how to write an essay response

Introduction

Goals and Goal Setting

Goals Common to All RST Writers

Other Goals to Consider

Defining My Own Goals

Advice about Assignments

Getting Started: Listing Topics to Write about in the Tutorial

Narrative One: Personal Piece on a Significant Experience

Narrative Two: Academic Piece on a Significant Experience

Summary/Response One

Summary/Response Two

Tutorial Evaluation Postscript

On Using the Resources for Writers

Generating and Developing Ideas

Finding/Expressing Main Ideas

Showing v. Telling Sentences

Focusing Topic Sentences

Thesis Statements

Reading Strategies

Assessing Your Reading Strategies

Summarizing

Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays

Discourse Analysis Worksheet

Trade Magazines

Selecting Readings

A summary is a concise paraphrase of all the main ideas in an essay. It cites the author and the title (usually in the first sentence); it contains the essay's thesis and supporting ideas; it may use direct quotation of forceful or concise statements of the author's ideas; it will NOT usually cite the author's examples or supporting details unless they are central to the main idea. Most summaries present the major points in the order that the author made them and continually refer back to the article being summarized (i.e. "Damon argues that ..." or "Goodman also points out that ... "). The summary should take up no more than one-third the length of the work being summarized.

The Response:

A response is a critique or evaluation of the author's essay. Unlike the summary, it is composed of YOUR opinions in relation to the article being summarized. It examines ideas that you agree or disagree with and identifies the essay's strengths and weaknesses in reasoning and logic, in quality of supporting examples, and in organization and style. A good response is persuasive; therefore, it should cite facts, examples, and personal experience that either refutes or supports the article you're responding to, depending on your stance.

Two Typical Organizational Formats for Summary/Response Essays:

1. Present the summary in a block of paragraphs, followed by the response in a block:

Intro/thesis Summary (two to three paragraphs) Agreement (or disagreement) Disagreement (or agreement) Conclusion

Note: Some essays will incorporate both agreement and disagreement in a response, but this is not mandatory.

2. Introduce the essay with a short paragraph that includes your thesis. Then, each body paragraph summarizes one point and responds to it, and a conclusion wraps the essay up.

Intro/thesis Summary point one; agree/disagree Summary point two; agree/disagree Summary point three; agree/disagree Conclusion

Essay Editor

How to Write a Response Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples

In academic settings, teachers often ask students to write response essays. These essays require you to think carefully about things you've read, watched, or listened to. Writing a good response essay means organizing your thoughts and explaining them clearly.

This guide will help you write a strong response essay. We'll go through each step, from understanding why you're writing to giving real examples. By the end, you'll know how to share your thoughts on any topic you're given.

What Is a Response Paper?

A response paper is a type of schoolwork where you share what you think and feel about a certain topic or idea. It's different from just summarizing a book or movie. In a response paper, you dig deeper into your own thoughts and reactions.

The main parts of a response paper are:

Summing up ideas from what you read or saw
Telling what you think about those ideas
Connecting the topic to your own life or to bigger issues

Why Write a Response Essay?

Writing response essays helps you grow as a student and thinker. When you write these essays, you learn to look carefully at what others say and form your own opinions. Response essays also teach you to explain your ideas clearly, which is important in many jobs. They push you to think about why you agree or disagree with something instead of just accepting what you read or hear. By writing response essays, you become better at understanding complex topics and seeing different points of view. This can help you make smarter decisions and have more interesting conversations with others.

Response Paper Types

There are different kinds of response papers, depending on the assignment and material:

Responses to books or poems
Thoughts on movies, documentaries, or news articles
Looking at research papers or scientific theories
Connecting course materials to your own experiences
Examining arguments in scholarly or journalistic pieces
Writing about a lecture or show you went to
Sharing your take on a painting, sculpture, or other artwork

Each type is different, but they all follow the same basic rules.

How to Start a Response Essay

Starting your response essay can be the hardest part. Here's how to begin:

Read or observe the thing you're responding to carefully. Take notes on important points and your first thoughts.
Come up with your main idea or argument.
Draft a plan for your essay to keep your thoughts in order.
A hook to grab the reader's attention
A quick explanation of what you're responding to
Your main idea

Here's an example of how to start a response essay:

"In 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the author presents a haunting portrayal of mental health treatment in the 19th century. The story makes you think about old-fashioned ideas and asks important questions about what it means to be sane and how important it is to express yourself. As I read Gilman's story, I found myself feeling uncomfortable but also very interested in what it means for how we talk about mental health and gender roles today."

Writing Your Response Paper

When you write your response paper, use this structure:

Introduction: Tell readers what you're responding to.
Summary: Briefly explain the main points of what you read or watched.
Analysis: Look at what's good and not so good about the material.
Personal response: Share what you think and feel about it.
Conclusion: Sum up your main ideas and say your main point again.

Use examples from what you read to back up what you say. For instance:

"Gilman describes the wallpaper as 'repellent, almost revolting; a smoldering, unclean yellow.' This shows how the main character's mind is deteriorating and helps us see her growing obsession and worry."

Make sure you don't just summarize. Your own thoughts should be the most important part, backed up by details from what you read.

Response Essay Example

Here's a short response essay example about George Orwell's book "1984":

George Orwell's book "1984" shows a scary future where the government controls everything. The story makes people think about what could happen if those in power get too strong and start manipulating what's true. Even though it was written a while ago, many readers resonate with it today.

The main character, Winston Smith, fights to be himself in a world that wants everyone to be the same. He falls in love with Julia when he's not allowed to and he tries to join others who want to change things. This shows how people want to be free and connect with others, even in the toughest of circumstances.

Orwell's idea of "doublethink" — believing in two opposite things simultaneously — is really important today. We hear about "alternative facts" and see a lot of false information. This makes us think hard about what we read and hear and who we should trust.

Personally, I found "1984" to be a profound and unsettling read. The parallels between Orwell's fictional world and certain aspects of our modern society are striking. This book made me realize how important it is to have privacy and to be able to think for ourselves. It also shows how dangerous it is when any group, whether it's the government or a corporate entity, has too much control over information.

To sum up, "1984" is a powerful book that makes readers question people in charge, care about their privacy and fight to keep the truth and freedom for each person.

This example shows how to mix summary, analysis, and personal thoughts in a clear, interesting way.

Key Points to Remember

To write an exceptional response paper, you need to:

Understand what you're responding to
Clearly explain your own thoughts and reactions
Balance summary, analysis, and your own ideas
Use examples to support what you say
Keep your essay organized from start to finish

Remember, the goal is to show that you've thought hard about the material and can think critically about it. If you follow these steps and practice a lot, you'll get better at writing response essays.

Aithor's writing tools can assist you throughout the process of writing your response essay, from generating ideas to polishing your final draft. With practice and the right tools, you'll be crafting insightful, well-structured written responses in no time.

What is a dissertation how doctoral students navigate the process.

So, when does a person start getting interested in writing a dissertation? You can still be a university student, thinking about starting the doctorate program, or maybe you are already done with the comprehensive exams, and the dissertation process is about to start. Surely, all doctoral candidates must write a dissertation to get the degree they have been working on for years, yet what else? In this article, you will learn about what a dissertation is, as well as dive into the step-by-step pr ...

Top Transition Words for Essays: Enhance Your Writing Now

Transition words are crucial for crafting coherent, engaging essays. They help guide your readers from one idea to the next or from one paragraph to another, ensuring your arguments flow logically. In this article, we’ll explore essential transition words for essays and how to use them effectively. Key Takeaways * Transition words are essential in academic writing as they enhance coherence and clarity by connecting ideas and guiding readers through the text, helping the reader understand the ...

How to Write a Research Paper: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

Writing a research paper can seem daunting, but breaking it down into clear steps can make the process manageable and even enjoyable. An essential part of this process is data collection, which involves gathering information systematically to support your thesis or inquiry. This guide will walk you through each stage of writing a research paper, from understanding what a research paper is to choosing an engaging topic, conducting preliminary research, crafting a thesis statement, and more. By fo ...

Perfecting How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay

Struggling to wrap up your college essay? You need a conclusion that ties everything together and leaves a strong final impression. This article will show you exactly how to write a conclusion for an essay, covering how to restate your thesis, summarize key points, highlight broader implications, and avoid common mistakes. Key Takeaways * Restate your thesis in a fresh way to remind readers of your main argument while reflecting on insights from the essay. * Summarize key points cohesively ...

How to Write a Hypothesis: Step-By-Step Guide

A hypothesis is a testable statement that guides scientific research. Want to know how to write a hypothesis for your research paper? This guide will show you the key steps involved, including defining your variables and phrasing your hypothesis correctly. Key Takeaways * A hypothesis is a testable statement proposed for investigation, grounded in existing knowledge, essential for guiding scientific research. * Understanding different types of hypotheses, including simple, complex, null, an ...

Chicago Manual of Style: Chicago Style Footnotes

Essays and similar educational papers when you are working on your master's degree are an essential part of any student's life. Even when you become a professional, stating your opinion or establishing a viewpoint might require assembling a written article to reach the necessary audience. And 99% of the time, you will be basing your text on any kind of published work of another specialist. Surely, the process of writing an entire essay requires the most time and effort from the creator. However ...

How to Write A College Essay

Every high school student knows that the college essay is a make-or-break part of the application process. There are, of course, distinct requirements involved and strict scoring criteria. It is a personal statement about you and your character. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of how to write the common application essay, what colleges are looking for, and some important dos and don’ts to keep in mind for college essays. Remember that you should start writing college ...

How Long Is An Essay

If you are a student, you undoubtedly face the question of how long your essays should be. The short answer to this question is that it depends. However, there are certain constructs that you should keep in mind regardless of the length of time your professor requires. Academic writing is a fine art, after all. In this article, we will provide an overview of typical essay lengths and the components that they should include. One thing that you should keep in mind is that essays are different f ...