ENGL 201

English 201 – British Literature I

Reading Response Assignment Sheet

Overview: A reading response is a two-page paper, in which, in a more or less organized way, the writer attempts to

explain his or her personal reaction to some aspect of a work of literature. Ideally, it should pose a single question,

and attempt to answer it, but it may also explicate a text or give a comprehensive reading of a work or part of a

work. You will only consult/quote from the specific work you select – no outside sources under any circumstance.

You should assume that your audience is a public one, of well-educated and thoughtful readers, with an interest in a

somewhat formal, serious conversation about literature. You may assume that your reader has read the material, but

has not extensively studied it.

The writer should be specific, including close readings of texts and always using specific and appropriately chosen

quotations to support and extend your ideas.

Begin by examining questions that the work leaves you with. For instance, why did the author use this method or

style of writing? What is left out? What sort of patterns are apparent in the work? What is the meaning of a specific

character, scene, or image? What ideas are embodied in the work? Who does the writer seem to like, and who does

he seem to dislike? The question may begin anywhere, but should be pursued, no matter how inconsequential they

may seem at first.

Always state a thesis and always support it with evidence from the text. For these assignments, you should underline

your thesis statement. You will select one work from what we have read together as a class for that particular period

of literature (the first is medieval, the second Renaissance, and the final Restoration/18th-Century). Your response

should focus only on this one work and it must correspond to the most recent historical period we have examined.

Do not write on a work that was not assigned as class reading or you will be given a zero.

Clarity/Organization/Structure: Is the paper clear in asserting your thoughts? Is it organized in a logical, easy to

follow manner? Does the paper have a solid structure to it? These are questions you should ask yourself at every

step of the writing process. A good response is one that is clear, logical and organized, even if it has the occasional

misspelled word or misplaced comma. Writing is about bringing forth ideas.

Language: Does the paper have good syntax and sentence usage? Is the wording clear? Is the voice of the narrator

consistent throughout? Is the vocabulary of the writer redundant or varied? Again, these are questions you should

consider during the writing process, especially during the proofreading stage.

Grammar/Mechanics/Spelling: Your response is expected to be free from grammatical, mechanical, and spelling

errors. Students are encouraged to re-read their responses in order to correct any overlooked error.

Format: Students are to use the standard MLA heading. Papers are to be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font

with 1.0 margins with a title that reflects the subject matter. Double space your papers and be certain to underline

your thesis statement. Use black ink and include a ‘Works Cited’ page. Page numbers in the upper-right hand corner

are expected. All responses are to be written in third person; no first person use of “I” is allowed. Do not use

contractions. You are only to cite/reference the work that you are analyzing; no outside criticism under any

circumstance (this will result in a grade of 0 if you do so). The final draft should be two full pages; no more, no less.

Any paper that goes under or over will be subjected to point deduction. Refer to current MLA format rules (8th

edition) when in doubt; as students in a 200-level English course, you are expected to be familiar with all MLA

procedures and will be held accountable for all errors on each response that you turn in. Students must submit their

papers as .docx files – any papers submitted in other formats will not be accepted.

Plagiarism: If you intentionally plagiarize any aspect of this response, you will be removed from the class and

assigned the grade of ‘F’ for the semester. Additionally, you will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for

additional academic sanctions. I despise cheaters and will show no mercy if you are caught plagiarizing.

Grading: Each reading response is worth a total of 50 points. There will be a total of three reading responses

throughout the semester.