Each time I assign a text to read or a film to watch, I will ask you to prepare for class discussion by writing informally about what you’ve read or watched. This work is due before the start of class. You have many options for completing this work. I suggest you try them all to discover which is most productive for you.
No matter which option you choose, I will give you full credit if you have responded thoroughly. If you do not respond thoroughly, you will receive no credit but you will be given an opportunity to resubmit (I will explain what needs to change). If you submit a complete response late (or you resubmit it), you will receive partial credit (75%). If you need more time to complete your reflection, please request an extension.
Please note that if you’re watching a film or completing Wikipedia trainings, you won’t be able to annotate using Hypothesis. Also, when preparing a response to a film, please include timestamps in place of page numbers (this will be helpful for you when writing your paper!!).
Options for Responding
Annotate using Hypothesis
For most assigned readings, you will be able to annotate with Hypothesis inside Canvas. Create your own annotations and/or reply to others. Make sure you read the entire text and annotate in good faith. Reply to your classmates! Note: if you don’t want to see how your classmates have annotated as you read, you can close the annotation pane and click on the image of an eye to turn the highlights off.
Compose a Passage-Based Response (PBR)
The instructions for the PBR are at the bottom of this document. You can type the PBR in your word online document or you can handwrite your response. If handwritten, you must show me your response before the start of class to receive credit. I will let you know immediately if your response isn’t sufficient for credit and you can revise for partial credit. It is easiest to keep your word online document organized by making a note when you’ve handwritten an informal writing assignment.
Take Detailed Notes on the Reading in Your Word Online Document
If you don’t want to focus on one specific moment but instead want to gather as many ideas on as many different moments as possible, you can make a list of notes on the entire reading or the entire film. Make sure to include page numbers or timestamps. To get credit, these need to be very thorough notes!
Take Handwritten Notes
If you prefer handwriting your notes, you are not alone! You can do this on a printout of the assigned reading or you can take detailed notes on a separate sheet of paper. Make sure to include page numbers or timestamps. If handwritten, you must show me your notes before the start of class to receive credit. I will let you know immediately if you haven’t taken sufficient notes to receive credit. It is easiest to keep your word online document organized if you make a note when you’ve handwritten an informal writing assignment.
Have another idea? Run it by me!
The Passage-Based Response (PBR)
The primary goal of the PBR is to articulate, in writing, your initial observations about a text and begin to consider the implications of those observations. It is your responsibility to bring your comments/questions/frustrations into class discussion and discuss your ideas if you want feedback.
The Basics
- After reading the assigned text (or watching the assigned film), select one short passage (about 2-4 sentences) that captured your attention and transcribe it single-spaced onto the top of the page, including the page number from which the passage is taken (or the timestamp if you’re citing a film).
- Begin by describing why you chose the passage, and then offer your analysis of it.
- Your response should be about 500 words.
Details
- This is a pre-writing assignment, so your writing can be informal. Your analysis will differ depending on your reason for selecting the passage. If you choose a passage that you don’t understand at first, you should write informally to work through possible ways of understanding it. If you understand the text and find one passage interesting, infuriating, brilliant, etc., you should work toward articulating exactly what you think about the passage and begin to think of the larger implications of your response. Remember, your goal is not to summarize the entire text but to respond to something very specific!
- Ideally, you will work through the assigned text on your own, but a simple Google search could turn up summaries paraphrasing the plot/main argument and historical context, not to mention articles and student essays interpreting the text toward a new argument. Remember that these sources offer someone else’s response to the text; your goal is to respond to the original assigned text; looking to these sources means you veer away from your goal. If you find the text very confusing, referencing a summary can be useful, but you need to return to the task of articulating your response.
- You do not need to read anything other than the assigned text to write a passage-based response. If you do read something else, you must note where the ideas from that source enter into your response with a citation. Skipping this step is not an option; if your response includes the ideas or language of someone else, that source needs to be acknowledged.
