Reading Responses

Each time you have a reading assignment for this class, you will be responsible for creating a reading response. Because there is a chapter or set of chapters to read for nearly every class, you will have a reading response due for nearly every class period.

You may see a list of all weekly response prompts here.

Reading responses will typically be due on Tuesdays by 6 p.m. The system time stamps them and they will not be counted as "on time" if they are submitted after 6:00 p.m.

Each reading response is to be no less than 300 words. You are always welcome to write much more, but less than 300 words will not receive credit.

Follow the advice on the Your Weblog page.

Reading responses must be posted in a timely manner in order to receive credit. You should post you reading response to your personal weblog on the course website by creating and saving a personal blog entry.

In composing your response,

• If given a prompt as part of the assignment, be sure to focus your response in regards to the prompt.
• When applicable to the reading (or when not given a specific prompt), tie your response to recent class discussions, your current project work (this or another class), something you might have read elsewhere, and/or previous professional, academic, or personal experience writing and communicating in other contexts.
• In other words, you have a lot of latitude in how you chose to make your writing meaningful.
• Never merely summarize the reading. The purpose of the reading responses is for you to reflect and draw meaning from assigned readings and other blogging assignments. Summaries do not receive credit.
• As we learn HTML code this semester, you are expected to use it to format your blog posts with the basic HTML markup.

Grading the Reading Responses
If you complete all reading response assignments, you may assume that you have done "B" work for reading response grade.

Grade "A" blog writing will also demonstrate outstanding reflection and meaning making over the course. I will report to you at midterm how you are doing--A, B, or D on the reading responses. Because all writing is valued in this course, your reading responses are where you demonstrate learning of course readings.

Reading responses are one way you indicate your course "attendance." As a consequence, you must submit a majority of the reading responses in order to pass this class.