INTRO TO THEATRE VIDEO RESPONSE ASSIGNMENTWatch at least one video from either the American Theatre Wing website“Working in the Theatre: https://americantheatrewing.org/working-in-the-theatre/ OR the American Theater Wing’s YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/user/AmericanTheatreWing .After viewing the short film (but feel free to watch more) on any of the subjectslisted (I recommend one entitled “Swings, Standbys, and Understudies”. It’sfascinating), write a one-page response to what you saw following thedepartmental Guidelines for Written Responses, listed below.GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN RESPONSESThe paper should be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and no largerthan 12-point Arial or Calibri font. The paper should include a brief synopsis of theproduction (no more than one paragraph and less than a quarter of the paper’slength) as well as a critical response discussing areas and ideas covered in class.Please proofread your paper to insure proper grammar and spelling and that yourthoughts are clear and comprehensible. Appropriate college-level writing abilityis expected.Format Style: Use the top of the first page, right hand corner for your name, class and date.Center your title about 2 inches from the top on the first page. Triple spaceafter your title and start your first paragraph. Use 1-inch margins, Arial font or Calibri, 12 point. Double-space your paper. Donot triple space between sections. Use headings, bolded when appropriate todivide your paper. • If the assignment asks for a five-page paper, then the fifthpage must be at least ¾ complete in order to count as a full page. If it is athree-page paper, the third page must be at least ¾ complete and so on. You must have a clear topic statement. The topic statement goes at the end ofthe first paragraph and informs your reader how your paper is organized –what topics you will be covering. Ex: “This paper will discuss the changingtrends in adult learning, how adults are motivated and training strategies forthe adult learner.” You must have your paper stapled when you come to class.Writing Style – Grammar/Spelling: Your work must reflect the expectations of writing for the level of the course.For example, senior level courses will require more sophisticated writing,critical thinking, assimilation of ideas, etc. than lower-level courses. Use the grammar/spell check on your computer but don’t rely solely on it.Read your paper out loud several times to check for missing words, awkwardphrasing, etc. It is always a good idea to have a friend read your paper as well.It is difficult to catch your own mistakes. • Use active tense when possible. Be sure you understand the assignment. If the assignment is to critique a work,then critique it. Ask your professor for specific guidelines for the critique. Ifyour assignment is to synthesize articles or research, then you need tosynthesize. If your assignment does not specifically ask for your opinion, thendon’t give it. Usually, you are not at a level to critique the author’s writing orthe content of the articles. If you are unsure about the assignment, ask yourprofessor. Ask your professor whether first person or third person is appropriate for theassignment. Most of the time, first person is to be avoided. Sentences should never begin with a conjunction (and, but, or). The use of the adjective “very” should be limited to direct quotes. In mostinstances, the term is inaccurately used, such as in: “Sue has a very uniquetalent.” Something is either unique or it is not. The term has no degree. Be careful of changing verb tenses in the middle of a paragraph. The title of full-length plays should be either underlined or italicized. The basic structure of any paper should open with an introductory paragraphand close with a conclusion. All paragraphs between should have a topicsentence to link the sentences so they are not just a string of unrelatedstatements. When discussing a play, make sure you distinguish between the actors and thecharacters. When referencing actors, you are talking about the live personperforming the role. The character is the fictionalized personality in the worldof the play. If you are doing a play response, please note that it is a RESPONSE, not asummary of the play’s plot. A response is a reaction to what you’ve seen. Youmay include a summary but that should be limited to no more than oneparagraph early in the paper.Documenting your Research: To avoid plagiarism always document where you get information. Most ofyour assignments do not ask that you “make things up,” but ask that youread what experts have said and demonstrate in writing what you havelearned. Always use attribution. Let your reader know who said what. When quotingauthors/writers for the first time give their first and last name with titlesand identification of credibility. For example, Professor Steve Beverly, Hostof Head-to-Head said, “….” The second time you quote the same person,use their last name only: Beverly writes, “…” To give credit to a source, most faculty prefer parenthetical documentationat the end of a sentence. For example, “Burke writes, “Theatre studentsmust….” (Burke, Unionite, 1999). If you use multiple sources, you will needa bibliography page at the end of your paper. If everyone is using the samesources, for example, in an article review, it is not necessary to have abibliography page.Checklist of Common Mistakes.[Go over this list after you have written your paper.] Check your use of the following: their – there, affect – effect, me – I (Charlieinvited my mother and me, not my mother and I.) Avoid beginning sentences with the word “There.” “There” is an unspecificreference and is incorrect. Begin with a specific reference. Avoid rhetorical questions. For ex.: “What is an adult learner?” Avoid using “it” unless you have made a prior reference to something. Spell out the word percent (avoid %). • Do not start sentences with a numeral(6) but fully spell the number, “Six.” Put quotation marks after punctuation (“He went home.” not “He wenthome”.) Avoid using the word “that” after a verb except in a direct quote. Proof yourpaper and delete all unnecessary “thats.” For example, “I think you should….”not “I think that you should. Avoid one sentence paragraphs. Also, avoid one-page paragraphs. Make sure you don’t have a heading or subheading standing alone at thebottom of a page. Move the heading to the top of the next page with thecontent that goes under the heading. Use of interjections is inappropriate in papers except in a direct quote. Do notuse exclamation marks. Avoid ending sentences with a preposition. Avoid flowery language and hyperbole: “This play was the best play everwritten.” Avoid the use of the word “things,” (a few key things) • Unless they showpossession, plurals do not include apostrophes. Avoid using “good”, “well,” “great,” or “bad” as descriptions. They providevery little meaning when evaluating something. Avoid using the phrases “sort of” or “kind of”. • Avoid beginning sentenceswith “I believe…” or “I think…” It’s your paper and therefore, that position isassumed. Make sure to support your observations and judgments with strong evidencein the form of logical reasoning, cited source material, witnessed accounting or
