short reaction paper example

short reaction paper example

The Art of Writing a Persuasive Reaction Paper: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Introduction to Reaction Papers

The function of a reaction paper is to express your point of view and evaluation based on inspired concepts. In most cases, the power of this paper depends on what the tutor requires of you, as well as any other particular instructions that have been provided. Most of the time, these reaction papers are written as research or sources.

In this reflection paper, the writer needs to react to a certain idea, situation, theory, law, regulation, etc., while providing the readers with informed judgment. Students write reaction papers to express their opinions about matters that address what they consider to be important. Typically, students are required to respond to assigned readings and/or audiotapes in some manner. The purpose of reaction papers is for the tutor to gauge the depth of knowledge of students, their understanding of concepts, as well as their language skills. Regardless of the subject, a reaction paper should be composed based on the writings of others. This is because the reaction paper should focus on written work established by others, i.e., research papers, articles, essays, reviews, critiques, reports, books, or discussions published on the Internet.

A reaction paper is a specific type of essay that is read and graded as part of the written requirement for some assignments. The purpose of a reaction paper is to evaluate a text critically, highlighting both the good and bad sides of the text in question.

2. Key Components of a Reaction Paper

I view a reaction paper as the opportunity for students to engage in the conversation, grappling along with the authors or speakers, to witness the process of invention or the genesis of the author’s ideas, to analyze information, and to take stock with a reflective frame of mind. Not infrequently primary sources themselves address the same or similar issues that we pursue in the class but in vastly more complex ways; in the act of selecting books to read or using video or audio borrowed from a variety of sources, and perusing the course pack, the instructor and other professionals appropriately simplify and sometimes revise genre, audience and approach to the subject.

The reaction paper, per se, however, presents an opportunity to consider several key components in persuasive writing which include the following: the identification of the author or speaker’s main purpose, rhetorical strategy and intended audience; evidence and supporting techniques; division of material or structure; an argument for organization; analysis of the method and style of development (narration, description, example, definition, analogy, etc.); the use of language, diction, grammar and so on; voice; tone or register; use of figurative language; point of view; and an audience. These eleventh-hour concerns may seem like an afterthought, but I argue that they are what is crucial, regardless of genre.

3. Writing Techniques for a Persuasive Reaction Paper

I will ensure the verb tense is rationally consistent throughout the paper. I will summarize the points discussed in the body of my paper to provide a clear review of my reactions to the article.

I will take time to identify the elements of a story to encourage simplicity and clarity in my reaction paper. I will make my paragraphs contain a topic statement, an example, and an analysis to ensure the purpose of each paragraph is clear.

I will acknowledge the distinctions and similarities in the theories I have studied to provide a well-rounded analysis. This will help to avoid generality and aim at accuracy and completeness in my reaction paper.

For studious students, I will concentrate on the major points reinforced in the article. I will also relate the article to other articles I have read on this particular matter.

Use the first person point of view. This is a reaction paper, so I will express my personal opinion. However, I will also offer some analysis to provide qualitative data.

4. Structuring Your Reaction Paper

The next thing that comes is identifying the appeal of the work to the readers. Your explanation will be specific and unique to you and will not follow themes, summaries, etc. Now you’ve finished your introduction, after that work follows the body paragraphs. The next part of the outline is the body of the reaction paper. Each body paragraph must deal with the specific sentence in the body of the essay. Ensuring each statement supports your writing, make sure it’s appealing to the reader, consider the author, and ensure proper citation is done. Combine two of these into one paragraph and make sure to end with analysis, not with summation. Use the same structure with additional paragraphs if needed.

When you start writing your reaction paper, you will have to decide what specifically you are going to write about. You must understand your own purpose to come up with a strong reaction paper. Structuring your paper is the most important part of the writing process with a reaction paper. The first part of the outline is the introduction. The opening paragraph here at the beginning is important. It must include your personal response to the work, your thoughts and questions that come to mind when you think about the work, how this work has appeared in your life, and its quality and relevance as you think about the works as a whole.

5. Tips for Effective Editing and Proofreading

4) Once you ensure the clarity and correctness of your work, take the time to proofread. Proofreading is the final step that takes a superbly written work and makes it great. The key to powerful proofreading is time and rest. Take a rest after you complete and then refocus. Reading your paper in hard copy, out loud, or backwards can help you become more concentrated. As a writer reviewing his/her work, proofreading for anything smaller than the word level may seem to be a waste of time, but these are the final steps that can take your great work and turn it into something that is fantastic. Be sure to watch out for grammatical errors from the start. Misusing an apostrophe is a classic mistake. Be careful about inconsistencies: tenses, listings, and names. Keep an eye out for common proofreading errors, such as ‘to/too’ and ‘there/their’. When you are working in your native language, you would be more prone to ignore or overlook these common errors. Keep an eye out for capitalization. These are simple rules, but they help to create a more polished final draft. While examining your paper’s coherence, correct any confusion issues. Before you consider your paper complete, ensure that you renumber footnotes, check your reference list, and make sure that headers accurately represent the body text. You must also be conscious of the paper’s visual coherence, ensuring that the text fits well and is properly formatted.

3) Editing involves ensuring that your work meets the specific goals that your department, company, or school has. This would include meeting certain style guides, making sure all grammatical rules are followed, ensuring that an active rather than a passive voice is present, as well as simplifying your sentences where needed. You, as the reviewer, have the right to mark grammatical mistakes that the writer missed.

2) Take full advantage of the different levels of editing. You have to work on different levels as you scrutinize or revise your work. Take the time to revise; check the coherence of your ideas, and whether the different levels of your writing are appropriately structured, logical, and clear. This is called the developmental level. Your section headings and paragraphs should be logically chosen. Make it a habit to use transitions effectively. Revising the developmental level of writing is a common set of revising activities. It is easier to correct this when your work is divided into smaller sections.

1) Make use of the numerous tools of the trade. Search engines have really simplified the course of accomplishing intricate tasks. Software programs such as Microsoft Word, for example, have a spelling checker which can help any writer avoid simple mistakes. If you are not equipped with a personal computer, or if the software program found in your PC does not have a spelling checker, you can simply search for an English to English dictionary. A writing thesaurus or thesauruses found in encyclopedias can also be beneficial.