Outline/Summary/Critique TipsOutline/Summary/Critique Tips

Tyler Hawkins

ELI 100(3)

Fall 2001

Outlining - DefinitionOutlining - Definition

• An outline:

– is a summary which uses letters, numbers and indenting to show main and supporting ideas

– shows relationships between parts of the material– is a hierarchical way of organizing information

Outlining - PurposeOutlining - Purpose

• The purpose of making an outline is to:

– improve reading comprehension– develop the ability to think clearly and logically– prepare textbook and classroom notes– plan speeches and papers

Outlining - ApplicationsOutlining - Applications

• As you work on your projects (article outline/summary/critique, research paper) use outlining as a way of organizing your ideas

• Use outlining in your academic classes to organize your textbook reading and class notes

OutliningOutlining

• There are different level of related notes

• Usually, only two or three levels of notes are needed

• Headings of the same type (A and B, 1 and 2) should be indented the same amount of space

Outlining - ExampleOutlining - Example

I. Complaint about American education

A. Not only Americans who remember ‘the good old days’, but immigrants are also complaining about the educational system in the U.S.

1.a Polish: his daughter’s high school has not taught the difference between Belgrade and Prague.

2.a German: he is angry to know his son’s college gave test included multiplication and division on his first day.

3.a Lebanese: he boasts high school graduate in his home country can speak fluent Arabic, French, and English.

4.Japanese businessmen: they send their children to private school where teach advanced math.

B. Question: is American education so inferior?

Outlining - ExampleOutlining - Example

II. The author’s answer

A. The author found an answer on an museum, where the work of schoolchildren were on exhibit.

B. Their public school has provided the children with opportunities and direction to fulfill their creativity, which people tend to dismiss.

Outlining - ExampleOutlining - Example

III. How American education gives children opportunities to think freely

A. The author compares the education she was given and the one her son was given.

1.The author

a.When the author was young, she had to remember the major cities in the world, under the Dutch system.

b. In her high school years, the students were model of dedication and obedience. They were not given chance to speak their opinions.

c. When she was 18, she had to memorize Hamlet’s .

Outlining - ExampleOutlining - Example

2.Her son who was brought up in California

a.He drew a map of the route from his house to school, when he was only 6.

b.He concocted a story, and teacher gave him A.

c.He was assigned to write a love letter to Juliet.

B. Disgruntled American parents forget their children can experiment freely with ideas in their country, and without this they cannot think or believe themselves.

C. America will be only country where history students can play the role of L. Johnson and Ho Chi Minh in an open debate.

Outlining - ExampleOutlining - Example

IV. Conclusion: against the critics of American education

A. They do not really understand something important, freedom, because they have never been deprived of it.

B. American education is not perfect, but it is far better than any other.

SummarySummary

• Write the author’s main point in your own words. What was the author trying to say?

• Don’t describe specific examples. Instead, mention that the author gives examples to support his/her main point

• The summary will have less details than your outline

Summary - ExampleSummary - Example

The author, Kie Ho, emphasizes free educational systems: freedom of thinking, speaking, creating, and writing. He indicates the opposite opinions to his idea by exemplifying some immigrants’ complaints. And he starts his article by mentioning current problems of American education system. In order to clarify his own opinion of American education system, which has been worried, he compares his experiences to those of his son.

Summary - ExampleSummary - Example

He supports current American education even though it still regards as inferior system when it is compared to one of Asia and European countries. He tells his experiences under negative and inefficient education system: Knowing knowledge, memorizing all, answering the only correct, and being dedicated and obedient in the class. By telling his own stories, which are full of negative and inefficient systems, he supports current creation emphasized system.

CritiqueCritique

• Don’t be afraid to disagree with what the author has stated

• Describe how the article affected you

• Relate the article to your own experience

• Describe anything you may have learned from the story

Critique - ExampleCritique - Example

I agree with the writer’s point that a good education system should encourage children to develop their creativity. However, I think that providing a high standard of knowledge to children is important, too. By comparing the knowledge of the children in America and in other developed countries, the children in America really show a lower educational level. Being a leading country of the world, American children should be more liberal to different aspects.

Critique - ExampleCritique - Example

It does not mean that children should be stuffed with knowledge, but more effort should be put on teaching.

To sum up, it is too idealistic to talk about developing creativity only. A better education should balance the ideal and reality – to provide chances to develop creativity and obtain higher standard of knowledge.