Unit 6: The Reaction and Review Paper

Lesson 2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and

Review Paper

Contents

Engage 1
Introduction 1
Objectives 2

Explore 2

Explain and Elaborate 3

Analyzing a Reaction Paper 3
Analyzing a Review Paper 6
Raising Contrary Views 7

Extend 12
Activity 1 12
Activity 2 13

Evaluate 14

Wrap Up 16

Bibliography 17
Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Engage

Introduction

Fig. 1. The shows you love watching might be disliked by someone else

There are times when we disagree with a review of a movie we have watched or someone’s
reaction to a book we have read. The same thing can happen when we read and analyze
reaction or review papers. There will be times when we disagree with the points made, or
we have a different point of view on the text, research, or literature analyzed. When that
happens, what can we do? How can we accurately present our ideas that are contrary to a
review or reaction paper?

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Read and analyze a reaction paper and review paper.
● Convincingly raise contrary views to a reaction or review paper.

DepEd Competencies
● Presents ideas convincingly. (CS_EN11/12A-EAP-Id-f-13)
● Raises legitimate, contrary views in an appropriate manner. (CS_EN11/12A-EAP-Id-f-15)
● Analyze a reaction paper and review paper. (additional lesson for enrichment)

Explore

15 minutes

Look for an online review of a movie, book, or video game that you disagree with (negative
review of a movie you liked or vice versa). Read the review and analyze how it was written.
Then, answer the following questions.

Guide Questions

1. Why did you disagree with the review?

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

2. What part(s) of the review did you dislike in particular?

3. What part(s) of the review did you still like despite disagreeing with it?

Explain and Elaborate

Analyzing a Reaction Paper

For you to be able to raise your counterpoints to a reaction paper, you must first learn how
to analyze one properly. By now, you should be familiar with the features and structure of a
reaction paper. To examine one, you must be familiar with the reaction paper’s features and
structures. Learning more about what their purposes are will also help you get an idea of
what you can expect from the reaction paper, such as what questions it is answering, what
aspects of the original text or work it is reacting to, and how the ideas in the paper are
arranged and organized.

The first thing you must do when analyzing a reaction paper is to read, view, or have some
knowledge of the material it is reacting to. Knowing the source material will also allow
you to have a better understanding of what the paper is talking about, and later on, it will
help you formulate your ideas regarding the reaction paper. You could make use of the
summary the author would normally provide at the start of their reaction paper. Still, to be

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

able to create more concrete ideas and counterarguments later on, it would be best to be
familiar with the work itself.

Then, the questions you keep in mind when formulating your own reaction paper can
later be used to analyze another person’s paper.

If the reaction paper is for a class, what points or aspects, when emphasized, would make
the most sense in the context of the class? When you are the one analyzing instead of
writing, try to find these ideas in the paper and see how the writer treats them. Do you
agree with what they said? Do you feel that what they chose to focus on in their reaction
paper is something relevant to the class? If yes, how? If not, what would you emphasize or
focus on instead?

How is the work related to any current national or international issues? Did it help you
understand a particular issue even more? When writing a reaction paper, you would ask
these questions to better frame your reaction in the context of the world. So it is likely that
the reaction paper you are reading could have done the same. Look out for how they
connect the work and their reactions to contemporary issues. Do you feel that the paper is
relevant to the connected issue? Did they discuss and connect the work properly to the
issue? Is the connection appropriate or too forced?

When writing a reaction paper, you could also ask how the work resonated with you. Did it
remind you of an experience you had, a lesson you learned, the emotions you felt? How did
it strike you? When analyzing a reaction paper, you can also find these types of reactions. It
would be best to take note of these reactions when analyzing the paper, but not to dwell too
long on them, as it is difficult to dispute the feelings of another person.

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Remember
Talking about your personal connection to the work is important
when writing a reaction paper. However, when analyzing one, it is
best to use this part of the paper to get an idea of how the author
personally feels about the work, and not use it to find something to
dispute.

Writing a reaction paper also means that you will evaluate the merits of the chosen work.
What are its strengths and weaknesses? Is it complete? Is it accurate? If there is a need for
one, what is the lesson or moral of the narrative? Is it delivered effectively? In analyzing a
reaction paper, you must have your own opinions about the work as well, which is why you
must also be familiar with the work being reacted to. Lastly, do not forget to see if you agree
with the points the author made about the work’s merits.

Would you recommend the work to others? This is also a question that should be answered
when writing a reaction paper. You could also raise counterpoints about this part if you
disagree with the author’s recommendation.

Tip
Avoid reading and analyzing a reaction or review paper with the
immediate goal of refuting it in mind. If you read the paper with that
mindset, you may become biased and fail to treat the author’s
points with respect. Read with the goal of understanding the author,
their points, and their evidence, as this will also strengthen your
arguments. You can plan your contrary views later.

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Analyzing a Review Paper

Similar to analyzing a reaction paper, you must also be familiar with the work that a review
paper is discussing when you analyze it. As a casual reader of a review, you need not be too
familiar with the work, since the reason you are reading the review could be to see if the
work it is reviewing is worth checking out or not. However, if your goal is to analyze and
possibly raise counterpoints against it, then you should also be familiar with the work in
question.

If the review has a thesis statement or a clear main idea, then that can be a good starting
point for your analysis. As you have learned in previous lessons, the thesis statement will
help you predict the flow of the rest of the paper.

A review paper will most likely also have its own analysis and interpretation of the work. This
is where the bulk of the review paper is, and where most of your analysis will focus.
Analyzing a review paper is similar to preparing to write a reaction or review of your own.
The difference is that you will not only provide an analysis of the work in question, but you
will also analyze how the author of the review analyzed and interpreted the work. If your
next step is to organize and write your counterpoints, then your arguments will mostly
come from your own analysis of the work mixed with your opinions on the review writer’s
analysis. Take note of how the author defends their thesis statement with their analysis, as
that is the basis of the whole paper.

A review paper will most likely have a conclusion where the points and key ideas of the
paper will be summarized. In the conclusion section, your analysis should also focus on the
recommendation. Does the author recommend this work to their readers? They could
explain why or why not during the conclusion, although it is likely that most of the evidence
for this can be found in the body of the paragraph.

Why is it important to keep an open mind when

analyzing someone else’s review?

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Raising Contrary Views

Once we have finished reading and analyzing the reaction or review paper, how should we
then present our ideas and counter arguments appropriately?

First, it is important to remember that even though your goal is to refute the points of the
paper you have analyzed, it is best to still look at the opposing points carefully and without
bias. Doing this will show understanding and respect on your part, will make your
arguments more credible, and will help readers relate to your points.

There are times when you will find this hard to do, especially when you are passionate
about a particular topic. For example, you might not want to take a review of your favorite
book seriously because it gave the book a negative review. Still, it is best to analyze
reactions and reviews respectfully and appropriately. When it is clear that you took a
reaction or review paper’s points seriously, your own arguments become more credible
because your audience or your readers will know you formulated these points after
carefully considering the opposing viewpoints.

How do we present our contrary views in an

appropriate manner?

Presenting the Counterpoint

You can present the point you intend to oppose in any number of ways. You can directly
quote or paraphrase the paper with the argument or you can use your own words to offer a
rhetorical statement or hypothetical scenario. Whichever way you decide to use, you must
do so respectfully, fairly, objectively, accurately, and distinctly.

Use neutral language to present the argument. Make it clear and distinct that you are
presenting someone else’s viewpoint, but do so fairly and objectively by using neutral
language. Do not use emotionally charged or biased language to present the topic, or you
will come off as dismissive. This does not weaken their argument, but it does weaken yours.
Present the argument neutrally before shooting it down, because the more readers see that

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you are treating the original argument with respect, the more open they will be to your
rebuttals.

Also, avoid the temptation of using the straw man fallacy when presenting the argument.
This is when you purposely weaken the opposing argument by overly simplifying it, taking it
out of context, or describing it incompletely. This is a commonly used tactic, but it is often
looked down upon and can be detected easily. Be warned that when you try to shortchange
the opposing argument in this way, it could become obvious to your readers that you are
using it to compensate for the shortcomings of your own arguments.

Tip
When you are analyzing someone else’s reaction paper, look out for
fallacies. Fallacies can weaken arguments and knowing how to spot
them can help you develop critical thinking skills that are beneficial
to your own analysis.

Example 1
Avoid presenting a counterpoint like this: “David ignorantly calls The Little Prince a
predictable book written only for children, which shows that the point of the book clearly
went over his head.”

The statement is riddled with emotionally charged language and is outright dismissive of the
argument. This is a poor presentation of the counterpoint, and will also make your own
points sound weaker.

Instead, try wording it this way: “David believes that The Little Prince is a predictable book
and is primarily intended for children to read.”

This uses neutral language and does not mix in any opinions just yet. It merely presents the
point that it will argue against clearly and accurately. You are, of course, allowed to argue

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against the point later on. When presenting it, however, remember to treat it as a valid
argument.

Example 2
A straw man fallacy in action looks like this: “There are students who cheat in tests because
they claim that they just do not have time to study. However, they just need to practice
proper time management skills to solve this problem.”

Simply saying that “they do not have time to study” oversimplifies the argument and does
not show much sympathy or respect. Plus, the use of words like “they claim” and “just”
implies that you are belittling the topic because of the tone of disbelief and the
oversimplification of the possible solution.

Instead, try saying it like this: “Students have many responsibilities: they have obligations
with family, extracurricular activities, friends, and academic expectations, especially from
teachers who feel their class should be the top priority. Sometimes, students are forced to
cheat because they could not make time to study for a subject in between all of their other
responsibilities. However, I think that with the right time management skills, they will be
able to find more time to study for tests.”

This presentation shows the valid points of the opposing argument. It shows that, despite
being against the idea of cheating, you are presenting it fairly, accurately, and respectfully.
You are acknowledging the difficulties students are facing when it comes to managing time
and yet are still able to propose a solution. Additionally, the point sounds more honest and
caring, rather than judgemental and dismissive. It shows genuine concern for the students
rather than a desire to prove a point wrong.

Refuting the Counterpoint

After you present the argument that you are opposing, you can then proceed to show the
readers why they should take your side.

You should have convincingly and respectfully presented the opposing views. Your next step
is to introduce your own counterarguments. Remember, the stronger the starting argument,

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

the stronger your own points are going to be when you are successfully able to counter
them.

There are four main parts that should be part of your refutation:
● introducing the counterpoint
● stating your objections to the points raised by the paper
● offering evidence to support your rebuttal
● concluding your point by comparing the two viewpoints head to head

The order of the counterpoint and your objection can be interchangeable, depending on
your writing style. You can present the counterpoint first to immediately establish it while at
the same time making sure that your objection is more memorable because you are ending
with it. Presenting your objection first before the counterpoint immediately puts your
reasoning in the minds of your readers, and this is more effective when you have a limited
amount of words or time to make your argument. If you are working with multiple
counterpoints and multiple objections, you can also present them alternatingly to show that
you have a solid rebuttal for each point.

Tip
You can conclude your analysis by reiterating the contrary points
and providing a short explanation on why your viewpoint is better.
Doing so can help make a lasting impression on your readers.

Example 3
Let’s say the counterpoint is: “The opposition believes that The Hobbit should never have
been turned into three movies because they unnecessarily drag out scenes and add
characters and events that never even happened in the book.”

It should be presented, as shown above: with respect, fairness, and accuracy.

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Next, the objection can be presented as a question or a statement, and it should be the
reason the readers do not accept the counterpoint.

For example, “However, let us consider that books and movies are highly different forms of
media; the same scene described in a book might translate differently when shown on the
big screen.”

The statement presents your primary argument for refuting the initial counterargument, but
does not belittle it. The use of the word “consider” also gives it a more persuasive tone
rather than a forceful one. It would be more convincing if you could persuade readers to
think the same way you do, rather than forcing them to see your point of view.

Then, support your objection with reliable evidence, expert opinion, and sound reasoning.
For example, “In the book, the scene with the spiders in the forest is described in a
paragraph or two, which makes sense given the medium. However, if we were to strictly
follow the book word for word when we move the scene onto a movie screen, it would
become a rushed scene with poor pacing and inadequate dramatic weight.”

Finally, conclude it by resolving the conflict. You have presented two valid viewpoints. Use
the conclusion to state, once and for all, why yours is the better one. For example, “While
strictly following the book and reducing The Hobbit to only one movie would be a more
faithful adaptation of the beloved classic, extending it to three movies makes sense because
it adds depth, drama, and gravitas to scenes and events that were otherwise glossed over in
the book.”

Continue to share some insight that helps the counterpoint, but end with yet another
rebuttal that can prove that your argument is still the better one. In the case of analyzing
reactions and reviews, the conclusion is not just a restatement of your main argument, but a
direct comparison between your point and the point of the paper, followed by a conclusion
as to why yours is still better.

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Extend

Activity 1
Find a reaction paper on a novel, short story, or poem you are familiar with online. Write a
short paragraph of your own that presents your ideas contrary to the paper.

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Guide
● Recall the four steps in presenting your contrary views: introduce the counterpoint,
state your objection, support your objection, and then conclude your paper.
● Remember to present the idea(s) of the original paper respectfully, objectively,
accurately, and distinctively.

Activity 2
Find a review of a movie or TV show you are familiar with online. Write a short paragraph of
your own that presents your ideas contrary to the review.

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Unit 6.2: Analyzing a Reaction Paper and Review Paper

Guide
● Recall the four steps in presenting your contrary views: introduce the counterpoint,
state your objection, support your objection, and then conclude your paper.
● Remember to present the idea(s) of the original paper respectfully, objectively,
accurately, and distinctively.

Evaluate

A. Answer the following questions in complete sentences

using your own words.

1. What is the first thing you should do before analyzing a reaction or review paper?

2. What can you use to help you analyze a reaction paper?

3. What goal could you have for reading a review if you were a casual reader?

4. What will you focus on in your analysis of a review paper?

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5. How should you look at the points you plan to oppose later on?

B. Read the instructions for the following items carefully.

Write your answers and explain them comprehensively on
the space provided.

1. Why is there a need to analyze reaction or review papers?

2. How is being familiar with the source material the reaction or review paper is talking
about helpful in your analysis?

3. Why is it important that our views are presented respectfully and appropriately?

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4. Why should we present the points of a reaction or review paper accurately and fairly
when we refute them?

5. How is a conclusion in your rebuttal different from a conclusion in a standard academic

paper?

Wrap Up
___________________________________________________________________________________________

● Analyze a reaction paper by following the same questions used to write one.
● An analysis of a review paper is done by presenting your understanding of both the
source material and the review’s own analysis.
● Present counterpoints respectfully, objectively, accurately, and distinctively.
● Refute counterpoints by presenting the author’s ideas, stating your own objections,
supporting your objections, and having a clear conclusion.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Bibliography
Elements of a review paper. Colorado State University. Accessed April 7, 2020.
https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/page.cfm?pageid=1534&guideid=79

Incorporating Objections and Opposing Views. Lumen Learning. Accessed April 7, 2020.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-writing/chapter/incorporating-objecti
ons-and-opposing-views/

Response Paper. Duke University. Accessed April 7, 2020.

https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/response-paper.origi
nal.pdf

Sample Response Papers. Longwood University. Accessed April 7, 2020.

https://www.longwood.edu/staff/mcgeecw/sampleresponsepapers.htm

The Writing Process: Writing a Response or Reaction Paper. Hunter College. Accessed April 6,
2020.
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Writing-a
-Response-or-Reaction-Paper

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