Assignment: Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote

From your research materials, choose sections to summarize, paraphrase, and quote. This material should support your provisional thesis statement. The sections you choose can all be from one source or from several different sources.

Due: Friday 4/3

Print your work. Include a print or photocopy of the source material with the sections that you used highlighted or ***starred***.

Provisional thesis statement: _______________________________

1. Summarize

• choose 1-3 pages of material
• write a few sentences to summarize the important information in your own words

2. Paraphrase

• choose 1-3 sentences
• paraphrase in your own words
• use different vocabulary and grammatical structures, but all the same information

3. Quote

• choose a quote (usually an expert's opinion or idea that you will agree or disagree with)
• introduce it with a signal phrase that gives the author and the source title
• explain what the quote means and why it's important

Writing an Introduction

Here is the information we read in class: How to Write an Essay Introduction

Initial Research: Due Tues 3/31

Choose two topics to research. If you have a hard time finding information for one, then try the other.


Informal Research

• Look it up online. Read the Wikipedia page and look at other informative websites. Remember, these may not be reliable sources of information, so just use your online searches to get ideas.
• Make a list of keywords to help you in your research.
• Think about specific research questions or a point of view that you can try to prove. 

Academic Research

• Search for your topic and/or keywords in PrattCat. Look for a book that includes images, historical facts, and/or opinions of an authority that you can use.
• Search for your topic and/or keywords in Articles and Databases. Try JSTOR or The New York Times. 
• Look through (scan) the book and articles to make sure they are useful. Try to find information that will help you define a research question.

Bring what you find to class!

Assignment: Rough Draft Wiley Review

Due: Tues March 10

Write a rough draft of your review of the Kehinde Wiley show.
Be ready to access your document file in class so we can discuss it and you can work on it.

Follow the format that we discussed in class. This is what I would like to see:

• A one sentence proposal or thesis statement. This should give your topic (Wiley's show) and your opinion that you will be supporting in your essay. Do not write the rest of the introduction right now. We will do that later!
• Paragraph #2: Important background information about Wiley and the exhibition from the Roberta Smith article. This should be paraphrased or summarized in your own words. 
• Paragraph #3: Your description and opinion of the exhibition in general, a particular room, and/or a specific work that supports your proposition (thesis). This should be completely in your own words.
• Paragraph #4: An additional description and opinion of the exhibition in general, a particular room, and/or a specific work that supports your proposition (thesis). This should be completely in your own words.
• Direct quotes. Your essay should also include some direct quotes that give Roberta Smith's opinion. Do you agree or disagree with what she says in the article? You may include this information in paragraphs #3 and #4 or you may wish to write a separate paragraph to compare and contrast your ideas with hers.

Do not write a conclusion yet! We will do that later.

Please use MLA form to cite you information. If you do not know how to do that we will discuss it in class.