Reading Response Essays--Assignment and Guidelines

English 1020 sec 15, Spring 2014, O'Donnell, ETSU

last update: January 21, 2014

Assignment

Over the course of the semester, you will write 6 reading responses, of 300-600 words each. I will grade the responses. You will drop your lowest grade (excluding Fs). The remaining 5 grades together count for 25% of your final grade. See the course calendar for specific response essay assignments and due dates.

For each response, pick any article assigned for class readings, during that particular week. Then write a short essay in response. The purpose of your essay is to introduce and gloss the article. Describe the article's highlights, and tell your readers why that article is interesting and/ or important.

Guidelines

1.) Your audience is general: Classmates, fellow college students, fellow American citizens. Don't write just for the teacher. Write in such a way that, if a stranger found your response essay on the internet, she or he would understand and enjoy it.

2.) Include an interesting title, and a subtitle and/or summary blurb.

3.) Include, in a text box at the top of the page, the basic information about the article you're discussing: A) author; B) full title; C) date and publication information.

4.) Include a good quote or two from the article you're writing about.

5.) Discuss the author of the article: What is that person's background, discipline, training and credentials?

6.) Discuss the periodical (magazine, newspaper, blog or other website) in which the article is published. Who reads this periodical? -- people in a particular profession or discipline? demographic? region or nation?

7.) Discuss the time during which the article was written and, likewise, published.

8.) Include a few words about who you are, and why you found the article meaningful.