Brainstorming Questions for the Summary, Assessment, and Response Essay

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

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 Links to an external site.)
  • What, if any, counterarguments are described? (See 2.6 Links to an external site.)
  • Does the author respond to the counterarguments? (See 2.7 Links to an external site.)
  • Does the author put any limits on their claims? (See 2.8 Links to an external site.)

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 Links to an external site.)?

• 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?

How would you respond to the author’s claim/argument (Review Chapter 5 Links to an external site.)?

• How do the essays relate to ideas discussed in the course in general? For example, what points made in textbooks, class discussions, or lectures are treated more fully in the work?
• Can you link the work to issues in our present-day world? Which ones, why, and how?
• Can you link the work to issues in your own life, experiences, feelings, or personal philosophy? What emotions did the material arouse in you? Why did they arouse those feelings and how did they manifest?
• Did the work increase or challenge your ideas about a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way? How and why?
• Why are the issues and arguments raised interesting or important to you or to our society?
• 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.