Guidelines for Short Papers

Each response paper should follow these parameters:

1. The papers should elaborate the author’s argument (what is s/he trying to explain? What is the explanation s/he offers?).

2. Whenever relevant, papers should refer to the arguments and methods of other authors from previous weeks. If the assignment for your week covers two authors, you should compare and contrast (a) how they address similar issues, or (b) why they may be addressing different issues.

3. Papers should elaborate the author’s methodology (what kind of evidence does the author use to persuade readers of her/his explanations?).

4. Papers should also offer a critique (not necessarily a negative criticism, but rather an evaluation of the work in question). The critique often will relate to the strong or poor connection between the author’s evidence and her/his argument, the better supported argument of one author over another, or the pros and cons of the author’s or authors’ approach(es) in a given week.

The outline of the weekly paper usually will look like this:

Paragraph 1

A. One or two sentences on the main argument of the book(s).

B. One or two sentences on the part of the argument/the specific evidence you will be addressing throughout your paper.

C. One sentence on the critique (positive or negative) that will follow.

Paragraph 2-3

An elaboration of the methods and evidence on which you are focusing your critique.

Paragraph 3 or 4

Conclude with a synthesis of your critique.

Other comments:

· Papers may not be longer than one page.

· While your outline may look slightly different from that suggested above, papers not following the general parameters of the assignment will not receive credit.

· Remember: the structure of this assignment is slightly different from that of your term paper. We will discuss the similarities and differences in section.