Some of the parents against birth control are not ready to watch

summary should include a topic sentence (or thesis statement to a short – and I means short, one page
essay), mentioning:
 the title of the article (in quotes, with major words capitalized),
 the author,
 the main idea or point of the article.
 the publication (if one is listed) and date (again, if one is listed).
Your summary should summarize and paraphrase the most important key points in your own words,
points that support the main point or idea of the article/essay. Refer to the main text, chap 2, or the
supplemental text, chap 4, or the Perdue OWL material for proper paraphrasing and summarizing.
 Your summary should have one or two concluding sentences, which follow logically from the rest of
the paragraph (and in which you may even want to mention the author again, to emphasize again to the
reader that these ideas are not yours: such as:
As Raspberry explains….
 Your summary should avoid quoting, or if using a quote, it should be a short phrase only and
absolutely pertinent to the summary. Refer to the main text, Chap 3.
 Your summary should NOT express your opinions or ideas, but only the opinions or ideas of the
author of the article.
You do not agree or disagree; you are not reflecting on your own experience; you are not critiquing the
author, article, or topic; you are merely summarizing what the author said.
Your summary should include a Works Cited, even if the only source you used was the essay itself.
Your summary should NOT express your opinions or ideas, but only the opinions or ideas of the
author of the article.
You do not agree or disagree; you are not reflecting on your own experience; you are not critiquing the
author, article, or topic; you are merely summarizing what the author said.
Summary: What does the argument say? What is it arguing?
Topic, claim, reasoning, evidence, overall pt/impression.
Key pts of argument. Here’s where annotation/notetaking comes in.
 Analysis/Critique: How does argument work? Organization, major pts, conclusion – logically follow
pts & evidence. What about use of words, tone, style? What about acknowledgment of
opposing/alternate views? Any addition info? Any apparent bias, skewing of facts (through faulty info,
word usage, logical fallacies, etc.)?
o how does the write help audience to understand the writer’s pt? Does writer connect
w/audience (i.e., personal or even universal experience)?
o Content & style:
Words: denotative & connotative meaning, emotion presented/created..
Tone: language can relate tone: anger, sarcasm, annoyance, impartiality, ax to grind, etc.
o Logical Fallacies: are there any; if so, which ones and do they detract from the whole essay or a
portion of it?
Remember:
 A summary is only what the author actually said; if the author did not say it, you do not say it.
 An analysis is not whether or not your agree with the author or the issue; rather it is your
determination or opinion of simply whether or not the author effectively communicated his or her
point, whatever that point is.
The whole assignment:
 should be grammatically correct, properly punctuated, and properly phrased with precise wording (that
is not colloquial or elementary) and sophisticated sentences.
 should be organized in a logical order and flow in an orderly fashion.
 should use any quotes from the essay, with proper attribution, punctuation (e.g., Michael reiterates that
“….”), and citation (e.g., Hilliard 215).
 should contain a Works Cited with the essay correctly cited in MLA format, and any other references
you make other than the essay itself should also be properly cited and included in the Works Cited.
The summary portion (generally one page, not much more, double-spaced (approx 250 words):
 should be a single paragraph or short essay, no more than a page.
 should begin with an initial thesis statement or topic sentence mentioning the title of the essay (in
quotes, per MLA format), the author (full name), & the main idea/pt/thesis of the essay.
 should contain only the key points and major details that need to be included to explain pts – in your
own words, not the words of the author unless in quotes (which should be few and short).
 should not include any extraneous or minor information.
 should not simply be a set of bullet points, but complete sentences that flow in an orderly fashion.
 should contain no personal opinion whatsoever; if the author doesn’t say it (or strongly imply it),
neither do you.
 should include any references to the author, as necessary, to keep it clear that point(s) raised in the
summary (esp. points that seem controversial) are the author’s ideas, not your own.
 should conclude by summarizing the key pts and/or referencing the main pt.
 should be separated from the analysis (critique).
The text below is what the summary and analysis essay is based on
“Too Young for Sex”
Amanda Christy
In Portland, Maine middle school students and their parents are dealing with an issue which is
soon to turn nationwide. Birth control in middle school has parents, teachers, and students
fighting for their rights; the parent’s rights of teaching their children what is considered right or
wrong in their family. Also, the parent’s rights to teach their children when or if they should be
taking birth control. Girls at the age of 10 to 15 years old, middle school students, should not be
issued birth control while in school by a school health center because birth control at such a
young age puts children in the situation of choosing right or wrong. But who is to tell them if it is
right or wrong for them?
Much of the community is outraged by this situation that they have been placed in. Most of
the parents are against the thought of birth control because they think that their children are not
ready for such a commitment. Some of the parents against birth control are not ready to watch
their children grow up at such a fast pace, and this situation is making things seem faster. Parents
for birth control in schools feel as if the birth control is preventing a future problem with high
school students getting pregnant and dropping out for that reason. The community thinks that they
should solve the problem before is arises, therefore solving the problem in the beginning. The
community got together to vote on the issue; the results of the vote were 7 to 2 in favor of putting
birth control in the communities middle schools (“Maine middle school to offer birth control.”).
Meetings were held by the community, and parents think that birth control in school is a violation
of their rights. They loose their rights to parenting their own children and telling them what i&
right or wrong, because the schools are attempting to teach such things to the students. Students
don’t want to be pressured by their school, and they also don’t want their parents getting upset
about their decisions. Students are beginning to realize the problems their parents are having with
this situation, and don’t want to choose a certain side. Parents are concerned that their children
will be overpowered by the school’s attempt to pressure them into getting birth control. The
parents want to get their opinions out, and change the situation since it involves their children.
Children in the school are being pressured to make a decision to get birth control or not to get
birth control. This issue begins to put thoughts in the children’s heads, such as beginning to think
that sex is normally accepted at a young age. The children’s families’ values may be different
though. Parents are then faced with the issue of teaching their children what they want them to
think about the subject. Children don’t realize why birth control in school would be such a bad
idea. They don’t realize the effects that it will cause. Between the ages of ten and fifteen, children
are not emotionally ready for sex (Doming). The children’s state of mind is not fully developed.
They are in the process of maturing, but are not fully grown or even close to becoming adults.
Only five out of five hundred students at the school said they are sexually active (Elliot). Birth
control in middle school is unnecessary. Children do not need birth control to be safe. Birth
control is not going to stop all the problems with teen pregnancy. Parents have the right to teach
their children about what is right and wrong, and what their family values are. Therefore, what is
the real purpose of the birth control? There is no reason; birth control is just an extra precaution.
Many parents have problems with birth control being distributed in middle schools, but what
if there were ways to make birth control accessible to young teens without interfering with
school? Birth control can be issued at places other than school, such as health clinics, hospitals,
and doctor’s offices. The types of birth control that can be found in the health center are
contraceptive pills, patches or injections, as well as the morning-after pill (Bouchard). If parents
think that birth control is right for their child, then they have the right to take their child to be
prescribed birth control. Since distributing birth control in school can interrupt school activities
and hours, if birth control is prescribed after school and is the child’s and parent’s choice, then
maybe the parents would be more comfortable with that. Birth control does not need to be
mentioned during the school day, because it puts the thoughts in the children’s minds; some
parents don’t want their children hearing about birth control because it will put thoughts in their
mind, such as thinking that sex is accepted at their age. Having birth control available after
school, and not announced any time during school, the parents may adjust to the change. The use
of posters in school about birth control or sex may also put a thought in the children’s mind. Being
right or wrong about the subject is up to what is on the poster. In the middle school in Maine
posters were hung in black and white with a baby informing children about the costs of raising a
baby vs. the costs of birth control (Doming). This type of information may cause the children to
think that buying birth control will be the less expensive choice, but children do not realize the
decision that they have made. Getting rid of the announcements at school will also get rid of most
of the pressure the school has put on the children. Additionally, if the schools have a consent form
that the parents sign, then the children will not be able to be informed about birth control without
their parent’s permission.
Children at the ages of ten to fifteen are not old enough to choose for themselves. Putting
thoughts into their minds about sex may make them think sex is perfectly accepted at a young
age, when it may not be an accepted action in their household. Birth control in middle schools
begins to start the children thinking about decisions that they are not ready to make on their own
yet. The children’s parents that are outraged by the decision to put birth control in schools
continue to fight against it, and hopefully changes will be made in the future, so the children are
not forced to make a decision about birth control while at such young ages.
Works Cited
Bouchard, Kelley. “Prescribe ‘the pill’ at middle school?” Portland Press Herald Maine Sunday
Telegram. 16 Oct. 2007. 26 Nov. 2007 .
Doming, Anne-Marie. “Bitter Pill: School Board OKs Birth Control for Middle School.” ABC
News.18 Oct. 2007. ABC. 26 Nov. 2007
Elliot, Joel. “Birth Control Allowed at Maine Middle School.” The New York Times. 17 Oct.
2007. 26 Nov. 2007 .
“Maine middle school to offer birth control.” cnn.com/health.18 Oct. 2007. 26 Nov. 2007