4

Write down your initial reactions. After you read through the first time, jot down your
initial reactions to the text. Do the same thing on any subsequent readings.
 Try completing some of the following sentences after you read: I think that..., I see
that..., I feel that..., It seems that..., or In my opinion...[8]
2.

5
 Annotate the text as you read. As you read through the text again, annotate it.
Annotating in the margins of the text allows you to easily locate quotations, plot lines,
character development, or reactions to the text. If you fail to annotate thoroughly, it will
be more difficult to create a cohesive reaction paper.
3.

6
Question as you read. As you read the text, you have to start questioning the text. This
is where your evaluation of the material and your reaction begins. Some questions to
consider include:
 What issues or problems does the author address?
  What is the author's main point?
 What points or assumptions does the author make, and how does she back that up?
 What are strengths and weaknesses? Where are problems with the argument?
 How do the texts relate? (if multiple texts)
 How do these ideas connect to the overall ideas of the class/unit/etc?[9]

2
Part

Drafting Your Essay

1.

1
 Freewrite. Start by freewriting your reactions and evaluations of the author's ideas. Try
to put into words what you think the author is trying to do and whether you agree or
disagree. Then ask yourself why, and explain why you think these things. Freewriting is
a great way to start getting your ideas on paper and getting past that initial writer's
block.[10]
 When you finish, read back over what you've just written. Determine what your
strongest and most convincing reactions are. Prioritize your points.
2.

2
 Decide on your angle. Reaction papers have to be critical and have some evaluation
of the text. Otherwise, you are just summarizing what you read. After freewriting, decide
what your angle is. Keep asking yourself the same questions as you craft a coherent
reaction.
 Think about why the author has written the article or story as they have. Why did he
structure things in this particular way? How does this relate to the outside world? [11]
3.

3
Determine your thesis. Now that you have completed your freewriting and found your
angle, you can now shape this into an argument. What interesting thing do you have to
 say about what you just read? Start to state why what you said is interesting and
important. This is the core of your reaction paper. Take all your points, opinions, and
observations, and combine them into one claim that you will prove. This is your thesis.
 Your thesis will be one statement that explains what you will analyze, criticize, or try to
prove about the text. It will force your reaction paper to remain focused.
4.

4
Organize your paper. Your paper should follow basic essay format. It needs an
introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph should directly
support your thesis. In each body paragraph, you should be reacting to a different
 portion of the text. Organize your reactions together into a few common topics so you
can write them into paragraphs.
 For example, if you are reacting to a theme in a book, you can split the paragraphs into
how the setting, antagonist, and figurative imagery communicate the themes
successfully or unsuccessfully.
5.

5
Gather quotations. After you organize your ideas into paragraphs, you need to find
quotations that will support your points. You must back up your claims with evidence
from the text. Look at your annotations for quotations that support your thesis.
  Draft paragraphs that introduce quotations, analyze them, and comment on them. [12]
6.

6
Structure your paragraphs. Your paragraphs should always start with a topic
sentence. Then you have to decide how to structure your paragraph. You can start with
what the author says and follow that with your reaction. Or you can start with the author
and then follow with how your reaction contrasts. You generally want to start with what
the author says first and follow it with your reaction.[13]
 A good way to think about structuring your paragraph is: detail, example/quotation,
commentary/evaluation, repeat.
 3
Part

Writing Your Final Draft

1.

1
Write your introduction. Make sure your introductory paragraph states the name of
the text, the author, and the focus of your paper. You may also want to include the year
of publication and the publication it was taken from if relevant. It is also good to include
the topic of the text and the author's purpose.
 The last sentence of your introduction should be your thesis.
2.
 2
Reread your reaction paragraphs to ensure you make a stance. Although most
reaction papers don't ask specifically for your personal opinion, you should be critiquing,
analyzing, and evaluating the text, rather than just sticking to the facts.
 Look for places where you simply report what the texts says instead of providing a
critique or evaluation of what the text says.
3.
 3
Explain the greater implications of the text for the class, author, audience, or
yourself. One good way to analyze and evaluate the text is to connect it to other ideas
you've discussed in the class. How does this text compare to other texts, authors,
themes, or time periods?
 If you have been asked to give a statement about your personal opinion, the conclusion
may be the best place to insert it. Some teachers may allow you to state the personal
opinions in the body paragraphs. Make sure to double check with the teacher first.
4.
 4
Edit for clarity and length. Since reaction papers are usually short, you don't want
them to be long. They can range from 500 words to 5 pages. Make sure to read your
assignment carefully to make sure you follow directions.
 Read through for clarity. Are your sentences clear? Have you supported and fully
argued your points? Is there any place where you're confusing?
5.
 5
Proof and spell check your document. Proof by reading for grammar errors. Look for
run ons, fragments, verb tense issues, and punctuation errors. Check for spelling.
6.
6
Ask yourself if you responded to the assignment adequately. Double check your
assignment guidelines. Make sure you have followed your teacher's directions. If you
did, it is ready to submit.

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Community Q&A
 What are the parts of a reaction paper?
 wikiHow Contributor

The parts of a reaction paper are (in order) the introduction of the given topic, the body
of the topic, and the conclusion of the given topic.
Not Helpful 17 Helpful 71

 What are different types of reaction papers?

wikiHow Contributor

Reaction papers include research papers, sample essays, argumentative or persuasive

essays, narrative, descriptive and reaction/response essays, or comparison/contrast
and cause/effect essays.
Not Helpful 18 Helpful 63

 How can I make sure my reaction paper is effective?

wikiHow Contributor

It will be effective if it shows your opinion on a specific position, but you make sure to
still discuss another position.
Not Helpful 4 Helpful 15

 How do I write a reaction paper about Beowulf?

wikiHow Contributor

Determine what type of reaction paper you want to write and go from there. If you want
to do a response essay, pick something in the story that really jumped out at you and
write about that.
Not Helpful 12 Helpful 26

 How can I write a reaction paper about our leadership training?

wikiHow Contributor

You can gather any and all written documents regarding leadership training to then
break down and assess, and begin your paper from there.
Not Helpful 12 Helpful 20

 Do I need to use a computer for this?

wikiHow Contributor

No. You can write your paper by hand if you would prefer.
Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3

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Tips
 Look for things the author leaves out or raise counterarguments when an argument is
weak.

 Don't wait too long between reading the text and writing the paper. You don't want to
forget important details.

 This paper is not autobiographical. It's not about how you feel, how you were in the
same situation, or how this relates to your life.[14]
 Always check the format that your teacher gives you.

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Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/reaction.html
2. ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/uploads/assets/response%20paper.pdf
3. ↑ https://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/onlineguide/chapter8-14.cfm
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Categories: Featured Articles | Better Writing | Homework Skills

In other languages:

Italiano: Scrivere una Comprensione del Testo, Deutsch: Eine Interpretation

erfassen, Español: escribir un ensayo de reacción, Português: Escrever uma
Reação, Русский: написать рецензию, 中文: 写反应论文, Français: écrire un
commentaire de texte, Bahasa Indonesia: Menulis Makalah
Tanggapan, Nederlands: Een beoordelingsverslag schrijven
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