January 27, 2010 Archives

This page For every assigned reading, please bring to class a half-page response.

As part of my semester-long goal to help you develop the skills to contribute to a productive in-class discussion of an assigned reading, I will look for each of the following sections:

1. A brief summary of the author's main point.
   (You won't need to outline every subsection or memorize all the names and facts for a quiz; you will need to demonstrate that you have read and understood the material, so writing down details that help you identify the author's controlling opinion is a good place to start.) 
   
2. A quotation (with the page number) that raises an original point.
   (Try to go beyond simply spotting a surprising fact, or a claim that you agree with or disagree with; look for a specific passage that made you think, and thus expanded your mind.)
   
3. Your opinion about the point mentioned in #2. (Here is where you use the "Active Reading" strategies described on pages 10-15 of Rereading America.)
   (Why did you choose it? How does it relate to the author's main idea? Practice articulating your opinion, so that you'll be able to write persuasively about it.)
   
4. A question about the reading, that you would like to discuss in class.
   (If you practice coming up with good discussion questions now, it will be easier later on when you need to come up with your own paper topics, research questions, and thesis statements.)