Weekly Reading, Watching, and Discussion Assignments - Annotated

Weekly Reading, Watching, and Discussion Assignments

Part I: Original Essay Posts

A.    For every separate reading or film in the unit you will post a short essay by Friday at midnight. Each post will consist of a 350-word (325-375 words) essay that synthesizes the following 5 questions/statements:

1.     Determine the one central question that the author/film is asking you to consider, and why you consider that to be the primary question.

2.     Breakdown the answer to that question into its major points: How does the author/film go about defending that central question.

3.     Give your best interpretation of the text/film. Explain it to me as if I had not encountered it before! Being able to teach it is crucial, as it demonstrates your understanding and application of the material.

4.     What does the text/film reveal about the mindset of the era and culture?

·       Please go beyond surface level/common knowledge stuff here. For example, while it is true that our culture still has problems with sexism and racism, these things are generally accepted as true. So, saying something like, “This film showed that racism still exists,” is not a profound analysis. Try to discover something unique or idiosyncratic about the author or film’s concept that goes beyond the glaringly obvious.

5.     At least one other thing that grabs your attention or seems really cool or important.

·       Provide the word count of each essay!

[These assignments are meant to promote critical thinking and evaluation of the texts that are a part of the curriculum. Rather than students giving a brief summary of what they read and regurgitating information, the point is to get students to think a little deeper on the topics. Because this online format does not allow for the traditional discussions that students in the Honors College have come to expect, it is important to share ideas in different ways.]

B.    This course involves readings on society and politics, and at the risk of sounding sound cynical and mean-spirited, there are some things that I have grown weary of over the years, and that I DO NOT want to see in any of your work.

1.     This is not an opportunity to say whether you like the reading or not, or whether you find it boring, or stupid. This is an assessment of the author’s argument.

2.     Always be respectful of the author/filmmaker, even if you strongly disagree. At this point in our intellectual journeys we should be well beyond disparaging, belittling, or one-dimensional criticisms (known as a “missing the point” logical fallacy, in which the reader jumps on one small detail while missing the larger picture/argument).

3.     Avoid all ad hominem logical fallacies. Saying things like “she is a liberal,” or “he is conservative” as some reason why the author is wrong, has nothing to do with the author’s argument or the merit of what he or she is saying.

4.     I am also not interested in listening to “political rants” of any kind, in any of your essays or responses.

5.     As I said, we should be well beyond these elementary forms of writing and thinking, yet they are still quite common. If I see any of these items in your postings I will A) send you an email to cease and desist, and B) deduct your grade accordingly. These readings and assignments are meant to pique, challenge, and reflect, nothing more.

 Part II: Discussion Responses

C.    After you have posted your essay, you will be able to see other students’ essays. By Sunday night at midnight please provide a short 200-word response (190-210 words) for each reading/film that reflects on other students’ essays.

1.     In your Discussion Response, simply hit the “reply” button to your own original post, and include the following:

2.     Tell me at least 1 thing from 3 other essays that you understand or take away now from other classmates’ essays that you did not think about or quite get before and why you find each new idea significant.

3.     So, that is three things total, each one from a different student. Feel free to put more if you’d like.

4.     Please identify the student’s name from whose essay you gained an insight.

·       The purpose here is to reflect on the week’s discussion of the texts, to integrate it into your own intellectual development.

·       This is not the time, place, or platform to air out any disagreements with someone’s posting; rather it is an intellectual reflection, so stick with the positive.

·       Provide the word count of each response!

[Again, the online format of this particular course does not allow for the same discussions that would be expected in a face-to-face discussion-based section of this course. In person, students would build off of ideas and share a little more than “I like this point you made,” which does happen on occasion in an online discussion board for a course. The point is for students to look critically at the work of their peers and pull out ideas that stand out to them and then explain why those ideas are so important. Rather than just saying “I agree.”]

D.    Late-Work Policy: Assignments turned in after the midnight deadlines will be reduced by 20% for each day late.