reading summary

For each article or reading, you are asked to prepare a written summary that includes the author’s argument/thesis, main points, sources of evidence if those are given, and your critique of the reading.

Here’s how to structure them:

# 1 Doug Mackenzie. “Canadian Beer” your own name.

• Thesis. The author’s main point in one or two short sentences.

• Summary of the Main Points used by the author to demonstrate the argument

• Evidence on which the main points are based – if there are footnotes or if they refer to what they used

• Your Assessment of the article. What do you think of it? Good, bad or ugly.. gaps..logic..bias.

These are informal. They can be in point form or paragraph(s)/ full sentences. They should be 200 words in length and not more than 250. If they meet those basic requirements, and come in on time, they will be assessed a 10 out of 10. Easy peasy.  Half marks for being under length and/or not attempting to identify the thesis, and zero for not handing one in, or only handing in a few words. 

This assignment is designed simply to ensure that you have read and thought about the articles before class. 

One set of late readings will be accepted in the course without a medical note.