Brainstorming Questions for the Summary and Assessment Essay

Before you write an outline or a draft of your summary and assessment essay, you may find it helpful to answer the questions below. They will help you think about the structure of the argument you plan to write about as well as its strengths and weaknesses.

What do you think is the main claim? 

In other words, what does the writer most want to convince us of? Where is the writer going with all this? If they had to make their point in just one sentence, what would they say? Explain in your own words.

What are the argument’s reasons, counterarguments, and limits?

• What reasons does the author give for the main claim? (See 2.5)
• What, if any, counterarguments are described? (See 2.6)
• Does the author respond to the counterarguments? (See 2.7)
• Does the author put any limits on their claims? (See 2.8)

How will you describe the argument’s claims, reasons, and counterarguments?

• Introduce the argument and describe claims of policy, fact, or value (See 3.2 (Links to an external site.)).
• Describe the reasons given (See 3.3 (Links to an external site.)).
• Describe how the author handles counterarguments (See 3.4 (Links to an external site.)).
• Describe how the author limits the argument (See 3.5 (Links to an external site.)).

How would you assess the main claim/argument (Review Chapter 4)?

• What are the strengths of the text?
• What are its weaknesses?
• Are there any problems with the logic of the argument? Name and define them.
• Does the text contain assumptions that might need to be questioned?
• Has the text sufficiently considered counterarguments? 
• Evaluate the merit of the work: how persuasive are its points, its accuracy, completeness, organization, and so on?

• Would you recommend that others read this work? Why or why not?

This worksheet created by Saramanda Swigart and adapted by Anna Mills, licensed CC BY-NC.