As this course is primarily a reading course—a seminar for upper-level English majors to read deeply and thoughtfully in a single form—students will keep a reading journal to record responses to the texts and prepare for discussion. The reading journal is the foundation out of which blog posts, discussion topics, and paper ideas may emerge.
Your reading journal may be in a paper notebook or a digital Google folder. If you keep a paper journal, please separate it from class notes (for instance, write the reading journal in the back of the notebook). If you use Google docs, please create a named folder according to the following format: “Reading Journal 410 – [name]” (e.g. Reading Journal 410 – Kristen). You may use one running document within this folder, or use several dated docs. Share this folder with me.
Whether your reading log is paper or digital, please date each entry and include the text(s) under discussion.
What to write in the log?
The content of your entries is entirely up to you. You might reflect on patterns you see or a question about the text. You might relate the reading to another text or cultural production. You could focus in on a single passage or sentence for close exploration. Alternatively, perhaps something from an earlier discussion has been sticking with you and you want to reflect on it more in relation to your reading. Quality entries will show sincere and thoughtful engagement.
Think about the log as the second level of reading engagement.
The first level is annotating the text. One or more of those annotations may inspire a reading log entry. A reading log entry may inform the next level of engagement — either the public blog post or the literary analysis essay. And all of these different forms of reading engagement and reflection will ultimately contribute to the final digital publication project.
How will it be graded?
The minimum expectation is one ~300-350 word (~2 paragraphs) entry for each class meeting (meaning, at minimum, 2 entries per week). I will collect and assess the reading journals at random points during the semester. Meeting these minimum expectations will earn a B-range grade. To earn A-range grades, you should exceed the minimum expectations – whether that means longer entries or more frequent entries. I recommend that every time you read and annotate a text (even if it’s just 10 pages one day), you reflect briefly on that reading in the log. The reading log is about preparation for class and independent wrestling with ideas and interpretations. It is separate from notes in class. Thus, students are not permitted to write in the logs during class.
Please note that annotating assigned secondary readings will also be a Reading Log grade.
Grading Criteria:
- A – Range: Student exceeds expectations by regularly writing more than two reading log entries per week or regularly writing more than 300-350 words in log entries. Entries show sincere and thoughtful engagement with course texts, ideas, and/or discussion. Student clearly uses the reading log to extend course engagement and enrich and inform classroom contributions.
- B – Range: Student meets expectations by writing two reading log entries/week of about 300-350 words (2 paragraphs) each. Entries show sincere and thoughtful engagement with course texts, ideas, and/or discussion.
- C – Range: Student on average falls just under frequency or length guidelines. Entries show sincere and thoughtful engagement with course texts, ideas, and discussions, but level of effort may not be consistent.
- D – Range: Student averages under frequency and length guidelines. Entries may seem rushed or disengaged.
- Failing: Student does not meet guidelines of assignment, either in terms of frequency or length requirements or in quality of engagement.