Response Paper Basic Guidelines: MLA Documentation Style for citations, margins, spacing, etc. Font: Times New Roman or Courier New Length: 2-3pages (at least 2 full pages of text) Paragraph Style: No Spacing Direction: The response paper requires students to personally react to one of the texts read for class so far: the creation narratives and hymns, The Epic of Gilgamesh, or selections from the Iliad. There should be at least three paragraphs in the response: Paragraph One: assess your experience of the reading as a whole. What is your topline takeaway? Was it baffling? intriguing? expected? unexpected? Why? Paragraph Two: narrow the focus on one section of the reading: a narrative, a tablet, a book. Why is this particular section important? How does it compare with other sections of the same work? Paragraph Three: take note of a specific passage from the section that was the focus of Paragraph Two. Interpret it in a more sophisticated and formal way. This paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. After that, introduce a quoted passage by properly integrating it into a sentence you have constructed, meaning: the quotation should not be a sentence by itself in the paragraph. Once the quotation is delivered, attempt to analyze the passage by considering three main questions: What does the quotation mean (to you)? Why is it important to the topic of the paragraph? How does it help you better understand a cultural concept explored in the world of literature? Think of the Response as a mini-essay, with no formal introduction and conclusion paragraphs. However, don't forget to include a Work Cited page with your document, as you will need to cite the quotation used in Paragraph Three. Response Rubric To earn a "C", a student must 1. Respond to all of the constraints of the assignment: a. Paper should be formatted according to MLA style guidelines with no major errors. b. Paper should meet the minimum length requirement specified on the assignment sheet. c. Paper should adequately respond to one of the assigned readings. 2. Present a well-organized response: a. Paragraphs should be organized as directed, with few in need of further elaboration. b. Paragraph Three should contain a topic sentence and/or transitions. 3. Maintain a tone appropriate for the audience: a. Paper should not contain colloquialisms or excessively informal language. b. Response may contain personal opinion.