Paper 2

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Response Paper Guidelines

Urban Legends

Winter 2021

Over the course of the quarter, you are required to submit a written response (fully five pages) to TWO

of the readings discussed in class. You will be assigned a group number (1-10) during the first week of

class. For these two assignments, each person in the group will be required to submit their response paper

on the corresponding due date listed on the syllabus and Canvas.

**You will need to submit these responses in your assignment folder as a PDF or Word Document**

**AGAIN, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE PAPERS AS EITHER A WORD DOCUMENT OR

PDF**

**We are happy to provide feedback on your essay drafts. If you would like feedback, please submit your

draft to us at least 48 hours before the due date**

Writing Guidelines:

11 or 12 point Times New Roman or Calibri font only

Double-spaced

One-inch margins on all sides

Numbered pages in upper right corner

Proper Citations Required (You may use footnotes, endnotes, and in-text citations)

Your name, course number, and date on a separate cover sheet.

Separate works cited page

(Response papers that do not meet these guidelines will be penalized)

Format:

This paper should not merely be a summary of the reading itself. Rather, the paper will be graded based

on the following inclusions:

1. An overview of the author’s main arguments (Approximately three or more pages)

a. What overall argument is the author making? What specific examples does the author focus on in the

reading?

b. How is this argument being made? (e.g., What kind of data is being used by the author to support her

argument?)

PLEASE NOTE: Your group number is for grading purposes only. You must write and

submit your own individual response paper.

To find your group number, go to the course Canvas site, select “People” on the menu on the

left side of your screen, then select the “Essay Groups” tab. If you do not see you name on

any of the group lists, please inform me and/or the TAs.

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c. How does this argument support or refute arguments made by other authors in the section?

(DON’T FORGET THIS!!)

2. Your personal critical response to the reading (Approximately two pages)

a. What, if anything, do you find convincing about the argument being made?

b. What problems and/or oversights do you see in the reading?

c. What, specifically, do you think this article contributes to broader discussions of the topic?

Your essay should include:

1) an introductory paragraph providing a general overview (preview) of the main body of your essay and

your conclusions

2) main body (summary and critical response)

3) concluding paragraph

Writing Tips:

1) Carefully proofread your final draft to minimize any spelling and grammatical errors 2) Avoid long, direct quotes from the reading. Paraphrase whenever possible 3) Book titles should be italicized (e.g., The Colossal Book of Urban Legends), whereas chapter and article titles should be placed in quotations (e.g., “How Rumor Works”).

4) Don’t forget to provide a comparison to another reading from the course!

Grading Rubric:

Response papers will be graded according to the following criteria:

1. Content and Development (Total points: 80)

a. Paper addresses the main arguments and issue(s) raised: 50 Points

b. Critical response is substantive: 30 Points (Well-formed, thoughtful, and detailed responses to the

reading. Minimum total of 5 double-spaced pages per paper.)

2. Mechanics (Total points: 10)

a. Rules of spelling, grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed: 10 Points

3. Readability and Style (Total points: 10)

a. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise, and the tone is appropriate to the content and assignment:

10 Points

100 points total per paper

Since this course is heavily reliant on discussion, it is equally important that you be prepared to discuss

your reaction to your assigned readings in class. You should try to base your questions and reactions for

group discussion on broader issues that the article may or may not touch upon.

**These in-class discussions will only be useful if students come prepared to class having read the

assigned articles. Even if you are not assigned a paper response for the reading, you are obligated to come

to class prepared.**

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