Objectives In this assignment, you will do the following: • Write a summary of a non-fiction essay • Write an evaluation of a non-fiction essay Guidelines • This assignment requires you to use a more formal mode of writing than in your compare/contrast essay

Objectives
In this assignment, you will do the following:
• Write a summary of a non-fiction essay
• Write an evaluation of a non-fiction essay
Guidelines
• This assignment requires you to use a more formal mode of writing than in
your compare/contrast essay. Therefore, your language choice, or diction,
needs to reflect the academic nature of this assignment. See your textbook
for guidelines on using formal English in your writing.
• The summary should be between 350–450 words, whereas the evaluation
should be between 100–150 words. Thus, the total length of this assignment
should fall between 450 and 600 words. Going dramatically above or below
these limits will negatively affect your grade.
• The first paragraph of your summary must clearly state all the following
information: the title and writer of the essay; the essay’s original place of
publication; the essay’s subject, thesis, purpose, method of development
(e.g. causal analysis, narrative, compare/contrast), and its evidence.
• The subsequent paragraphs of your summary, probably two to three, will
summarize the main points of the essay. Make sure that you point to the
author frequently, either by name or by the words author, writer, and so on,
to clarify that you are summarizing the work of another.
• In the evaluation, don’t give personal opinion; clearly state, using concrete
reasoning and examples, the essay’s strengths and weaknesses.
Your Assignment
Choose one of the essays from the instructor’s essay choices below and write a
summary and evaluation of it according to the guidelines above.
For referencing direct quotations from the essay that are longer than three words,
give page references in parentheses.

Skip two lines between the body of the summary and the evaluation.

How Your Assignment Will be Graded
Your summary will be graded on its content and the quality of its paraphrasing and
its prose. In particular, your instructor will be looking for the following things in
your writing: clarity, concision, and correctness (in grammar, punctuation, style, and
APA or MLA format). When paraphrasing, or putting the original content in your
own words, remember to completely change the words, phrasing, and sentence
structure of the original. Inadequate paraphrasing can be construed as plagiarism.
Also, because a summary should be objective and without opinion, avoid slanted
language and choose your words very carefully in the summary portion of the
assignment. Please see the grading guide on the following pages.
Essay Choices
Aaron Copland’s “How We Listen to Music” (eReserves)
Margaret Wente’s “Who Could Object to Wind Power?” (eReserves)
IMPORTANT NOTE ON WRITING THE
SUMMARY:
Many students find this assignment very difficult, especially if they leave it until
the last minute. Be advised that to successfully write a summary, you need to read
your article at least three times or more, depending on the article’s difficulty; take
careful notes; and write several drafts. Your initial draft of the summary may, in fact,
be either too long or too short; remember that summaries are usually rewritten and
revised several times.
Summary and Evaluation Grading Guide
Strong
A+, A, A-
80-100%
Good
B+, B, B-
70-79%

Satisfactory
C+, C, C-
60-69%

Needs Work
D+, D,
50-59%

Content and Organization
• The summary clearly indicates the author’s subject,
purpose, and method of development.
• The thesis is restated.

• Main ideas are covered and paraphrased accurately.
Paragraphs are well-developed.
• Denotative (emotionally neutral) language is used. The
summary ends in the same way the essay ends.
• Evaluation clearly stated, using concrete reasoning
and examples, the essay’s strengths and weaknesses.
• The assignment meets the word limit.
Sentences:
• Clear and correct sentence structure (does not include
comma splices, fragments, run-togethers, mixed
constructions, co-ordinate/parallel problems, dangling
modifiers)
• Appropriate and effective sentence length, variety, and
complexity
Language and usage:
• Word choice is precise, concise, vivid, appropriate.
• Expressions are idiomatic and appropriate.

Documentation:
• The summary shows attentive adherence to MLA or
APA formatting.
• Quotations are integrated smoothly and accurately.
Spelling, punctuation, and grammar: Correct

Letter Percent Description

A+ 93 – 100 Markedly Superior: Writing is
outstanding in every way

A 87 – 92
A- 80 – 86 Excellent: Superior performance shows
comprehensive understanding of subject materials;
writing is error free in structure and grammar

B+ 77 – 79 Very Good: Clearly above average
performance; writing has several
errors in structure and/or grammar

B 74 – 76
B- 70 – 73 Good: Average performance reflecting good
knowledge of subject materials; the writing

has significant errors in structure and/or
grammar

and/or grammar

F Below 50 Fail: Unsatisfactory performance on
subject materials; frequent writing errors
hinder meaning