Response Paper Assignment

Note: To receive full credit for this assignment, you must bring a printed copy of your first draft to class on the due date, in addition to uploading it here. This must be a complete 4-5 page draft.

In this assignment of about 4-5 pages, you will respond primarily to one of the readings from A World of Ideas that we have discussed in class. Your paper should react to the reading in an organized and qualified discussion that considers the reading in light of others we have discussed in class. In particular, focus on why you think your audience (an academic audience familiar with the subject) would or would not find the essay persuasive.

Remember to:

Identify the main ideas, and respond using personal insight and evidence from the text regarding the effectiveness of the text in regard to tone and organization. Is the text persuasive and why or why not?

In addressing the evidence presented in the text, be sure to discuss its validity in terms of objectivity (e.g., is the evidence dependent on a personal point of view, or does it reflect objective and verifiable reality.)
reflect on the author's assumptions that inform his/her argument or the implications of the argument (i.e., once we've encountered the author's argument, how might it inform the way we consider the area of inquiry concerned.
Strategies for Writing:

Once you've identified the reading that you wish to respond to, you can develop a thesis by thinking about the "Suggestions for Critical Writing" prompts and questions that follow the reading you are interested in. Re-read the article with this goal in mind
Read critically.

Consider your purpose: presenting a response suitable to the expectations of an academic audience: clarity, objectivity, accuracy, and support through personal and textual evidence.
Focus on the main ideas of the author's argument.

Develop your response with a thesis appropriate to the context of your writing and using quotes, paraphrases, and personal evidence as support. In this case, your thesis will make a straightforward claim about what you feel to be the most important and/or controversial argument made by the author.)

Organize a cohesive essay using transitions to guide the reader.
Format:

Your essay should be typed, double-spaced, with 1" margins on all sides, set in a12 point Times Roman. It should be no less than 4 pages long in order to earn a C. I will deduct points for incorrect formatting. It would be helpful for you to use the template I've provided on D2L. Note that while 3.5 pages occupy four printed sheets of paper, they are still only 3.5 pages, and have not reached the minimum passing page length.

Your first draft must be a complete draft, and must be submitted to the appropriate Dropbox by 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 1. You must also bring a printed copy of your draft to class on that day. If you do not bring a printed copy to class, you will not receive credit for your first draft (i.e. 10% will be deducted from the grade for your final draft), and you will not be able to participate in peer review.