Writing a reaction

Reaction or response papers are usually assigned by teachers so that the students will carefully consider what they think or feel about some material presented. Most instructors in the social sciences and humanities require students to understand one or more texts, and evaluate how well each accomplishes its own objectives. In responding to multiple texts, the writer must discover how the texts relate to each other. In responding to a single text, the writer needs to consider it within the larger context of class discussions, readings, etc. Such a task requires more than just reading the text, understanding it, and expressing an opinion about it. The student must also be able to synthesize the intellectual work of others- thus, bring it together into an integrated whole. In short, it is critical reading combined with critical writing.

In prep classes, in an ESL teaching situation, we may not be able to aspire so high. However, we can approximate the situation and expect our students to produce simpler reaction pieces. This handout will focus on writing reactions as required by our prep syllabus.

What is reaction writing?

Reactions can be about one point or many points in the text
Reactions may also include subjective evaluations
Reaction writing may be formal or informal
However, it is usually analytical

Reactions may be written in

Journal or personal writing,
Film or book reviews,
Critiques,
Illustrations of ideas,
Judgments of theories or concepts.

Here it is important to stress that a reaction is not a summary of the text read. The student must be reacting to or responding to the texts, not simply repeating what they say. If there is no analysis involved, then the writer has not responded but only “regurgitated”.

Prewriting

Reactions require close reading of the text the writer is reacting to. You may ask your students to read whatever they are asked to respond to and think about the following questions:

How do you feel about what you are reading?
What do you agree or disagree with?
Have you learned or gained anything from reading the material presented?
Did you like it? Why or why not?
What is its purpose?
Is it informative?
Is it entertaining?
Is it accurate?
Do you recommend it to others?

In class discussions facilitate students’ responding to texts. In the same way, discussing a topic in every aspect, asking the students to contribute to discussion by doing some extra preliminary reading on the topic, class debates followed by reaction writing are all working strategies.

How to write a reaction

Ask your students to select one or two points from the following list and write a paragraph for each point.

React to the idea or ideas presented

Are they clear and suitable? Compare and contrast with your own ideas on the subject.

Discuss what you have gained from reading the material

Discuss each insight or fact you have learned from the text, giving examples from the text.

Make a judgment

Did you like or dislike the text? Why? Write about your impressions, focusing on the points you particularly liked or disliked.

§ Analyze the material

What is its purpose? Does it achieve its goal?

Tell others what they may gain from the material.

Did you find the information in the text useful? Was it informative, entertaining, or accurate? Do you recommend it to others?

Organizing a reaction

The organization of a reaction varies according to the audience, purpose, and limitations of the assignment. The students may use a structured format, such as those for an argument, or they may use an informal one.

§ In the first sentence the title, author, and publication are given

§ In a few sentences a very brief summary of what is read is presented

§ Then, reaction/response to the material is written

Inexperienced writers may only be expected to produce a few paragraphs of reaction writing. More experienced writers, on the other hand, are capable of handling more complex and demanding tasks. Depending on the availability of class time, and the enthusiasm, skills and the competence of your students, more experienced writers may be asked to write more than a few paragraphs. Such students are also capable of handling more than one text. They may be asked to respond to multiple texts.

Reacting to multiple texts

You may guide your students using the guidelines below through the task of responding and reacting to multiple texts . The guidelines direct the students’ attention to strategies that increase their efficiency and warn them against pitfalls.

Questions to ask

Consider texts individually:

What is the main problem or issue that the author is addressing?
What is the author’s central claim, argument, or point?
What assumption does the writer make?
What evidence does the author present?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the text?
What are possible counterarguments to the text’s claims?
Why are the problem(s) or argument(s) interesting or important?

Consider texts collectively:

How do they relate to one another? Do the authors agree? Disagree? Address different aspects of an issue? Formulate a problem in different ways?

In what way (if any) does the information or argument of one text strengthen or weaken the argument of others? Does integrating the claims in two or more of the texts advance your understanding of a larger issue?

Actions to Take

Pay attention to the instructions your instructor provides for the assignment. He or she may have specific expectations, which you should be careful to take into account. The prompt may also give you clues that will help you to understand what you should be getting out of the texts.

Explain the key terms, main arguments, and assumptions of each text.
Do your best to characterize each text’s arguments fairly and accurately.

Evaluate the evidence that each text presents: point out strengths and weaknesses, both internal to the text and in relation to the others. For example, if one text makes an argument based on an assumption that another text either confirms or refutes, then you can use the latter text to evaluate the plausibility of the claim made by the former.

§ Explain how the texts relate to and “speak” to one another. Synthesize them if you can, and if you cannot, explain what the barriers preventing such a synthesis are.

Consider both sides of issues at stake. If all the texts are on one side of an issue, consider the other side. If the texts fall on both sides of an issue, consider where agreements and disagreements lie and what each side’s strengths and weaknesses are.

Include your own voice by weighing arguments, evaluating evidence, and raising critical questions. If there seems to be something important that none of the authors addresses, point it out and state what you think its significance is. Try to be as specific as possible.

Be careful to do all parts of the assignment. Accord each text the weight it deserves. Don’t forget to synthesize your account by showing how the texts relate to one another. The authors are in a figurative, if not literal, “conversation” with one another, and you must be able to recognize and explain what is going on in that conversation.

Keep an eye out for authors’ omissions, and raise counterarguments when you detect authors’ arguments are weak.

Actions Not to Take

Do not write an autobiographical essay. Reaction/response papers are not about how you feel—even how you feel about the texts. They are not simply a venue for you to say whether you like or dislike the texts. Give praise or blame where you think it is due, but avoid commendation or condemnation for its own sake.

Do not just summarize the texts. You are supposed to be reacting or responding to them, not simply repeating what they say. If there is no analysis involved, then you have not responded, only regurgitated.

If there are things in the text that you don’t understand, do not try to gloss over them. Try to find out what the text means. Ask questions of your instructor. If you still cannot make sense of an argument in a text, then it may be the case that the argument does not in fact make sense. If that’s the case, point it out in your paper.

(adapted from Writing Studio: Duke University)