Writing Assignment 1: Summary-Response
Workshop Deadlines:
Workshop has two deadlines and both must be met.
Post 1st draft of WA1 in D6 by 11:59 PM Monday September 24th
Post peer-evaluation of WA1 in D6 by 11:59 PM Friday September 28th
Final Draft Deadline:
October 4th by 11:59 PM PST using electronic portal
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize students with the online library
resources (Literature Resource Center) to which they have access; and to grant them additional
practice in research, summarization, and secondary source analysis.
Final Product Must Include:
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2 rhetorical précis summaries (one for each of your literary criticisms)
2 single-paragraph responses to each of the “Response” prompts
1 Works Cited page with full source citations
Prompt: Summarize and respond to two different literary criticisms regarding The Catcher in
the Rye by J.D. Salinger. To help you properly complete this assignment, please carefully follow
the instructions noted below under Research Instructions, Summary, and Response.
Research Instructions: Selecting Two Literary Criticisms
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Access the Cuyamaca College online Library, select Research Databases, and scroll down
to select the Literature Resource Center.
Enter your username and user password as directed.
Once you have reached the Basic Search page, type The Catcher in the Rye in the search
engine and click “Search.”
Once you receive your results, make sure that the “Literary Criticisms” tab is highlighted
at the top of the results list.
Now, you must sift through various literary criticisms regarding Catcher and select two.
Each must either give you a different understanding about some aspect of the novel,
challenge your current views about the novel, and/or present something that you most
disagree with and would like to refute (i.e. fallacies, unclear or false assumption made,
underdeveloped or inconclusive argument presented…etc.).
Once you have selected your literary criticisms, make sure to use the Tools option on
the right-hand side of the page to email the article to yourself.
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Summary: Two Rhetorical Précis
• Use the Rhetorical Précis instructional guide that we had previously practiced to devise
a rhetorical précis for each of your literary criticisms (two total). As you devise a
summary for each of your two sources, please do not deviate from the instructed and
exemplified formula of the rhetorical précis. Remember that there should only be four
sentences in your précis, and each sentence must identify the specified rhetorical
information about the reading as instructed.
Response: Two Responses
• After you have created your two rhetorical précis, write a paragraph response (150-300
words) for each literary criticism in which you do one of the following:
R1 Examine the idea(s) about Catcher that your select literary criticism makes you
“rethink” and explain what new understanding this literary criticism gives you about the
novel. Ask yourself in what ways this literary criticism challenges your current views
about the novel.
R2 Examine the idea(s) inherent in this literary criticism about Catcher that you most
disagree with and refute these assumptions/theories/claims with thorough explanations
and support from the novel. Ask yourself, in what way(s) you disagree with this literary
criticism (i.e. fallacies, unclear or false assumptions made, underdeveloped or unstable
argument presented…etc.), and how you can bridge any gaps left within this person’s
argument or provide an alternative perspective? Use the three-step rebuttal process:
state the claim(s) made in the literary criticism, state what you specifically disagree with
regarding said claim(s), and provide a counter-argument for each of your specific
disagreements. Please refer to the Refutation-Rebuttals instructional web links in the
Writing Assignment 1 learning module.
Please note that both types of responses must be used in this assignment, meaning that
if you chose to respond to R1 for your first literary criticism, then you must respond to
R2 for your second literary criticism response. Please also make sure that each response
has a strong thesis in its brief introductory paragraph and a focused supporting
argument that is thorough and clear in one or more short body paragraphs. Lastly, in
your concluding paragraph, please also very briefly (in one or two sentences) indicate
how J.D. Salinger would respond to this critique (meaning the literary criticism that you
have chosen) of his story or his anti-hero.
NOTE: Your work must be double-spaced, using MLA format, and you must have a Works
Cited page at the end of your Summary-Response.
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Grading Rubric:
WA1 Point Value
Workshop
10 points
Rhetorical Précis
20 points
Responses
40 points
Syntax
15 points
Citations
15 points
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Total
100 points
Required Elements: The following revising and editing checklist is my criteria for grading.
_____ Total of two concise four-sentence rhetorical précis, one for each literary criticism
_____ Total of two paragraph responses, one for each literary criticism
_____ A Works Cited page with 2-3 entries (one for each of the two literary criticisms and one
for Catcher, if you choose to quote the latter directly)
Be sure to have included the following in each of your précis:
_____ Sentence 1 provides the name of the author, the genre (literary criticism) and title of the
work with the date (in parentheses), a concise appropriate verb (claims, posits, argues,
asserts) followed by a “that” phrase in which the thesis of the work is stated (either
paraphrased, summed up, or quoted). Make sure to include a parenthetical citation
after the borrowed passage, meaning that within parentheses, you must insert the
author’s last name and the page number from which you gathered the passage. If your
source does not have a page number, then post the paragraph number. i.e. (Jones 2) or
(Jones par. 8)
_____ Sentence 2 provides an explanation of how the author goes about supporting his/her
thesis. Remember that brevity is important; you will not restate the details from the
work, but note the rhetorical method used by the writer to develop his/her supporting
points followed by the supporting points themselves. Begin this sentence with, “[Insert
author’s last name] supports his/her main claim by [insert rhetorical mode] [insert plan
of development].” As for the rhetorical method that the author uses, please include one
of the following patterns of organization (I have noted what each method aims to
achieve): narration and description (modes whose primary purpose is stirring the
reader's emotions); exemplification, process, cause/effect, comparison/contrast,
illustration, definition, and classification/division (methods that help readers
understand a subject, explore its functions, causes, consequences, relationships to other
subjects, meaning, or nature); argumentation and persuasion (methods that seek to
change readers' attitudes or actions with regard to specific subjects).
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_____ Sentence 3 states the general purpose of the piece (why is he/she writing this piece?)
followed by an “in order to” phrase, and then an indication of what the author is hoping
to inspire in the reader.
_____ Sentence 4 explains the author’s tone, intended audience, and possibly how the author
positions him/herself with that audience.
_____ An introduction for each “Response” that explicitly states your thesis and properly
introduces the focus of your paragraph response in the topic sentence
_____ A clear thesis statement that clearly identifies your focus and that includes a plan of
development, if you have multiple supporting points
_____ Convincing summarized, paraphrased, and directly quoted evidence that support your
main point. Quotes or paraphrased passages (contextual support) must be directly
relevant and should sufficiently illustrate your claim
_____ Effective transitional words and/or phrases throughout your essay (First, Secondly, One
way X is so, Additionally, Next, Conversely, for example, for instance…etc.)
_____ A relevant conclusion that restates the thesis and plan of development to properly
frame your essay and contains Salinger’s hypothetical response to the literary criticism
Be sure your essay includes the proper use of borrowed material.
_____ Correct integration and MLA citation of quoted, summarized, and/or paraphrased
material (both in-text parenthetical citations and Works Cited source entries)
_____ Triple E: Present the example, include the contextual evidence to support the example,
and provide an explanation of how the contextual evidence supports the example,
thereby your thesis.
_____ Do not place quotes back-to-back.
_____ Introduce and/or establish the context of each quote first.
_____ After each quote, explain the significance of your borrowed material to the thesis to
make sure that your readers understand why you have used that source in your
response.
_____ Avoid beginning and ending your paragraphs with quotes; instead, begin your
paragraphs with strong topic sentences and end them with muscular concluding
remarks.
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Check for the following.
_____ Careful and concise use of diction
_____ Make sure to use the present tense.
_____ Proper use of mechanics (grammar, punctuation marks, sentence structure…etc.)
Eliminate the following.
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Spelling errors
Run-ons
Fragments
Slang and clichés
Contractions
Personal pronouns, such as you, your(s), yourself, me, I, mine, myself, we, us, our(s), and
ourselves
Repetition, especially at the beginning of nearby sentences
Vague words, such as good, interesting, nice, hate, neat …etc.
Pronoun Agreement errors
Subject-Verb Agreement errors
Punctuation errors, such as comma, semi-colon, quotation marks, apostrophes…etc.
Finally, be sure you have included the following:
_____ Correct use of commas, semi-colons, apostrophes, and quotation marks
_____ A combination of sentence forms (simple, compound, complex, and compoundcomplex)
_____ Parallel structure with parallel elements in a series (commas must separate three or
more elements in a series)
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