What is a reaction paper? A reaction paper is a paper which writers use to express their own opinions on a piece of media, such as a movie or a book. Such papers are normally fairly informal in nature and are judged on the writer’s ability to communicate his ideas as well as the ideas themselves. This kind of writing involves an introduction, a conclusion, and several (normally three to five) body paragraphs, each of which is dedicated to one single idea within the essay as a whole.
The introduction of your essay should be where the initial reaction is discussed before that reaction is broken down into its separate components in the body paragraphs. The conclusion wraps the research up and gives some final ideas while reiterating the ideas of the introduction.
How to start writing
A reaction paper needs a lot of research done at first, so to start it is best to focus on that. Since these papers are judged on the writer’s ability to communicate, the research is necessary; it allows people to focus more on their writing because they already know what it is they want to talk about. Writing a paper should be done carefully, making sure that each paragraph is clearly defined in what it says, and how it interacts with the rest of the paper.
- Make sure that you have a clear idea of how the essay is going to look – this will cut down on any ambiguity later.
- The introduction is important for setting up the paper – make sure you get it right.
How to create an outline
An outline is something which is written before the paper, in order to bring a little order to the writing process. An outline allows people to keep track of where they are in the writing process, although it does not have to be followed to the letter.
Outlines exist to give a basic outline of the paper – the introduction, the body paragraphs, the conclusion – and what each of them will say. Outlines are useful for helping people to clarify what they want to say in each paragraph, and also in planning how they want the paragraphs to be linked to one another.
Outlines provide a place for things to be written down before they go into the essay so that they are not forgotten.
How to write an introduction
The introduction is one of the most important parts of any paper, as it introduces everything, and is the first time any reader will come into contact with your writing and ideas. The introduction should, therefore, be something which covers everything that needs to be known and said, and do it all while maintaining somebody’s interest in the paper.
The introduction is where the thesis statement comes in; the purpose of the entire research/discussion. The introduction should be structured in such a way as to make it very clear what the thesis statement is, and how that statement is going to be broken down over the ensuing individual body paragraphs. The introduction should also be where a short discussion of the media which caused the reaction in the paper is found.
How to write a thesis statement for a reaction paper
A thesis statement is a sentence which is used to discuss the main idea and driving force of a paper. It is what the entire paper revolves around, so it is quite important to have one which is strong and can withstand scrutiny.
To write a thesis statement, consider what you are actually wanting to say – in this case, what your fundamental reaction was. This is your thesis statement. Write it down in a clear and coherent way which will allow you to flesh it out fully over the ensuing paper.
A thesis statement should first appear in the introduction, as the catalyst for the paper, and then be reiterated in the conclusion, to allow for a final summing up of ideas.
How to write the body paragraphs
- Make sure that each paragraph deals with one single piece of research, to keep it coherent.
- Make sure that each paragraph begins with a proper topic sentence, to introduce the subject.
- Make sure that each paragraph has a concluding sentence which both sums up the paragraph and connects it to the next paragraph.
- The essay should follow a coherent structure – the body paragraphs are a huge part of this and should follow each other logically.
- A body paragraph needs to be written clearly, to show the research and why a certain part of the reaction is justified/felt.
- Every single paragraph should have one part of the research involved which will eventually lead to the conclusion and show how it is part of the initial thesis statement.
How to finish a reaction paper
The conclusion is where the entire essay is summed up, and discussed. All the separate aspects of the writer’s reaction should be discussed here, and the writing should show how the thesis statement encompasses everything in the essay. The conclusion is where everything is brought together and explained properly for the benefit of the readers, and it should be a satisfying ending.
Tips on conclusion writing
- Reiterate the thesis statement from the introduction.
- Make sure to reference everything that was said in each individual paragraph.
- Explain how everything wraps up to give one final conclusion for the reaction paper.
- Make sure to reiterate any details from the introduction which might be necessary for the audience\readers to fully understand your conclusions.
- Make sure the writing is clear and concise.
Tips on paper revision
- Go over the paper several times to make sure you catch as many spelling\grammar and formatting errors as you can.
- Maybe ask someone else to look at the work, so that a pair of fresh eyes can go over it.
- Make sure the writing is coherent and clear – remember that communication is just as important as information in these essays.
- Double check the formatting, to make sure that the paper is formatted according to the proper guidelines.
Reaction paper sample
‘The Bad Batch’ is a 2016 thriller\romance film set in the dystopian future of the United States. The movie itself tries to combine thrills and horror with a romantic plotline, but on viewing it, I did not feel that this occurred. This paper aims to discuss the ways in which the film failed, with an emphasis on its gratuitous nature.
The film is something which tries to be a thriller, but which ultimately fails on all the thriller points except for those of gratuitous violence. The plot is not one which is calculated to keep its audience on the edge of its seat, mainly because after the first fifteen minutes it slows down to a snail-like pace. The film reserves its pacing for the execution of a woman found by the female main character, lovingly showing us it happening, while also reminding us of the pointless nature of it all by having no one (not even her husband) showing the slightest sign that they care.
While ‘The Bad Batch’ does try to sell itself as a thriller\romance, this is something which only it believes in. This paper discussed the ways in which the film failed to deliver on its own premise, with the gratuitous nature of certain scenes being the only way it paid lip-service to the conventions of some genres.
Obviously, an actual essay would have to be much more involved, but hopefully, the above sample will give you an idea of what is needed.