Critical Response papers / Brief
Critical Response papers are opportunities for you to demonstrate your understanding of
the Module content, develop your critical writing skills, and connect the course material
with your experiences and unique perspective. They are short but challenging exercises
due almost every Module. The Critical Response papers will help hone your reading,
researching, analysis, and writing skills, preparing you for the larger Final Essay due
near the end of the term.
Each Critical Response paper will ask you to do a variation of the following:
– Choose TWO texts from the required reading list for that Module
– Find ONE additional research source
– Synthesize (not summarize) the main themes in those texts
– Argue a position of your own in response
– Cite your sources
Critical Response #5
The Critical Responses are getting more comprehensive in the amount of skills they ask you to develop. For this Critical Response, choose two of the required readings based on criteria corresponding to a theme you have chosen. Based on the same criteria, select on external source. Read all three texts carefully and synthesize their main points as they relate to your chosen theme. You do not need to state a thesis or construct an argument here (next week); it is challenging enough to synthesize three texts. Cite all sources properly.
Purpose: Develop skills in Crafting a Theme Based on Criteria, External Research, Evaluating Your Additional Source, Reading Carefully, Synthesizing the Main Points, Proper Citation
Format: 2 Pages:
1) a Title, Rest of page: Your writing + citations; writing limited to this one page
2) Works Cited