To compile a response paper, you must read and understand the content of an article, then determine your response to the content of the article. Response papers are more analytical than argumentative. In addition, even if the feedback you give is personal, your writing must be credible and unemotional. Read this article if you want to learn more about how to write a response paper.
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Part 1 of 4: Understanding the Contents of Writing
Step 1. Take complete notes
Tick if there is a text that you think needs a response. Write down the content of this article in your own words.
- By marking, it will be easier for you to pay attention to important words and subjects in the text you are reading. However, the presence of a sign does not mean that you have immediately noted down every initial thought related to the subject.
- Write it down on another paper. Include paraphrases and quotes from the subject you are reading along with your own thoughts on the information you are going to write about.
Step 2. Develop your understanding of the text you read by asking questions
You must understand the purpose of writing this response paper first before making a subjective opinion. Response papers require you to focus on your own thought-provoking interpretation, but if you want to give a solid opinion, you'll need to have a basic understanding of the writing you want to respond to.
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To get that basic understanding, you can ask the following questions:
- What is the main issue that the author or author of this paper wants to discuss?
- What is the author's stance on this issue? What is the main opinion or point conveyed by the author?
- Are there certain assumptions made by the author in making the claim? Is this assumption valid or deviated from what it should be?
- What evidence is presented by the author to support the points in this paper?
- What are the strong points of the argument given by the author?
- What are the weak points of the argument given by the author?
- Are there any arguments that can be used to counter the arguments given by the author?
- If so, what are the main issues or main claims that the author considers important?
Step 3. Consider writing your paper as part of a broader essay, if possible
This step isn't always necessary, but if you want to learn to write in a broader context--for example, by comparing the work of one author with other writers in the same field and on the same topic--the object of your response to the writings of others can broaden your understanding of the writing you wish to respond to and the effectiveness of this writing.
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To broaden your understanding, you can ask the following questions:
- What is the relationship between this article and other writings on the same topic by the same author, or with other writings on the same topic but written by other authors?
- Do the comparison authors share the same or conflicting views?
- Did the comparison authors address the same issue, or did they differ? Do they view the issues being discussed in the same way, or differently?
- Have the authors who wrote about the aspect you want to address discussed the same topic? Is the view of this comparison writer getting stronger or even weaker with this comparison?
- Does the information you glean from this comparison strengthen or weaken the writing you wish to respond to, and how does it affect it?
Part 2 of 4: Preparing to Write Your Paper
Step 1. Don't procrastinate
The best time to start writing a response paper is as soon as you've finished reading to keep the ideas fresh in your mind. If you can't write right away, at least start writing a little bit first, as soon as you can.
Even if you assume that ideas will come back to you by recalling them when you do a thorough analysis, still make an effort to take the time to write down initial responses that immediately come to mind while these ideas are still fresh in your mind. The initial reaction that comes first is usually the most honest response. You could review this reaction further, and the next response will sound more “intellectual,” but the initial reaction to the text you read is your actual response and should be remembered
Step 2. Question your feedback again
Response papers will focus on personal, subjective responses to the text you read. While in general you can immediately recognize the feelings that arise when you read an article, you still need to carefully analyze each feeling that arises in this text in order to find out the basic thinking that causes these feelings.
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Questions you can ask yourself include:
- How is this text related to you personally, in the past, present, or in the future? How is this text related to human life as a whole?
- Is this text consistent, or not, with your view of life and your understanding of ethics?
- Could this text help you learn about the topic at hand or help you understand conflicting points of view? Were your initial opinions or assumptions challenged, or supported?
- Does this text directly address the topic you are concerned about or are concerned with?
- Is this text fun or engaging according to its genre? In other words, if this article is fiction, can the content be enjoyed as entertainment or as a work of art? If this article contains historical stories, is the story worthy of admiration from the point of view of historians? If this article is a philosophical reading, is the material logical enough?
- What is your own general opinion? Would you like to recommend this article to others?
- While answering the questions above, write down your answers. To complete the answers and responses that you wrote, also collect supporting evidence for each of your answers in the form of direct quotes and paraphrases.
Step 3. Determine the strongest response
Even if a response paper is really personal and no response can be considered “true,” you still have to do more than just state an opinion on an article. Your opinion must be supported by evidence from the writings you read. Provide your feedback and thoughts, but present only those supported by the most admissible written evidence.
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There are several ways that you can use to find inspiration in choosing the most appropriate ideas. Choose the most suitable for you for example:
- Check your notes again
- Recording new ideas as they occur
- Carry out pro/con analysis
- Re-questioning your feedback and using your notes to answer this question
- Compare your responses directly with your notes and determine which topics overlap
Step 4. Choose the area to focus on or your structured argument
A response paper is not a typical thesis essay, but you should still determine the area or argument that is the focus of your entire paper.
- Depending on the requirements of the assignment, you may have to present a structured argument or several arguments for discussion. However, if there are several points that you would like to address, you should still be able to demonstrate that they are related.
- The main difference between ordinary thesis and structured argument can be explained as follows: ordinary thesis is generally structured to prove an opinion, fact, or thought, whereas structured argument requires the writer to analyze the reading as a whole.
Part 3 of 4: Compiling Response Papers in Block Format
Step 1. Compose an introduction
You should develop a preface to explain the main themes of your paper and provide your response or comments on these themes.
- For papers with four to five pages, you can develop a longer introduction of up to one or two paragraphs. But for short papers, write a short paragraph with only three to five sentences.
- Provide an overview of the article you want to respond to by explaining that the topic of this article is in line with the broader topic that you are going to cover.
- You can also introduce this article by explaining your own beliefs or assumptions about the topic promoted by the author before stating that this article contradicts or is in line with your beliefs.
Step 2. Make a summary of this paper
Response papers should not focus solely on summarizing. There is still debate about the length of the summary that should be for a paper like this, but in general, the summary should be no more than half the length of the main discussion.
- For papers with four to five pages, this section should be written in only two to three paragraphs.
- Describe the content of this article and present the main arguments of the author, especially those that influenced your response.
- Your summary should be analytical and not just a retelling. When you provide details of the writing and the argument of the author, you should use analytical language and discuss how well the author structured this article so that it conveys the argument well.
Step 3. Present and discuss your structured argument
This is where you should explain how you, showing some intellect, responded to this article. Present your response in a special paragraph explaining what things you agree with and in what ways you disagree, or you can focus on agreeing or disagreeing only, and provide the necessary explanations in several paragraphs to support your response.
- For the record, this response format is more appropriate if you only focus on one theme or one main argument in a piece of writing. This format is not suitable for discussing several ideas at once in an article.
- Support your analysis with quotes and paraphrases. Make sure that you have quoted any supporting information correctly.
- Once you've gathered enough supporting evidence for your responses at the writing preparation stage, drafting a paper for this section should be easier. You just need to string together all the arguments so that they are related to each other and then write down in detail all the supporting information you have collected.
Step 4. Write your conclusion
At this stage, you should restate your views to the reader and briefly state the importance of your views.
- You only need one paragraph to convey your conclusion, even for a four to five page paper. For shorter papers, write your conclusion in only three to five sentences.
- Let me know that this article has had a major impact on you and the genre or community in which it has spread.
Part 4 of 4: Compiling Response Papers in Combined Format
Step 1. Write an introduction
Write a short paragraph outlining the main theme and ideas you want to respond to. Also convey or briefly explain your response to this theme.
- You can write an introduction in one or two paragraphs for a paper with four to five pages, but for a paper that is only one or two pages, write the introduction in a short paragraph.
- You can also say that the discussion on the topic of this article is well presented or you can explain how the topic of this article affects your beliefs.
- At the end of your introduction, you should present your "thesis" or structured argument.
Step 2. Summarize and state whether you agree or disagree with a view
In a combined format, you should present issues one at a time and respond immediately to each issue you discuss. The summary of the theme and discussion of whether this article is in accordance with the theme should not exceed one third of the paragraph because your own response must complete it.
- Note that a mixed-format response paper is a better choice if you want to cover several unrelated themes or ideas instead of just one idea.
- This will help you in compiling a summary and conducting a thorough analysis in a more reasonable and integrated manner. When you submit a view or an example from this paper, also directly state what your own interpretation of the view you put forward is.
Step 3. Summarize and express your agreement or disagreement with the second point, and so on
If you use this format, you should cover at least three points to summarize and respond to in one paragraph.
Continue in the same way as in the first point. When summarizing your points or arguments for the writing you wish to respond to, immediately provide your intellectual response to these arguments
Step 4. Close with a conclusion
Restate your views or comments in short paragraphs. If necessary or the circumstances allow, also explain why this response is important.
- For papers with four to five pages, present your conclusion in one standard paragraph. For shorter papers, shorten this paragraph to three sentences.
- If necessary, explain that this article has had a major impact in the genre or community in which it is widely distributed.
