Critical summaries condense and assess an articles content. Your job is to extract first the authors central arguments according to your own understanding in a summary. You offer an informed opinion evaluating its purpose, argument, strengths, and weaknesses.
Part I: Introduction (15%) In the first paragraph of your critical summary, name the author, title, date of publication, and if applicable the broader context of the article. State the general topic and, more specifically, the authors central argument(s). If you have any background information that might help your readers understand the nature of the work, feel free to include it here. You should finish the first paragraph with your own thesis statement that entails an assessment (positive, negative, mixed) of the articles content.
Part II: Consisting of two or three longer Paragraphs: Central Arguments and Structure (70%) The second part is all about the research papers central argument(s). Which main arguments are presented in it and how are they supported by textual evidence? Roughly lay out the texts structure, then identify and briefly define (in your own words!) key terms or concepts that are vital to this paper.
Part III – Final Paragraph: Conclusion (15%) Finish your critical summary with a conclusion. This is your chance to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the piece. Briefly review the central arguments you have identified. Avoid word-for-word repetition; be creative and find new ways of expressing your ideas. If you wish, you can end your conclusion by offering an outlook.
Style
Since critical arguments are a short genre, you should be as concise as possible. When referring to the ideas of others, make sure to indicate this clearly in your writing. I encourage you to use a select number of direct quotations from the source text. However, you should use them sparingly, since long and unfocussed quotes unnecessarily clutter up your writing. Only pick out the most remarkable phrases or expressions and clearly demarcate them using the MLA style. On all other occasions, paraphrase the authors ideas.
