As you learned from Greene and Lidinsky's chapter, writing a summary involves a great deal of critical thinking and evaluation on the part of the writer. You must identify the author's thesis (what Greene and Lidinsky call "the gist"), uncover how the key claims of that thesis are supported and developed, evaluate the conversational contexts of the author's work, and, at all points. Consider how your perspective affects your interpretation of the textrite a summary of an excerpt from educational philosopher Paulo Freire's famous work Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
Your audience will be educated peers who have read Freire's essay but who need your assistance understanding its "gist" and supporting arguments.
Your summary essay should include those elements Greene and Lidinsky recommend:
- the context of Freire's argument
- a clear statement of what you feel to be "the gist" of Freire's argument
- a description of the key claims of the text
- relevant examples (direct quotations or paraphrases) taken from the text to support your interpretation.
Guidelines for Essay #1 Length/Due Date: approximately 700 words!
Style/Format: This, as all essays in EN106, should be formatted in a standard scholarly format. (
- Use 1-inch margins top, bottom, and sides.
- Although no cover page is needed, you should include your name, my name, the course number/title, and date at the upper left-hand corner of the manuscript.
References: Essay #1 should include at least three references to the assigned reading. Such references will use quotation or paraphrasing, and they will include in-text citations that follow the particular style you have chosen.