Your reading response essay should not include direct quotes from the readings if at all possible. If you either directly quote or paraphrase the author’s words from the text, include the appropriate citation. Utilize your APA manual and/or see the brief APA handout about in-text citations here or within the Home tab on the left-hand side of the course in Canvas. Your reading response essay should address the following (and must be written in the same numbered format as you see below). I have provided length guidelines, as it is important to develop the ability to write thoroughly yet succinctly. This is not an easy skill to master, though students vastly improve on this skill as they move through the semester! The skill will come in handy in your professional and academic lives. Remember, one paragraph = no less than 5 sentences. Be sure to check out the Reading Response Essay example.
- Thoroughly yet succinctly summarize the main points and highlight key themes for each reading. Tip: pay attention to the topics laid out in the headings, and make sure you touch on each of those (at minimum). (Length: at least one paragraph for each reading; no more than 1.5 paragraphs each).
- Discuss any shortcomings or provide a critique of the information presented for at least one reading. Think about what you think the author should have talked about in order to strengthen their argument but didn’t, or think about the quality of the information provided, or what you didn’t like about the reading, etc. (Length: at least one paragraph; no more than 1.5 paragraphs)
- Discuss at least two overall strengths of this week’s readings. For example, you may discuss the merits of the topic, the information provided, how it contributes to and improves knowledge regarding Y-ARs, the research that was cited, etc. (Length: at least two paragraphs; no more than three paragraphs)
- For the last part of this assignment, complete Tools #6, 7, and 8 *with your mentor/organization partner*. For Tool #6, both you and your partner should evaluate the quality of Y-APs in the organization. Doing so will help make your discussion richer. Simply report how you each rated each area of Y-APs and a summary of the discussion you had about it. Tool #7 is completed with your mentor/organization partner – simply report the answers that you both came up with together. And Tool #8 is completed with your mentor/organization partner – simply report the answers you both came up with together. Type your answers into a Word doc and submit here – just make sure your answers are labeled so I know which question/step you’re answering!
Reminder: the question that I pose in this reading response (or ANY reading response) is not a DQ that is posted in the Discussion board. But the question posed in the reading responses can be considered an example for you if you need an additional example of what a good DQ looks like. The question that I pose to you in this reading response simply helps to stretch you in learning and working with the course material a bit more!
To earn full credit, your essay must:
- Meet the length requirements described in the assignment;
- Use 12 point Times New Roman font, single-spaced;
- Thoroughly and succinctly address all of the components of the assignment;
- Be free of mechanical (spelling, punctuation, grammar) errors
- Consist of full paragraphs (1 paragraph = at least 5 sentences)
