How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response (A Quick Introduction to Reading and Writing Critically) Analyze the text

as an individual reader. This process is as much about YOU as it is about the text you are responding to. As a scholar you stand in judgment over the text. Critical reading: "A reader response asks the reader [you] to examine, explain and defend her/his personal reaction to a reading. You will be asked to explore why you like or dislike the reading, explain whether you agree or disagree with the author, identify the reading's purpose, and critique the text. There is no right or wrong answer to a reader response. Nonetheless, it is important that you demonstrate an understanding of the reading and clearly explain and support your reactions. " DO NOT use the standard high school-level approach of just writing: "I liked this book (or article or document or movie) because it is so cool and the ending made me feel happy," or "I hated it because it was stupid, and had nothing at all to do with my life, and was too negative and boring." In writing a response you may assume the reader has already read the text. Thus, do NOT summarize the contents of the text at length. Instead, take a systematic, analytical approach to the text. ---First of all, be sure to mention the title of the work to which you are responding, the author, and the main thesis of the text, using correct English for the first sentence of your paper! Then, try to answer ALL of the questions below. a. WHAT DOES THE TEXT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU, PERSONALLY, AND WITH YOUR LIFE (PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE)? It is not acceptable to write that the text has NOTHING to do with you, since just about everything humans can write has to do in some way with every other human. b. HOW MUCH DOES THE TEXT AGREE OR CLASH WITH YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD, AND WHAT YOU CONSIDER RIGHT AND WRONG? Use several quotes as examples of how it agrees with and supports what you think about the world, about right and wrong, and about what you think it is to be human. Use quotes and examples to discuss how the text disagrees with what you think about the world and about right and wrong. c. HOW DID YOU LEARN, AND HOW MUCH WERE YOUR VIEWS AND OPINIONS CHALLENGED OR CHANGED BY THIS TEXT, IF AT ALL? Did the text communicate with you? Why or why not? Give examples of how your views might have changed or been strengthened (or perhaps, of why the text failed to convince you, the way it is). Please do not write "I agree with everything the author wrote," since everybody disagrees about something, even if it is a tiny point. Use quotes to illustrate your points of challenge, or where you were persuaded, or where it left you cold. d. HOW WELL DOES IT ADDRESS THINGS THAT YOU, PERSONALLY, CARE ABOUT AND CONSIDER IMPORTANT TO THE WORLD? How does it address things that are important to your family, your community, your ethnic group, to people of your economic or social class or background, or your faith tradition? If not, who does or did the text serve? Did it pass the "Who cares?" test? Use quotes to illustrate.

e. READING AND WRITING "CRITICALLY" DOES NOT MEAN THE SAME THING AS "CRITICIZING," IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE (COMPLAINING OR GRIPING, FAULT-FINDING, NIT-PICKING). Your "critique" can and should be positive and praise the text if possible, as well as pointing out problems, disagreements and shortcomings. f. HOW WELL DID YOU ENJOY THE TEXT (OR NOT) AS ENTERTAINMENT OR AS A WORK OF ART? Use quotes or examples to illustrate the quality of the text as art or entertainment. Of course, be aware that some texts are not meant to be entertainment or art--a news report or textbook, for instance, may be neither entertaining nor artistic, but may still be important and successful. g. To sum up, WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL REACTION TO THE TEXT? Would you read something else like this, or by this author, in the future or not? Why or why not? To whom would you recommend this text?

Reader Response Paper Sample Summary In his essay, "Let's Stop Scaring Ourselves," Michael Crichton addresses the problem that during his lifetime, Americans have become burdened and consumed by highly publicized fears which turned out to be false alarms. Crichton details of the many of the global scares he has witnessed, which include many predictions which are mutually exclusive such as the scare for global cooling followed by the scare about global warming. He notes that at one time we were worried about overpopulation and mass starvation, and, at another, by the decline in the workforce and aging population. Worries about robots creating too much leisure time have evolved into worries about smart phones creating overworked and stressed Americans. In addition, Crichton details many "non-events" such as swine flu, Y2K and brain cancer from cell phone use. In conclusion, Crichton suggests that readers follow his example to take the next doomsday prediction with a grain of salt. Analysis As a popular author modern scare stories like Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain, Crichton's perspective that we have let our fears get out of control is ironic and effective. Initially introducing himself as a 62 year old man, Crichton gives the sense that he is trying to give advice to the younger generation. Crichton also effectively uses his life story by opening the essay from his perspective as a younger man constantly plagued by worry over the latest, highly publicized fears. Although at times he sounds like a ranting, senile old man, Crichton's smooth and sensible writing appeals to reason and simplicity and makes the reader want to agree. His abundant and various examples assist in emphasizing his point that Americans do have a tendency to over-react. The examples also distract the reader from focusing on his thesis, which can make his article seem more like a rant. The author brings the reader along with him as he moves through the laundry list of 20th century fears, poking fun at the exaggerated extremes of these claims through sarcasm as he describes the ever-switching pendulum of panic and public opinion. While assuming an audience who is roughly his age and has experienced these same scares, he gives enough details to convince even a younger audience to take his advice to keep things in perspective. Response Do I agree with Michael Crichton? In many ways, I think he has hit the bulls-eye on an important problem of how the public panics unnecessarily. Although I'm less than a third of the author's age, I've experienced plenty of angst I probably could have avoided. I remember Y2K, even though I was only 6 years old. In fact, our family even participated, to a certain extent, when we were the recipients of some of the supplies our neighbors had stockpiled (what my mother did with the 50 pound container of beans I never did find out!). More recently, I remember the "Mayan Apocalypse" and and scares about the Bird Flu. Does that mean my generation is off the hook? Do we need to think about how to solve world problems? No. That is where I think that Michael Crichton's argument may fall short. While I do believe that concerns about overpopulation, climate change and running out of natural resources can be overwrought and ineffective, I do know we live on a world which has limitations, and that while Crichton's generation has staved off the final reckoning, my generation may find that more difficult. What can we do? I think Crichton is right in saying we need to avoid irrational panic over the latest scare, but I also think we need to keep our eyes out and our minds and hands busy keeping potential Armageddons of the future at bay.