Write a Summary Response Paper about the Documentary Cropsey
Length: Two to three pages (or 500-750 words)anda separate Works Cited page
Purpose: To show that you are capable of objectively summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting source(s) in addition to forming a response to one source and ethically supporting that response with other sources; to accurately use MLA style to cite and document sources.
Audience: Your instructor and classmates (an academic audience)
Other Requirements: In addition to watching, summarizing, and responding to the documentary Cropsey, you must integrate two additional outside sources LexisNexis and CQ Researcher are both great databases for this.
Directions:
1. Watch the documentary Cropsey. Take notes using the "Documentary Notes" handout that is posted on Canvas. Pay special attention to the names of people portrayed in the documentary as well as the filmmakers.
2. Write an introductory overview sentence that 1) states the full title of the film (remember, film titles are italicized or underlined), 2) states the filmmakers' full names, and 3) states the main point of the documentary. This must be your first sentence.
a. Example: In the film The Cove, director Louie Psihoyos looks at the Japanese slaughter of dolphins and the activism of Richard O'Barry.
b. Example: The documentary Who Knows, written and hosted by Sponge Bob Squarepants and Oscar Grouch, follows a large yellow bird named Big Bird and his friend Snuffleupagus on their path to self discovery outside of their hometown, Sesame Street.
3. After your introductory sentence, continue on to write a 1-2 paragraph summary of the film.
a. The summary must be purely objective. You are simply telling an uninformed audience what happened in the documentary.
b. Use the brief summary/gist statement techniques we went over in class; your summary should be only 1/3 of your paper, with your response comprising the majority of the essay. To this end, include only main points; if there is a minor point in the film-but it pertains to your response-you may reference that in the summary as well.
c. Do NOT reference your two outside sources in your summary paragraph(s) of Cropsey. The first 1-2 paragraphs are dedicated ONLY to the documentary. Your two outside sources must only be used in the response portion of your essay.
4. Make sure that you attribute every sentence of your summary with an attributive tag or a parenthetical. Since this is a documentary, there will be no page number to include in a parenthetical.
5. Place a thesis statement that contains the main point(s) of your response at the end of your summary or the beginning of the response paragraph.
6. The rest of your paper must be spent supporting your thesis. You will use your two outside sources-articles found via the CWU databases-to support your response.
7. Create a Works Cited page with entries for the documentary and your two outside sources.
8. Important Notes:
a. Each of your two outside sources should be introduced in the exact same manner that you introduce the documentary: Author's full name, the full title of the source, and a brief overview of the article. Then you can use the source to help support your response.
b. Use an attributive tag and/or a parenthetical in every sentence of the summary and again when summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting your two outside sources. By and large, most database articles have a page number listed as they are usually .pdf files; in those cases, you must have the page number in the parenthetical as appropriate. See the MLA power point in "Modules" on Canvas or reviewThe Writer's Harbrace Handbook, Chapter 12, p. 257-311.
c. You may use only one direct quotation from the documentary and one direct quote from each of your two outside sources. The rest needs to be summarized or paraphrased; and no, you may not change out 1-2 words from a sentence and call that a paraphrase! That is a form of (unintentional) plagiarism, and if this occurs, you will be asked to fix the problem and the paper will only be worth half credit.
d. Your "Documentary Notes" must be included in your final draft packet.