Summary vs Critique

What is a summary?

• An expression of someone's opinions on another person's writing, typically a story or researched-based text

• A paragraph that describes the characters of a story

• 1-2 sentences that explain what the text will inform the reader about

• Writing that explains a story or text's main events/points

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

What is a critique?

• An analysis of something that notes both its faults and merits

• A brief overview of the main points of a literary work or theory

• A short expression of disapproval toward someone or something based on perceived faults

• A person who judges literary works

Summaries usually include...

(choose all that apply)

• author's purpose for writing

• direct quotes from the text

• personal opinions about the text

• main idea of the text

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Critiques usually include...

• evaluation of the author's writing

• suggestions to improve the author's writing

• some bias about the author's writing

• all of the above

Good or bad summary/critique?

(about the Bee Movie)

"Barry B. Benson is a bee who has lived all of his life inside of a beehive. He graduates and has to pursue a career but finds out he must keep it for the rest of his life. He doesn't want to do that, so he escapes the hive (which is forbidden) and meets a florist named Vanessa. He comes back to the hive to be looked at in disgust for talking with humans. He goes back out to find Vanessa but discovers that humans have been stealing their honey and is upset. In the end, he works to free the bees that were being farmed for their honey and finds justice by succeeding in suing humanity for theft."

• good summary

• bad summary

• good critique

• bad critique

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Good or bad summary/critique?

(regarding a memoir)

"The structure you have now is not consistently linear, and the links from one topic to the next are not often clear. Your timeline is a bit shuffled, with a chapter of your life post-college coming before a chapter on your college years. It’s better in this instance to tell your story chronologically so as to give your book some structure and order."

• bad critique

• good critique

• bad summary

• good summary

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

Good or bad summary/critique?

"In the novel, she started to go to her mom's house in the early morning to bring her mom some medicine. She got distracted a lot along the way, looking at the people and things around her, and she also stopped to pet a cat. When she arrived at the house after a long walk, she gave her mom the medicine and went back home. On the way, a stranger asked her for some money."

• bad summary

• good summary

• bad critique

• good critique

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

Good or bad summary/critique?

"I read your short story, and it's too dull and seems unoriginal. I've seen this plot and these types of characters all too much before. Add more creativity."

• good critique

• bad critique

• bad summary

• good summary

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Good or bad summary/critique?

"Your novel has a very solid plot, and has all the elements of a classic horror story. The ongoing suspense is delivered mostly appropriately throughout the changing settings that have their own atmospheres. However, in some of the scenes, the pacing of events is off-putting, making the action and drama fall flat. Remember that pacing and timing of events is key to scaring readers and conveying the intended tone and emotion."

• bad critique

• bad summary

• good critique

• good summary

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Good or bad summary/critique?

(about the "Cats" movie by Tom Hooper)

"It is the pinnacle of experimental creativity. While watching this dazzling work of art, I felt myself myself being brought to tears by the exquisite use of CGI and the superior cast. Taylor Swift's acting deserves 3 Oscars and so much more. If you are looking for an early Christmas present for yourself, Hooper's new production is sure to do the trick."

- Judge Judy

• good critique

• bad critique

• good summary

• bad summary

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.6.2