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SPAN 1000: Cultural Difference through Hispanic Literature (Long): Composition

This is a course guide for the First Year Seminar SPAN 1000 Cultural Difference through Hispanic Literature

Summarizing an Academic Article

Composition 1: You will provide a summary and a response to an academic article or book chapter.

Writing a Summary
  • Start with the thesis (main idea)
  • State the author's main points using your words
  • Refer to supporting evidence
  • Do not critic
  • Be concise
What are your Thoughts?
  • What do you think of the author's interpretation of the text?
  • Do you agree or disagree with the author
    • Opposing viewpoints foster the scholarly conversation
  • What did you learn from the author's interpretation?
  • How would you interpret the text?
  • What questions are still unresolved?

Analyse/Interpret Compare/Contrast

Composition 2: Write your own analysis

Introduction
  • State your thesis
  • Provide a brief summary of the texts
Body - Compare and Contrast
  • Make sure you are comparing "bananas" with "bananas"
  • Discuss similarities
  • Discuss differences
Body - Analyse and Interpret
  • How are the two articles similar?
  • What discrepancies do they have?
  • Add your observations
  • Did you find issues with the claims and findings?
  • Were the authors' claims supported with evidence?
  • Were the findings convincing?
  • Do the articles contribute to the scholarly conversation?
  • How do the authors interpret their findings?
  • How would you interpret their findings?
Conclusions

How

Writing Methods

There are three main effective ways to use the work of others in your writing:  

Summarizing

Brief presentation, in your own words, of another author's main points as related to your writing.

Useful practice when:

  • You need only short passages or sentences to convey the meaning
  • You wish to draw your readers’ attention to particular points, conclusions or observations

Paraphrasing

Your interpretation of another author's words or ideas, usually shorter passages or paragraphs.

Useful practice when:

  • Meaning is more important than exact phrasing
  • Ideas or resources are more important than exact wording
  • Simplifying concepts will help your reader

Quoting 

Your use of an author's exact words, terms, or phrases in direct quotes. 

Useful practice when:

  • Author’s words are very effective or significant
  • Author is a recognized authority
  • Exactness, accuracy, or conciseness matter
  • You are pointing to or analyzing the original text

 

 

Mountain Top By Alice Noir for the Noun ProjectTip: Summarizing is also a good note taking strategy and allows you to test your understanding.

The more deeply you understand a topic, the better you will be at paraphrasing and quoting.

Read actively! Take notes and make annotations. 

Learn more about when to paraphrase and when to quote.

MLA Overview

Books

 

   

 

 

 Learn more:  Citing Books

Articles

 

  


      


 

 

 

   


   

 

 Learn more:  Citing Periodicals

Web

 

   


 

 

 Learn more:  Citing Electronic Sources