Today we worked on incorporating the template language from TS/IS into summaries of King's essay. We noted that before we could decide which template to use, we had to figure out how we were going to USE the summary (what it's purpose was). That is, we had to know what ideas/discussions we were going to use the summary to set up. So that means, before we could summarize King's essay, we had to figure out what we wanted to "say back" to King's essay.
So after we reviewed what TS/IS had to tell us about templates for representing the "they say" part (Ch 1), and about how to write summaries (Ch 2), we made a list of points we might "say back" to King's essay. This list included the following:
1. There is no real definition of the American Dream, perspective is what counts (King's article does a good job of writing about the American Dream). This postion agrees with King and might use templates for presenting standard views.
2. Ideas for what the American Dream is change. This position also agrees with King, and might used templates from the section on "on-going debates, or standard views).
3. King focuses only on the economy in his definition of the American Dream, and there are other important issues. This position would work with templates for summarizing articles that have unstated implications.
4. The economy is central to the American Dream. This essay would agree with King, and could use templates for stating standard views.
5. A very wealthy upper class strengthens the American Dream by providing jobs & spending money. If you agree - you could present this as a standard view; if you are going to question it, you could use templates from ongoing debate.
6. King presents a limited or mistaken definition of the American Dream Templates from ongoing debate or implied or assumed ideas could work for this.
7. The American Dream is a fantasy. Again - this would draw from templates that contest the main points of a reading (the last two).
Process for writing a summary that you will use to make a point/ set up a discussion.
You then divided into groups and worked on writing summaries of King's essay that would set up one of the above arguments/discussions. To get ready to write this summary, I suggested that you:
1. Decide what you wanted to say back to King - and then go back to the reading and pick out the points in his essay you will have to mention (the They Say part) so that you can set up your reply.
2. Make a list of the points from King that you will need to mention (get specific! Look at the essay. If you try to do this from memory, your essay will probably come out too general).
3. Figure out the order you want to make your points.
4. Check out the templates and decide which will work for you.
5. Write the summary.
You wrote your summaries - and we created a rubric to score them.
Genre/audience (30 points)
Focus (30 points)
Organization (20 points)
Development (20 points)
As we applied this rubric it was clear to me that the information I gave you on the assignment sheet wasn't detailed enough to give you a complete idea of what to expect for each category. So here are some expanded descriptions based on what we talked about in class.
Genre/audience:
Names the author and the essay
Uses the right "templates" for setting up, presenting, and closing the summary
Gives credit to the author (according to Author. . ., Author writes that. . .)
Focus:
Keeps focused on the "They Say"
Includes all important points from the reading that will be raised in your (later) discussion of the reading
Does not bring in unrelated materials
Organization:
Begins by identifying the reading
As part of the set up, indicates why you are writing about this topic (see intro to Ch 1)
Provides general points before providing development
May include a transition to your topic as the concluding sentence
Development
Hits all the points you plan to mention in your discussion
Provides specific references to the reading
FYI: In this form - genre/focus/organization/development are defined for the kind of summary you will write to support a response (a point you want to make about the reading). This is not the only kind of summary writers use, but it is the kind of summary we are working on for the next assignment.
I'm hoping that as we talked through how we would score the essays, you got some ideas for ways to revise your draft summary.
Good work today!
For next class:
Read: TS/IS Chapter 3 (p. 42). AND Hiding from Reality, 564.
Write: Using the experience from today's class, revise your draft summary of King's essay. Post the revised summary to your portfolio as an attachment to the summary page (there will now be two documents attached to the summary page, the draft summary & the revised summary).
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