CHAPTER 2 Critical Reading of Written Arguments
52
RESEARCH SKILL Summarizing
Strategies for
When summarizing long or difficult texts, try some
of the following strategies to help you comprehend
so you may get
the essential points of the text.
1. Reread the introduction and conclusion
after you have read the text once or twice.
These two sections should complement each
other and offer clues to the most significant
titles stand as your summary. They likely wo
form, but they will provide you with valuable
make sense when put together in paragraph
ideas regarding the central points of the text.
to specific details. Therefore, avoid including
attention to overall meanings and not only
many specific examples or concrete details from
reader know what these examples and details
the text you are summarizing, and try to let your
add up to. As you write the summary, remember
to say about an
Not every ques
Does the au
Does the
issues of the text.
that it should
be shorter than the original
2. For a difficult text, you may want to list all
the subheadings (if they are used) or the
topic sentence of each paragraph. These
significant guideposts will map the piece as a
whole: What do they tell you about the central
ideas and the main argument the author is
be objective instead of stating opinions
identify the author and the work
spech
Does her
emotion
credible
appeal
use present tense
summarize the main points of the whole work
making?
3. Remember that when you summarize, you
must put another's words into your own
(and cite the original text as well), so do not
simply let a list of the subheadings or chapter
or passage, not just part of it.
(See Chapter 1 for a full discussion of the rhetorical approach.) The follow
ing examples are summaries of the article on page 49.
Elliott
excelle
Spirit
Her
spite
Referential (Content) Summary
According to Christopher Elliott in his article “A Tale of Two Airlines," both
Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines are successful discount carriers, but where
Spirit is a “villain," Southwest is a “hero.” Where Spirit has a lot of fees, risque
ads, and poor customer service, Southwest does not charge extra for checked
bags, is welcoming, and takes pride in its famous customer service, even waiving
its own regulations in special circumstances to help a customer. Spirit originated
as a trucking line and still treats customers “like cargo." Each airline seems to
like the role it plays. A customer can save money flying Spirit because of its low
fares
, but as long as fliers are willing to be treated like cargo to save money, they
will be rewarding the villains instead of the heroes of the travel industry.
R
Rhetorical (Structure) Summary
In his article "A Tale of Two Airlines,” Christopher Elliott contrasti
two airlines: Southwest and Spirit. He points out that both are successful air-
lines, but then focuses on how the two differ in fees, tone, and customer service
Reading for Content and Structure
ether in paragraph
53
Strategies for Writing Rhetorical Summaries
mary. They likely won't
you with valuable
points of the teac
izing also requires
aings and not only
bre, avoid including
Concrete details from
E. and try to let your
These approaches are not mutually exclusive,
so you may get some repetition in the answers
to questions like the following; but overall, the
questions provide a means of discovering what
to say about an author's rhetorical strategies.
Not every question will apply to every reading.
Aristotelian Rhetoric
Does the author make use of examples?
Does he make use of deductive reasoning,
showing how a generalization applies to a
specific case?
Does he make use of logical appeal?
emotional appeal? appeal based on his own
credibility? a combination of these types of
Rogerian Argument
Does the author sum up an opposing point of
view fairly and accurately?
Does she attempt to establish common ground
between conflicting positions?
Does she present a compromise between the
competing positions?
mples and details
ummary, remember
3 opinions
ork
The Toulmin Model
Does the author support a claim of fact? a claim
of value? a claim of policy?
Does he support his claim with facts? with
statistics?
Does he support his claim with appeals to the
needs and values of his audience?
Does he support his claim with expert opinion?
appeal?
the whole work
h.) The follow-
Airlines," both
ers, but where
of fees, risqué
for checked
even waiving
it originated
Elliott provides examples of how Southwest goes out of its way to provide
excellent customer service, even waiving its own regulations in exceptional
circumstances while Spirit refuses to make exceptions. Elliott explains that
Spirit's treatment of its customers reflects its origins as a trucking business.
He warns that as long as customers reward Spirit by choosing its low fares in
spite
of its bad customer service, the villains in the world of commercial airlines
will win.
ne seems to
se of its low
money, they
try
READING ARGUMENT
cond
ssful air
Practice: Summarizing
The following article has been annotated to show major rhetorical approaches
the author employed. Read it, and then answer the questions that appear at the
end of the article.
CHAPTER 2 Critical Reading of Written Arguments
52
RESEARCH SKILL Summarizing
Strategies for
When summarizing long or difficult texts, try some
of the following strategies to help you comprehend
so you may get
the essential points of the text.
1. Reread the introduction and conclusion
after you have read the text once or twice.
These two sections should complement each
other and offer clues to the most significant
titles stand as your summary. They likely wo
form, but they will provide you with valuable
make sense when put together in paragraph
ideas regarding the central points of the text.
to specific details. Therefore, avoid including
attention to overall meanings and not only
many specific examples or concrete details from
reader know what these examples and details
the text you are summarizing, and try to let your
add up to. As you write the summary, remember
to say about an
Not every ques
Does the au
Does the
issues of the text.
that it should
be shorter than the original
2. For a difficult text, you may want to list all
the subheadings (if they are used) or the
topic sentence of each paragraph. These
significant guideposts will map the piece as a
whole: What do they tell you about the central
ideas and the main argument the author is
be objective instead of stating opinions
identify the author and the work
spech
Does her
emotion
credible
appeal
use present tense
summarize the main points of the whole work
making?
3. Remember that when you summarize, you
must put another's words into your own
(and cite the original text as well), so do not
simply let a list of the subheadings or chapter
or passage, not just part of it.
(See Chapter 1 for a full discussion of the rhetorical approach.) The follow
ing examples are summaries of the article on page 49.
Elliott
excelle
Spirit
Her
spite
Referential (Content) Summary
According to Christopher Elliott in his article “A Tale of Two Airlines," both
Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines are successful discount carriers, but where
Spirit is a “villain," Southwest is a “hero.” Where Spirit has a lot of fees, risque
ads, and poor customer service, Southwest does not charge extra for checked
bags, is welcoming, and takes pride in its famous customer service, even waiving
its own regulations in special circumstances to help a customer. Spirit originated
as a trucking line and still treats customers “like cargo." Each airline seems to
like the role it plays. A customer can save money flying Spirit because of its low
fares
, but as long as fliers are willing to be treated like cargo to save money, they
will be rewarding the villains instead of the heroes of the travel industry.
R
Rhetorical (Structure) Summary
In his article "A Tale of Two Airlines,” Christopher Elliott contrasti
two airlines: Southwest and Spirit. He points out that both are successful air-
lines, but then focuses on how the two differ in fees, tone, and customer service
Reading for Content and Structure
ether in paragraph
53
Strategies for Writing Rhetorical Summaries
mary. They likely won't
you with valuable
points of the teac
izing also requires
aings and not only
bre, avoid including
Concrete details from
E. and try to let your
These approaches are not mutually exclusive,
so you may get some repetition in the answers
to questions like the following; but overall, the
questions provide a means of discovering what
to say about an author's rhetorical strategies.
Not every question will apply to every reading.
Aristotelian Rhetoric
Does the author make use of examples?
Does he make use of deductive reasoning,
showing how a generalization applies to a
specific case?
Does he make use of logical appeal?
emotional appeal? appeal based on his own
credibility? a combination of these types of
Rogerian Argument
Does the author sum up an opposing point of
view fairly and accurately?
Does she attempt to establish common ground
between conflicting positions?
Does she present a compromise between the
competing positions?
mples and details
ummary, remember
3 opinions
ork
The Toulmin Model
Does the author support a claim of fact? a claim
of value? a claim of policy?
Does he support his claim with facts? with
statistics?
Does he support his claim with appeals to the
needs and values of his audience?
Does he support his claim with expert opinion?
appeal?
the whole work
h.) The follow-
Airlines," both
ers, but where
of fees, risqué
for checked
even waiving
it originated
Elliott provides examples of how Southwest goes out of its way to provide
excellent customer service, even waiving its own regulations in exceptional
circumstances while Spirit refuses to make exceptions. Elliott explains that
Spirit's treatment of its customers reflects its origins as a trucking business.
He warns that as long as customers reward Spirit by choosing its low fares in
spite
of its bad customer service, the villains in the world of commercial airlines
will win.
ne seems to
se of its low
money, they
try
READING ARGUMENT
cond
ssful air
Practice: Summarizing
The following article has been annotated to show major rhetorical approaches
the author employed. Read it, and then answer the questions that appear at the
end of the article.
Purchase answer to see full
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