Weekly Response Papers will take two forms ­ responses to the assigned reading for the upcoming week and responses to critical material on reserve in the library.  You are required to submit eight Weekly Response Papers each quarter, one per week.  Three of these must be Reserve Readings.  These are due EVERY Monday, even when a short paper is due.

Responses to Assigned Readings
After reading the assigned reading for the week, write a one-page response to the text.  Do not summarize the reading. This is a place for you to express your emotional reaction to the text, your frustration if you do not understand certain points, or your interest in the author or her material.  Focus on what you want to say, rather than how you are saying it (although you should always proofread and check for errors). 

Responses to Material on Reserve
These short scholarly articles examine the authors we are studying.  You will find the readings in the library in a file box marked "Women’s Voices, Women’s Pens ­ Readings on Reserve."  Photocopy any articles you wish to use and return the original to the file.  Readings are organized by author or subject. Staple your photocopy of the article to your response paper.

For your Weekly Response Papers, read the article carefull making notes and write a one page response to the reading. Do not summarize the article; I have already read it! Identify the author’s main point and tell me why you agree/disagree with the author’s argument. Give examples from the text to confirm or refute the critic’s point. If the article is biographical, try to find relationships between the author's life and her work.

Grading for Response Papers

5 pts  Outstanding	Demonstrates careful critical thinking. Uses relevant examples from the text and clearly explains connections. No major errors in mechanics.
4 pts  Very Good	Shows careful consideration of the text. May use examples and explain connections. Few errors in mechanics.
3 pts  Acceptable.	Seems to understand the text but fails to show original thinking. Examples may be unrelated to discussion or not clearly connected. May have several errors in mechanics.
2 pts  Needs Work.	It is not clear that you read and/or understand the text. Unclear discussion fails to make connections or demonstrate minimal understanding.
1 pt Unacceptable	Clearly Unacceptable. Incomplete off-topic or otherwise unacceptable for honors level work. One point minimal effort.

Short Papers
Three to five pages, topics to be assigned. 

Research Paper
Three to five pages plus Works Cited, topic to be assigned.

Quizzes and Exams
Pop quizzes may be given periodically; scheduled quizzes will cover the material currently under study. The Final Exam will be comprehensive, covering all material from the semester.