Guidelines for Reading Response

 So welcome to our shared Response Journal Blog. Keeping a shared response journal will give you an opportunity to not only express your own opinions about theories, research and content, but you will also be able to read each others and give feedback.  Here is a friendly reminder of your task:
1) You will be writing a journal response to the assigned readings (see below).
2.  In your journal entries, you can discuss anything that interests you about the material you are reading.
3.  Journal entries should be at least 500-750 words.
You are free to choose what you want to take up.

4.  Read all recent journal postings and give feedback.

Your journal is an opportunity for you to explore what you think is important, as well as, become active participants in your own learning by collaboratively problem solving and giving/getting appropriate feedback. This is our place to process meaning and develop understandings.  Please feel free to respond to additional issues or questions that you feel are most relevant to your experiences and interests.  You can discuss anything related to the course.

READING RESPONSE

This week I would like you to provide a reading response to the readings that we read for last week (Ch 6 ("Traditional . . ." pp. 122-145); Ch 10 ("Reading Aloud" pp. 256-273) and/or the reading for this week (portions of Ch 8 ["The Fiction Family"] -- focus on: pp176 through first half of 178 [through "What is Fiction?"] and section on Elements of Fiction up to "Categorizing Fiction" [pp.180-191]).  Very simply, your reading response is much like a diary.  You will explore your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the readings (choose one or both from above).  Use this an an opportunity to express your own opinions about theories, research, and content in your readings.  Use the blog comment section below  to share your thoughts, feelings, and your opinions.  My hope is that this will create an interactive environment that will provide opportunities for you to receive and give feedback that nudges us all to think in new ways.   

HOW TO WRITE INSIGHTFUL BLOG COMMENTS

Step 1:  First you will obviously need to read the post in question.  Read it carefully and then read it again. 


Step 2:  Determine what you have to add.  No matter if the author appears smarter than you, you probably bring a different perspective to the topic at hand. 


Step 3: Next, you should read the existing comments, if any exist.  They may have already covered the information you wanted to add.  They also may have started the discussion down a different path and it sometimes feels awkward to derail that.  As long as your comment is related to the blog post don't really worry about it. 


Step 4:  As with writing blog posts themselves, make sure any facts you present are right.  A disproved fact can damage your credibility.  Opinions cannot be refuted as easily, but still make sure they are well thought out. 


Step 5: Try to keep your comment short and to the point.  It takes more than a few sentences to get your point across, use paragraphs for easy readability. 


Step 6:  Sometimes an example helps state your case.  Concrete examples are often very useful in making a point. 


Step 7: Proof-read your comment before you hit submit.