Assignments

Writing for this course will consist of a 6-7 page book review, a 12-page essay on an assigned topic, and a 2-3 page reading response/discussion paper.

All written work must be typed in 12-point font, double-spaced, with adequate margins. All papers must be proofread (not just spell checked) before submission: papers will be downgraded for errors of carelessness. Students who need extra help with writing should visit the Writing Center as they prepare their papers for submission, or schedule an appointment with the class Writing Tutor two weeks in advance of due dates. After initial grading, the book review and essay will be revised by students and re-submitted. Improvements will result in higher grades.

Book Review

Each student must write a review of a book selected from a list of acceptable titles.

  • List of Acceptable Books for Review (PDF)
  • Some Guidelines on Preparing a Critical Book Review (This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.PDF)
  • Example of a Book Review (This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.PDF) (Courtesy of Jamie Pietruska. Used with permission.)

Essay

Each student must write a 12-page essay on an assigned topic.

  • Guidelines for Preparing a Scholarly Essay (PDF)

Reading Response/Discussion Paper

Each student will be assigned a date on which he or she is expected to submit a reading response paper and lead discussion in the section.

  • Tips on Writing a Good Response Paper (PDF)
  • Example of a Response Paper (PDF)