2. Write a single–page, 250–word response to those readings and post it here. Each reading response will be evaluated in a scale of 1(D–) to 5 (A+). The responses must demonstrate a thorough and in–depth understanding and reflection of the material; we look for the following:
o
▪ List of the readings you read at the top of the page.
▪ A “big question” or “overarching theory” that will reflect the essence
of your response, phrased like a Yes / No / Maybe, or an XYZ:
Strongly Agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly Disagree. Think of it
like a thesis statement or thesis question of an essay, something to
get the reader of your response inspired. Each week, a selection of
questions from your responses will be chosen for Tuesday’s
synchronous Q&A session.
▪ A brief summary of the reading(s) you read this week, outlining the
key arguments and connecting them where applicable.
▪ A reflection that responds to the author’s text. Be sure to stay
aware and critical of your own response to the author’s arguments
and points; why might you agree, disagree, feel shocked, or maybe
aren’t surprised at all to what they say? Can you back up your
viewpoints with specific examples or include some personal
experiences that help to shape your response to what you read?
You sure can 😉
3. Copy this response into the Quercus discussion board for this week as well, so that your
peers can see how thoughtful you are and also respond to you with thoughts of their own.
4. Repeat next week!
FAQ 🙂
Due Dates
Responses are due every Monday by 11pm to allow your peers to respond to your writing on Tuesday
before class. You have the whole week to do your readings and responses, so don’t stay up all night and
hand it in late! They’re much more chill than you might think, and your sleep is important. Talk to Robert &
Luis if you have any questions or need assistance!
Grading
1/5: didn’t read enough, or summarize, or hit the word count
2/5: summarized texts, no reflection, too short
3/5: summarized texts, light reflection
4/5: reflected on the texts
5/5: thoughtfully reflected on the texts
Half or quarter marks will be awarded where applicable (ie. 3.5, 4.25, etc).
Word Count
When writing papers, we provide a ±10% wiggle room on word count. That means that on a 250 word
response, 225–275 is an acceptable range, provided that your response satisfies the conditions above in
a thoughtful way. Marks will be deducted for students who submit responses that do not conform to the
above range (less or greater). The overarching question and reading list are not part of the word count.
