores the link between two people’s contributions and making this link explicit in your comment. Or making a summary observation that takes into account several people’s contributions and that touches on a recurring theme in the discussion.
What Substantive Participation is NOT:
  • Very basic comments such as “I agree” or “I disagree;”
  • Restating what has been said (unless there is a direct purpose in doing so);
  • Disrespectfully disagreeing;
  • Simple answers that are not thought-provoking or do not move the dialogue forward.
Below are examples of how to stimulate your own and others’ thinking:
  • What would happen if…
  • Other times it may be helpful to…
  • It is my understanding…what is your experience with this?
  • You might approach this from…
  • Is it possible that…
  • Would you consider…
  • Maybe…
  • Possibly…
  • Sometimes…
  • I’m wondering if…
  • Do you think…

6.1.1 Activity: Decide, Watch and Answer

Read the True/False statements about writing and responding to discussion board posts.

  1. Discussion board posts are a way to show your professor that you understand and have thought about course content, but it is also a dialog between yourself and your classmates.
  2. Before writing, read the instructions for the questions/purpose of the post, but also for information about expectations for the post, such as length, due date, citation requirements.
  3. You don’t need to prepare or plan anything before you begin to write. Just read the question, answer it, and then post.
  4. You can write about ideas or topics similar to those your classmates have posted. You can just summarize their point of view or post and add your own opinion at the end.
  5. Use evidence from your course materials or readings within your discussion to support your ideas or opinions, but don’t use personal examples or observations.
  6. When responding to classmate’s posts, it’s okay to respectfully disagree with their post, but it’s most important to support your argument with evidence.
  7. To be effective in your posts, use key terms from the course and try to end it with a question.

Then, Watch this video on writing an effective discussion board post.

While watching, check your answers from True/False questions above. Discuss your answers with your classmates.

Answers.

  1. Discussion board posts are a way to show your professor that you understand and have thought about course content, but it is also a dialog between yourself and your classmates. (T)
  2. Before writing, read the instructions for the questions/purpose of the post, but also for information about expectations for the post, such as length, due date, citation requirements. (T)
  3. You don’t need to prepare or plan anything before you begin to write. Just read the question, answer it, and then post. (F)
  4. You can write about ideas or topics similar to those your classmates have posted. You can just summarize their point of view or post and add your own opinion at the end. (F)
  5. Use evidence from your course materials or readings within your discussion to support your ideas or opinions, but don’t use personal examples or observations. (F)
  6. When responding to classmate’s posts, it’s okay to respectfully disagree with their post, but it’s most important to support your argument with evidence. (T)
  7. To be effective in your posts, use key terms from the course and try to end it with a question. (T)

6.1.2 Activity: Read and Discuss

Read an example of graduate level forum post about “Big Data” below (quoted with permission). Notice that this student expressed his reflection on this topic using first-person pronouns; he also quoted a course-mate ‘Andrew’ (actual name has been changed) in his response.

I’m very grateful for this micro lecture as I feel I had a very different understanding of big data before I watched it! I did not realize that big data can be distinguished by its volume, variety and velocity. The idea of it being digitally generated and passively produced – a by-product of interactions with digital services – is also very helpful in understanding the concept of big data.

With this in mind, I’m starting to feel that for all the “hype” about big data in developmental fields, the number of use cases for big data actually is much more limited. This is especially so given some of the limitations of big data mentioned, for instance Google’s failed predictions of flu cases. I also appreciated Andrew’s example of analyzing the data output from digital learning tools. From that example, it sounded like big data is useful only in measuring specific outputs (like ensuring equipment is working properly or that lessons are synced). Presumably, additional tools or processes need to be built to remind teachers to log lessons or disallow tablet sharing (e.g. through special passwords or fingerprint log-in). Nevertheless, this probably translates to greater costs in order to get the data exhaust working properly, which in an industry with scarce resources presents further limitations to the use of big data. Hence, I do share some skepticism as to whether big data can truly take off in developmental settings.

When you meet with your class, you’ll be asked to discuss in small groups if you think this is an effective discussion post. Why or why not?

6.1.3 Activity: Explore Before you Write

  • Read these instructions to learn how to start a new discussion topic.
  • Next, read these instructions to learn how to reply to discussions on Moodle.
  • Finally, watch this video on Discussion Board Netiquette as it discusses rules and guidelines for communicating online.

Additional Resources

  1. Discussion Board Etiquette from University of Wisconsin-Stout
  2. Netiquette: Ground Rules for Online Discussions from Colorado State University
  3. Mindmap of the Rules of Netiquette
Netiquette1

6.2 Personal Response and Reflection Papers

A reflection paper provides you with an opportunity to describe a significant event or experience that has occurred in your personal life and create a connection to academic content. Due to the personal nature of this genre, you are expected to use the first-person narrative (I, my, me, my). In most cases, reflective papers will not require additional research, however, you may be required to make parallels between your experiences and the course materials. This may include describing and quoting from the theories, lessons, videos, terminology, etc. that you have learned. In this case, you will need to include correct citations for this evidence.

Although reflection is personal, it is still a very academic kind of writing. You should still use formal grammar and formal vocabulary. Avoid using slang and idioms.

6.2.1 Activity: Video and Discussion

Watch the following video and review the top tips

Reflection

Next, consider the top three things you learned from the video and how you will incorporate it into your writing process on Reflective Papers. When you meet with your class, you’ll be asked to discuss your responses in small groups.

6.2.2 Writing a Personal Response Paragraph

In some classes you may asked to write a personal response to course materials (reading assignments, videos, and assignments). Writing this type of assignment allows you to reflect on and raise questions about what you have learned in the class. It, also, will help your monitor your learning during your course.

In this course, you will be asked to write a personal response to content covered in class which is called a Learning Journal, but in other courses, it may be called a Personal Response to a Text, or a Reading Response Journal. Most of these writing assignments are 1 –2 paragraphs long, but could be a 4 –5 paragraph essay. Reading your instructions is very important

This purpose of a personal response paragraph is to encourage you to think deeply about the course content covered in your class and to relate this information to your prior knowledge and experiences. It engages your critical thinking as you extend the knowledge of the course materials and apply them to your own experiences in graduate scholarly writing.

Writing a Personal Response Paragraph

There are two goals in writing your Learning Journal. The first is to explore the course content (course book reading, activities, quizzes, assignments). You are not summarizing the information; you are responding to 1 –2 ideas/concepts that you have learned during that particular class. The second goal is to make a connection between those ideas or information that resonates with you, or that challenges you. You do this by explaining that connection by using prior knowledge, personal experiences, personal opinions with explanation. You can also include ideas or strategies you will employ in your future.

Tips for Writing a Personal Response Paragraph

  1. Write in full, well -structured paragraphs

  2. Recognize the source (cite your course materials)

  3. You can and should use personal pronouns “I”, “My” when you are referring to your experiences, opinions, prior knowledge.

  4. Maintain a standard of academic tone by ensuring you avoid idiomatic and simplistic language

  5. Consider the verb tense when describing experiences (past tense).

6.3 Writing Reflection Papers

Although there is more than one correct way to structure a reflective paper, the following will present a standard version. These types of assignments follow basic essay or academic paper structure.

A Possible Structure for Reflection Papers

Although there is more than one correct way to structure a reflective paper, the following will present a standard version.

Introduction

Provide a brief (3-4 sentence) introduction to the general theme you will focus on.Finish this paragraph with your reflective thesis statement:

The topic of your assignment has shown me main theme.

Verb options:

  • Leads me to discover…
  • Reveals to me….
  • Highlights my…
  • Gives me opportunity to see…
  • Has uncovered…

Example:

Returning to university has provided me with an opportunity to see how much my **confidence** has grown in recent years.

Body

Often times, your assignment will require you to reflect on and provide a paragraph that narrates your situation. For example, if you are reflecting on a specific article, you should summarize the article. If you are reflecting on a professional experience, such as a job or a practicum, you should explain the background information about this situation. The WH (who, what, where, when, why) questions are always a helpful guide.Make sure to describe some facts about your experience. Your reader needs to understand these details in order to understand your reflection.

Your first body paragraph could start with your assertion, which includes your thesis key word and your paragraph key word. This sentence should not be a fact.

For example, if your thesis is…

Returning to university has given me opportunity to see how my confidence has grown.

…then your paragraph assertion should connect a key word and add a new key word.

My confidence has grown through making mistakes.

The body section of your paper will need to explain to the reader in 4 steps the significance and relevance of your chosen reflective experience; this can be accomplished using the DIEP Strategy. DIEP stands for describe, interpret, evaluate, and plan. Failure to include all 4 steps may result in your paper lacking substance and critical thinking. By only staying at the describing stage, you miss out on forming meaningful connections between your experiences and your course materials.

Figure 6.1: DIEP Model by Charles Darwin University. Source

6.3.1 Activity: Read and Discuss

Read the following two paragraphs. In small groups, discuss which paragraph you feel is more reflective. Why? What are some differences between the paragraphs?

Paragraph 1:

When writing a technical note during my internship I was able to use my rolling stock knowledge to apply fleet braking performance characteristics, as documented in the fleet standards, and track geometry, as defined by drawings, to identify worst case stopping distances. It was my first time to write a technical note. The senior engineer I was working for gave me guidance throughout the process. However, upon seeing the amount of comments on my first draft, I felt disheartened, but once I read through them, I realised they were all worthy additions to the deliverable.

Paragraph 2:

While I am confident in my technical knowledge and understanding writing succinct technical documents is a skill I hope to develop further. When writing a technical note during my internship I was able to use my rolling stock knowledge to apply fleet braking performance characteristics, as documented in the fleet standards, and track geometry, as defined by drawings, to identify worst case stopping distances. As this was my first time writing a technical note, I found it challenging to write such a short technical document which flowed from start to finish and contained all the necessary information. The senior engineer I was working for gave me guidance throughout the process which gave me more confidence and I felt stimulated to complete the task. However, upon seeing the amount of comments on my first draft, I felt disheartened, but once I read through them, I realised they were all worthy additions to the deliverable. It reminded me that while I was able to apply the fleet standards well, I need to develop my succinct technical writing skills further. I am very interested in developing self-awareness in the workplace (Mayer & Salovey, 1993) and so, I have taken the comments on board and hope to work with my manager to identify additional opportunities to receive feedback on my work.

Paragraphs taken from Academic Skills, The University of Melbourne (2017)

The DIEP Strategy for Reflection Papers

Depending on your assignment requirements, your paper may be of varying length and can differ in the required number of paragraphs. Despite this, your paper should aim to include each step of the DIEP strategy. For now, let’s look at each step a little more to understand what is required of your writing.

Describe

Your description should be an objective retelling of what occurred. This is where the WH questions could be utilized to make sure you provide the reader with sufficient description. The focus in this section should be on an objective truth that you learned and the details leading up to it.

Interpret

Your interpretation ties in closely with your description of the events and allows the reader to get a better understanding of the impact and importance that an event had. At this stage, you want to present an interpretation of what the event meant to you and how it could relate to the course materials.

Evaluate

Your evaluation is a judgement based on your description and interpretation. At this point in your paper, you want to demonstrate the value of what you have experienced and the connections you have made. This will answer the question of so what? Your goal is to demonstrate the greater importance and application of the lesson learned in relation to your theme. As you draft your evaluation consider the following question: “How is this useful for a deeper understanding of my career/life as a student or professional/etc.?”

Plan

The last step focuses on your future. Your plan can include how you want to further develop in a particular area or how you plan to utilize the development you have already achieved. In the case of the latter, you may focus on how your improvements and realizations can be utilized to benefit you in your courses, program, career, or future profession.

Then use a transition to show that you are going to analyze and reflect. Here are some transition words:

  • I think…
  • In my opinion…
  • In my culture…
  • In my previous experience…
  • From this experience, I discovered/realized/found…
  • This experience showed me…
  • What this taught me is…

6.3.2 Activity: Colour-Code

Take a look at paragraph 2 again. Copy and paste the paragraph into a word processing document and colour code it as follows. Identify areas of the paragraph that focus on describing the event (blue), interpreting the event (red), evaluating it (green), and then planning for the future (purple). Be careful as one sentence may serve more than one purpose.

Paragraph 2:

While I am confident in my technical knowledge and understanding writing succinct technical documents is a skill I hope to develop further. When writing a technical note during my internship I was able to use my rolling stock knowledge to apply fleet braking performance characteristics, as documented in the fleet standards, and track geometry, as defined by drawings, to identify worst case stopping distances. As this was my first time writing a technical note, I found it challenging to write such a short technical document which flowed from start to finish and contained all the necessary information. The senior engineer I was working for gave me guidance throughout the process which gave me more confidence and I felt stimulated to complete the task. However, upon seeing the amount of comments on my first draft, I felt disheartened, but once I read through them, I realised they were all worthy additions to the deliverable. It reminded me that while I was able to apply the fleet standards well, I need to develop my succinct technical writing skills further. I am very interested in developing self-awareness in the workplace (Mayer & Salovey, 1993) and so, I have taken the comments on board and hope to work with my manager to identify additional opportunities to receive feedback on my work.

Paragraphs taken from Academic Skills, The University of Melbourne (2017)

Answer Key
Description, Interpretation, Evaluation, Plan

While I am confident in my technical knowledge and understanding writing succinct technical documents is a skill I hope to develop further. When writing a technical note during my internship I was able to use my rolling stock knowledge to apply fleet braking performance characteristics, as documented in the fleet standards, and track geometry, as defined by drawings, to identify worst case stopping distances. As this was my first time writing a technical note, I found it challenging to write such a short technical document which flowed from start to finish and contained all the necessary information. The senior engineer I was working for gave me guidance throughout the process which gave me more confidence and I felt stimulated to complete the task. However, upon seeing the amount of comments on my first draft, I felt disheartened, but once I read through them, I realised they were all worthy additions to the deliverable. It reminded me that while I was able to apply the fleet standards well, I need to develop my succinct technical writing skills further. I am very interested in developing self-awareness in the workplace (Mayer & Salovey, 1993) and so, I have taken the comments on board and hope to work with my manager to identify additional opportunities to receive feedback on my work.

Concluding your Paper

Your conclusion should be a fairly short paragraph, perhaps 5-6 sentences.Generally, your conclusion will focus on summarizing your main points in a succinct manner to remind the reader of how your personal experience relates to the theme of the paper. However, it is important to remember that your professor in your other courses may have specific expectations, so always check the assignment details carefully. For instance, a professor may ask you to add a spiritual reflection or a biblical application as your conclusion.

For more examples of possible structure for writing reflective papers:

Tips for Reading Reflective Paper Instructions:

Read assignment instructions carefully. Specifically, identify the purpose of the reflection, the mode of reflection, assignment guidelines, and required formatting.

  1. Purpose: What questions, life experiences, or course readings and activities are you being asked to reflect on?

  2. Mode of Reflection: Make sure you know what mode of reflection the writing prompt is asking you use. Are you being asked to compare/contrast, describe, highlight thoughts/feelings, issue opinions (agreement/disagreement), draw conclusions, or ask questions?

  3. Assignment Guidelines: What is the word limit? Is it a paragraph or essay, or general paper? When is the due date and time? What sources are you expected to draw on?

  4. Formatting: Follow general formatting guidelines for page set up, format, and citations(APA. MLA, CMS).

6.3.3 References

Academic Skills, The University of Melbourne. (2017, June 1). Reflective writing [Video]. YouTube.
             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SntBj0FIApw

RMIT University Library. (n.d.). Writing an academic reflection. RMIT University.
            https://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/sites/default/files/Writing_academic_reflection_accessible_2015.pdf

6.4 Summary and Response Paper

The skills of being able to summarize and respond to materials are crucial for your success as a learner and critical thinker. For this genre of paper, a student is expected to write two distinct sections: a summary and a personal response, usually connecting the material to one’s lived experiences. This type of genre emerges as a natural response to critically reading a text. Writing an effective summary response paper contains three important steps: critical reading, writing a summary, and writing a response.

6.4.1 Steps to a Summary Response Paper

Step 1: Reading Critically

The first step before writing your summary response paper is the ability to read your text critically. Critical reading is actively reading and engaging with the material. This involves asking questions as you read and remaining skeptical throughout the process. It is important to remain vigilant and not simply accept the information that the author is presenting as indiscriminate fact. The following image summarizes the differences between critical and non-critical reading:

Non-Critical Reading Critical Reading
Passive Active
Just the facts What, how, why
Gullible Skeptical
Reactive Purposeful

The following are tips to help you as you engage in critical reading:

  1. Read once to capture the gist (main ideas)
  2. Read again for specific information
  3. Take notes or annotate the text
  4. Write down key info:
    1. What is the title of the text? Who is the author? When was it published?
    2. What is the purpose of the text?
    3. What is the author’s thesis or central point?
    4. What are the main supporting details that the author uses to support his/her central point?
    5. How does the author conclude the text?

6.4.2 Activity: Practice Quiz

Complete the following true or false quiz to check your understanding of what it means to read critically.

  1. When you read critically, you will probably need to read the article 2 – 4 times.
  2. Critical reading means to skim quickly through an article, identifying key points
  3. When reading critically, you need to read with a strategy, based on the type of source you’re reading (e.g. research article)
  4. Using critical thinking skills while reading means being unbiased, and always questioning (why? How? So what? Now what?).
Answers

  1. True
  2. False
  3. True
  4. True

Step 2: Writing a Summary

Once you have critically read and understood your chosen text, you are ready to begin writing your summary. The summary should be written for someone who has not read the original text and should be a simplification of the author’s words. This means that your summary should not include direct quotes. The summary should only focus on the main idea and the key supporting details; this means that you will need to identify the main idea prior to writing. Your summary should remain neutral in language and have a non-opinionated tone. Additionally, it should be written in the third-person point of view (the author, he, she, they). Finally, your summary should utilize the present tense (the author argues…; he/she notes…).

A good summary should start with a topic sentence that introduces the author, the year, the title, a signal verb, and the main idea of the text. This should be one sentence.

In Title*, Author’s last name (Year) signaling verb main idea.

Example:

In “Taxing Sugar to Fund a City”, Bittman (2016) argues that taxes on sugary beverages, which are being implemented across the U.S. and around the world, should be implemented more broadly in order to raise tax revenue for worthy projects and safeguard public health.

*To know if a title should be in italics or in quotation marks (as per APA guidelines), please refer to the following table:

Formatting Guidelines for Titles, from Lee, 2021
Independence of the Source In-text Treatment In-text Example Reference List Treatment Reference List Example
Source stands alone
book, e-book, report, dissertation, thesis, film, video, TV series, podcast, artwork, map, music album, unpublished manuscript		 Italic, Title Case Gone With the Wind Italic, sentence case Gone with the wind
Source is part of a greater whole
journal article, book chapter, newspaper article, magazine article, blog post, TV episode, webpage, social media post, encyclopedia/Wikipeida entry, dictionary entry, song		 “Inside Double Quotation Marks, Title Case” “Longitudinal Impact of Parental and Adolescent Personality on Parenting” Not inside quotation marks, sentence case Longitudinal impact of parental and adolescent personality on parenting

The body of the summary should provide key points that support the author’s main point. It should ONLY include supporting details that are relevant to the thesis/central point presented in the topic sentence; supporting details should be essential information, not minor details.

Finally, the concluding sentence should present how the author chose to conclude their text.

6.4.3 Activity: Break Down the Paragraph

Check your understanding of a summary paragraph. Highlight the topic sentence, body, and concluding sentence in the following summary. Then, check to see if any irrelevant or minor details have been added. Are there any sentences that could be deleted?

Singletary’s (2012) article, “Not All College Majors are Created Equal”, argues that prospective college students should research employment and earnings data for their desired degree before declaring a major because not doing so could leave students jobless and buried in debt after graduation. Singletary pinpoints passion is one of the key components in choosing one’s major. She also stresses the importance of career planning before entering college to find out how much a certain degree is worth in the workforce so as to avoid making a bad choice. Comparing to those with an engineering degree, students graduating with a degree in arts tend to make 20% less. She emphasizes that in order for a college education to be a wise investment, one must conduct thorough analysis on the practicality of their degree. Singletary concludes her essay not wanting to discourage students from attending college, but to “do their homework” before they commit to the investment.

Suggested Revisions

Singletary’s (2012) article, “Not All College Majors are Created Equal”, argues that prospective college students should research employment and earnings data for their desired degree before declaring a major because not doing so could leave students jobless and buried in debt after graduation. Singletary pinpoints passion is one of the key components in choosing one’s major. She also stresses the importance of career planning before entering college to find out how much a certain degree is worth in the workforce so as to avoid making a bad choice. Comparing to those with an engineering degree, students graduating with a degree in arts tend to make 20% less. She emphasizes that in order for a college education to be a wise investment, one must conduct thorough analysis on the practicality of their degree. Singletary concludes her essay not wanting to discourage students from attending college, but to “do their homework” before they commit to the investment.

When you meet as a class, you will be asked to discuss this activity in small groups.

Step 3: Writing a Response

Writing a good summary is the starting point, what your professor really wants to see is your personal response. In your personal response, you talk back to the opinion expressed by the author by giving your opinion about the topic. There are three ways to write a personal response: you can agree or disagree with the author’s central point, you can compare and contrast the ideas with another scholar, or you can connect the theory to your personal experience. This last way is what is often required from you by your instructors. In order to create an effective connection between the literature and your personal experiences, you must give specific examples and you must remember to explain HOW your experience and the theory connect.

Below are some key points to keep in mind as you write your personal response:

  • Make sure to structure your personal response in paragraph form (clear topic statement, supporting sentences, concluding sentence). You can use first-person here (I, my, me, mine) but make sure the tone is not conversational.
  • Support your attitudes or feelings with examples from your life, experiences of others, or the course materials.
  • Focus on any or all of the following questions:
    • Check the professor’s instructions and make sure to answer the questions that emphasize specific points they want you to focus on.
    • How is the material related to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas? For instance, what emotions did the work arouse in you?
    • Did the work increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?
    • Evaluate the merit of the work: the importance of its points, its accuracy, completeness, organization, and so on.

6.4.4 Activity: Practice Quiz

To check your understanding of topic 3, Summary Response Papers, complete the following true or false quiz.

  1. The summary portion of a summary response paper focuses on an author’s main idea.
  2. You should include as many examples as you can in the summary.
  3. The summary should include your personal opinion on the material.
  4. The personal response portion should only contains facts, no opinions.
  5. The personal response portion comes after the summary portion.
  6. It is NOT okay to write your personal response in first person.
  7. You should follow APA formatting in this genre.
  8. A summary should begin with a topic sentence.
  9. You should engage in passive reading when reading what you will summarize.
  10. Your summary should be written for someone who has not read the original.
Answers

T, F, F, F, T, F, T, T, F, T

Unit 6 Summary

In this unit, you have had the opportunity to acquaint yourself with three different genres of writing: discussion board posts, personal response/reflection papers, and summary response papers. You were able to look at each one individually to gain a better understanding of how to organize the structure of each genre along with what kind of information needs to be present.

Checking your Learning

Before you move on to the next unit, you may want to check to make sure that you are able to:

  • Describe what discussion board posts, personal response/reflection papers, and summary response papers are.
  • Identify the steps in writing discussion board posts, personal response/reflection papers, and summary response papers.
  • Analyze and identify what makes a good discussion board post.
  • Apply the knowledge of personal response/reflection papers to your own writing.
  • Demonstrate understanding of summary response papers through the completion of quizzes.

References

Academic Skills, The University of Melbourne. (2017, June 1). Reflective writing. YouTube.

Bittman, M. (2016, May 25). Taxing sugar to fund a city. The New York Times.

Castillo, E. (2013, October 7). Summary response writing. YouTube.

eLearners. (n.d.). 7 steps to writing A+ discussion posts.

Froud, C., & Andrewes, T. (2019). A personal reflection: Using theoretical frameworks to understand the impact of starting university on health and wellbeing. British Journal of Nursing, 28(21), 1410–1413.

Lee, C. (2012, March 1). How to capitalize and format reference titles in APA style. American Psychological Association.

Monash University. (n.d.). Education: Reflective writing.

Nappa, K. (2021, May 27). How to write a strong discussion post [Infographic]. Johnson & Wales University.

RMIT University Library. (n.d.). Writing an academic reflection. RMIT University.

Singletary, M. (2012, January 14). Not all college majors are created equal. The Washington Post.

Writing Centre. (n.d.). Common assignments: Writing a successful discussion post. Walden University.