In this course, we will be reading a wide variety of literary works drawn from different time periods and diverse cultures. Each week, you will submit one reflection paper that reflects on that week’s readings. This assignment is not a book report where you summarize the story’s plot and characters and it is not a review where you simply state whether or not you liked the reading. Instead, you should demonstrate a high level of engagement with the text(s) by exploring themes, analyzing characters, comparing/contrasting form and style, and more. You may choose to write in depth about a single text or draw your analysis from multiple works. You will be graded on how well you establish a strong thesis and successfully defend that thesis with examples from the text(s).

Each reflection must:

1. Be at least 2 pages (Approximately 500 words) in Times New Roman 12 Point font, double spaced with 1 inch margins.

2. Show evidence of having read the assigned material for that week by establishing a strong thesis that demonstrates creativity and insight in your analysis of the readings. It is not enough to simply summarize the reading, but you must show that you can thoughtfully engage with the text.

3. Include support for your analysis through specific quotes from the readings. (Citations should be in MLA format).

4. Be free of spelling, grammar, and other errors.

Remember: This is not a research paper. Instead, your reflections should be a close reading and analysis of the specific texts that you choose from that week’s readings. Therefore, all quotations and examples should come directly from the class textbook and should be cited correctly. No other outside sources should be included in the paper. Evidence of plagiarism (including self-plagiarism) or cheating (unauthorized collaboration, submitting another student’s work as your own, or other fraud) will result in severe penalties. Refer to the syllabus for more information on the Academic Integrity policy.

Weekly Reflection Paper Grading (Each = 25 Points Possible)

ATTRIBUTE Excellent Very Good Good Satisfactory Poor
Unsatisfactory or Incomplete
1. Student’s response meets the requirements of the assignment (required length, includes insightful analysis, etc.).
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points
2. Student’s response demonstrates understanding of the assigned reading with specific quotes and examples from the text
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points
3. Student’s response is clear and logical in sequence and content
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points
4. Student’s analysis is creative, insightful, and/or demonstrates engagement with the readings
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 0 points
5. Content is free of spelling or grammatical errors with citations in correct MLA format

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