Lisa Hammond Rashley
University of South Carolina Lancaster
English Department | 213 James Bradley Arts and Sciences
Building
Post Office Box 889 | Lancaster, SC 29721
office phone: 803-313-7044 | fax: 803-313-7106
lrashley@gwm.sc.edu
Women’s Studies J111: Women in Culture
Reading Response Assignment
Due dates are included on the syllabus
'Tis the good reader that makes the good book.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
What is a reading response?
Each response should be at least 500-1000 words (about one to two typewritten
single-spaced pages). Responses will be due on the date and time specified
on the syllabus.
A reading response is not a summary of your reading, but a response
to it—a way of thinking about the reading. Responses are not formal papers,
but should be carefully written nevertheless. Be specific about the works
you’re discussing, give details to back up any assertions you may make,
and finally, pay attention to grammar and mechanics.
Some questions to consider in a response
Try to think about just a few of these; a successful journal entry
will consider one or two issues in depth rather than attempt to answer
each one of these questions.
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How does the text reflect cultural attitudes about gender or about race?
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Have things changed since the writing of the text?
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How did you feel about what you read?
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Why do you think the text provoked this response in you?
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Did you find your own values and assumptions reflected in the text?
Think about not only the work overall, but also smaller sections of it.
How does one incident or phrase or symbol echo the larger meaning of the
work? Reading responses will count 200 points towards your final grade;
you will write eight responses, each of which will count 25 points. None
of these grades will be dropped. Due dates for responses are posted on
the syllabus. An effective journal will demonstrate that you have thoroughly
read and understood the reading (or that you ask questions that reveal
careful reading). It will develop connections between the reading and the
themes of the course and demonstrate that you have considered the implications
of the readings. It may suggest questions for the discussion boards. The
writing will be clear and will be largely correct. While this assignment
may sound a bit daunting, you will find you begin to accomplish it with
ease as you develop your reading and writing skills over the semester.
Most writers not only enjoy responses, but also find that they’re a good
grade-booster at the end of the semester. Please use the following format
for the header for each response.
Your Name
Response #1
7 September 2000
name of the author of the article
"article title"
I've included a link here to a sample reading response,
but let me emphasize that you might choose a number of ways to write a
response--this is only one way you might approach it. Each of your
responses should be saved as a separate word processing file, preferably
a Microsoft Word. Other formats may be acceptable--I'll just have to try
to download them and see. To upload your file to me, go to the Tools button
to your left, and choose Digital Drop Box. Follow the directions onscreen
to find your file.
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