Choose one (1) reading from this current week’s assigned readings. Make sure to read carefully so that you are prepared to write your weekly reading response with ease. Your weekly reading response should be no more than 8-10 sentences long –ie. No more than two paragraphs in length–and should demonstrate both engagement as well as comprehension. Please do not quote the author in such a short assignment–practice paraphrasing instead!
Here are some detailed tips for writing your weekly reading responses: Think about it as a mini-paper!
First two Sentences: Introduction Who is the author and what is the author’s thesis? What is the main problem/topic the author is attempting to discuss, address or analyze?
Second two Sentences: Body How does the author address their thesis, problem or topic? This can be a statement on the author’s methods, the author’s point of view/perspective, and/or the author’s main point/s (what is the author trying to convey?) What is the author trying to help us understand or think about differently?
Third two Sentences: Discussion Option to go into more/greater detail discussing what the author is trying to say. What are the important facts that support their argument? What is the author trying to get you (their reader) to consider, reconsider, or problematize; and, how?
Fourth two Sentences: Analysis Why is the author’s work important–what does it do for you? What questions are you left to consider after reading? What did the author open-up for you (teach you, make you question, challenge, or confirm) and/or close-off (leave out, misrepresent, ignore, situate in a past that is no longer the present, etc)?
Fifth (and last two) Sentences: Conclusion A statement on your comprehension of the author’s main argument/analysis. This is a moment to demonstrate that (even if you have questions or issues with their argument/analysis) you understand what they were attempting to argue/analyze and you can explain it succinctly.
These reading responses could be of great use to you when it comes time to write your midterm and final papers–do yourself a favor now that will pay off later!