ENGL 501: Techniques of Literary Research -- Fall, 2009

Click HERE for schedule of Designated Respondents

Instructions for Group Discussion Boards on Critical Essays

1) Designated Respondents should post to their group's Discussion Board a one-page reaction -- typically about 3 paragraphs -- to the assigned essay by no later than 6 PM on the day before the class for which the essay is assigned.  Start a new thread for this posting, the subject line of which should read "[Your Name's] reaction to [author of essay]."  Your posting should address what you found particularly interesting or useful in the reading, as well as points with which you disagree (if any) or which you found problematic or hard to follow. Questions to consider as Designated Respondent: What did this essay help you to see or articulate which you found helpful or useful?  Are there elements in the play which you feel were neglected in this reading?  Are there parts of the argument with which you don't agree?  If so, why not?

2) Prior to our class meeting, all other members of the discussion goup should read through the Respondent's posting and post a BRIEF Pre-Discussion Reaction to it and/or to the the assigned reading (a line or two will suffice).  These reactions should be posted using the "Reply" function so that they are directly linked to the Designated Respondent's initial posting.

3) All discussion group members should bring the designated Respondent's posting with them to class, which will begin with a small-group discussion led by the Respondent for each discussion group.  These small group conversations will be followed by a full-class discussion.

4) Prior to the next class meeting, all members of the discussion group (including the designated respondent) should read through their discussion group's postings and submit a  Post-Discussion Reaction which responds to the assigned reading, the small-group and/or full-class conversation about it, and/or to their classmates' Blackboard postings. This posting should be at least a paragraph long (it can be longer) and should summarize and/or describe the in-class or online conversation, mentioning at least one specific contribution to the discussion by a classmate (whom you should name) which you found interesting or useful.  These post-discussion reactions should be posted from within the initial posting of the Designated Respondent using the "Reply" function so that they are directly linked to the Designated Respondent's initial posting.  The subject line of this posting should be modified to include the words "Post-Discussion Response."

Designated Respondents, Blackboard Discussion Groups (Fall, 2009)

Date / Author of Essay Group 1 Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
T, 10/20/09: Leah Marcus 1. Susie Kopecky Erin Hultquist Jon Bartel Jake McKiernan
Th, 10/22/09: Ronald Takaki 2. Josh Prine Kyle Kamaiopili Erin Holzer Julia Bluff
T, 10/27/09: Paul Brown 3. Jen Wiens Rebekah Maples Ed Turner Beth Currie
Th, 10/27/09: Deborah Willis 4. Zach Drew Graham Culbertson Jessica Davis Luke Hawkins
Th, 10/27/09: David Scott Kastan 5. Erin Galeria Eva Reed Brinn Strange Lara Adams
T 10/6: Meredith Anne Skura 1. Erin Hultquist
Th 10/8: Ania Loomba 2. Kyle Kamaiopili
Th 10/8: Ann Thompson 3. Rebekah Maples Erin Holzer
Date TBA: Prospero's Books 1 (Keesey or Marx or Hotchkiss) 4. Graham Culbertson
Date TBA: Prospero's Books 2 (Keesey or Marx or Hotchkiss) 5. Eva Reed
Possible Bonus Essay: Prospero's Books 3 (Keesey or Marx or Hotchkiss)