Participation

I'll often ask you to respond to a question or a reading for next class. These assignments are meant as preparation for in-class activities, as well as steps toward larger assignments. So if you're unprepared, you'll be hurting the learning experience of your classmates, as well as your own. This is why I evaluate participation as part of your grade.

In general, I expect your responses to thoroughly answer the question I posed using complete sentences and some kind of evidence (examples, details, quotes, photos, links to other websites) to support your original point. (Usually there's no "one right answer," but an answer is better/worse based on whether it's YOURS and whether it's SUPPORTED) Here are some guidelines for question responses:
 * Make sure to read the question carefully to determine what it's asking
 * You can use the "I" voice (As in, "I noticed that..." or "I think...")
 * Spelling/grammar do not "count": I'm more interested in you getting down your ideas
 * Be honest: I'm more impressed by those who can admit when they're confused, angry, or disinterested.
 * Remember that what you write is public (to our class) and will often be part of subsequent discussion, so write what you feel comfortable sharing with others.

In your reading responses, you should briefly summarize the reading and also address issues or topics in the reading that interested you or led you to ask questions. You might begin your reading response by asking the following questions:
 * What ideas interest me most?
 * What insights does this reading offer?
 * What issues are involved in this reading?
 * What is at stake where these issues are concerned?
 * What do I agree with in the reading?
 * What do I not agree with?
 * What do I not understand, or need to know more about?

(--adapted from [|Devoss, ATL 150, 2010])