Critical Summary Writing for Virtual Communities
Project description
Introduce your summary with correct opening statement form
• Include a reference at the end of your summary (use APA or another referencing style with the help of a site such as www.citationmachine.net or follow the Assignment 2 example)
• Use in-text citations
• Write the document as four paragraphs (maximum 400 words +/- 30)
• Paraphrase the reading’s information (do not quote)
• Support with examples from your own experience or understanding
• Do not use “I”
• Double space
• Proofread carefully
• Include your word count
• Copy and paste the “Master Error Record” to the end of your paragraph, updated with the number of each type of error and your error average per 100 words from Assignment 3
Your critical summary assignment will be four paragraphs in length, and it allows you to use a shortened version of your summary (Assignment Three) as your introduction. You will discuss the benefits of and/or limitations to having specific norms of behavior in on-line collaborative communities. For example, you could consider the advantages and disadvantages of “assuming goodwill” or “jumping in where you can add value” as they are explained in the reading and as you know them from your own experience in virtual communities. Use the outline on p. 2 of this assignment to help you plan and organize your critical summary.

Outline Example for a Four-Paragraph Critical Summary
Introduction
1. Summary Starting Sentence: use the one in your original summary

2. Brief Summary of the Article (summarize your summary)

3. Thesis Statement for the Critical Summary: a general statement about the pros and cons of the ideas presented in the reading (contrastive parallel thesis structure)
Body Paragraph One
1. Topic Sentence: state a strength in the information or ideas in the reading; then support this strength with examples or explanations

2. Transition to the next paragraph
Body Paragraph Two
1. Topic Sentence: state another strength or a weakness in the information or ideas in the reading; then support this strength or weakness with examples or explanations

Conclusion
1. Summary Statement: What are the implications of the reading’s ideas? You may wish to consider the following: how will collaboration continue to shape the workplace, or how will collaboration challenge academic integrity in universities?

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