Response Paper Assignment Guidelines
You are required to write 3 response papers during the semester. You can choose any of the written texts for these. While critical analysis of the texts is the main focus of the exercise, you are also supposed to read and quote from at least one scholarly source on the text. Points: 15 each.
Requirements:
- Each response paper should be 4-5 pages in length.
- You must respond to a written text. Films do not count.
- Due on the last day of class discussion for that particular text. For example, we are discussing Mankell for 3 days (2/5, 2/7, 2/9). If you write a response paper on Mankell, it will be due in class on the 9th.
- Must be typed and printed. You’ll hand these in at the beginning of class.
Content:
- 3-4 pgs – critical analysis of the text
- The first three pages or so of your response should comment on the text itself. These should be your own original thoughts.
- Some things to consider in you analysis:
- Language
- Character
- Setting
- Imagery
- Theme
- Plot
- The topic of your paper is your choice. However, if you need help creating a topic or would like to have some options assigned to you, let us know. There are also some example analysis questions included at the end of this assignment sheet. Feel free to use these questions as ways to think about and respond to the texts.
- 1 pg – citing a scholarly source
- The safest way to find a “scholarly” source (or one that has been written by a professional in the field) is to limit your search parameters to “journal articles”. You can also use a books or chapters of books, but do not use book reviews. Furthermore, as a general rule, websites will not count.
- Other databases can also be found through the library’s homepage, but Jstor is one of the largest and easiest to search. It’s free when you login through the university.
- Make sure to include at least one quote from your source. Do not just summarize in this section.
- Works Cited page (MLA format)
- Include both the in-class text and your scholarly source
- If you are unsure about the formatting, reference Purdue’s MLA Formatting and Styling Guide or contact Vicky for help.
Example Literary Analysis Questions
- Why do certain characters act the way they act? Does she have an ax to grind, a political ideology, religious belief, or psychological disorder?
- What does the character mean when he says “…”? How does the author use certain words and phrases differently than we would normally use them? Does the author make up new words and, if so, why?
- How is the book structured? Flashbacks? Multiple points of view? Why do you think the author chose to write the book this way? Is there any connection between the book’s structure and its themes?
- What types of symbolism do you find in this novel? What do these objects really represent? How do characters react to and with these symbolic objects?
- How is the setting of the book important to the theme? End of list
- Does the book address broader social issues? Does the author take a stance on, for example, anarchy versus capitalism? How is a particular culture or subculture portrayed?
