1. Choose a topic (should be an issue facing the family) for your reaction paper. Elect one that is interesting to you! Reaction papers are an opportunity for you to develop an educated opinion on a topic, and present your response to another person’s argument. You may agree or disagree with the argument, depending on your own informed opinion.
2. Access one social science article that presents a viewpoint or perspective on your topic. You will address this perspective in your reaction paper. Review what you have learned about critically evaluating secondary resources. Your resource may present a perspective that you agree with, or one that you reject. Avoid emotional knee-jerk reactions; rather than responding from only personal experience, which is limited, expand your evidence and formulate informed opinions based on further reading, research, and evidence. To select and access a social science article and related research material, consult the resources below or other sources that you may be familiar with.
To formulate a reaction to another person’s argument, ask yourself the following questions:
Do I agree/disagree with the author’s perspective? Why or why not?
What bias is evident? What assumptions does the author make?
What new knowledge have I learned? Have my previous opinions on this topic been changed in any way?
What is the purpose of this material? Does it accomplish its goal?
Is the information in this material useful? Accurate? Thorough? Credible? What evidence does the author present to support this perspective?
What questions do I still have? Has the author omitted information or failed to address something important?
What are the opposing arguments to this position? Can this perspective refute them?