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Major English Writers 2

LIT 2011-01 Home Page | Illinois Valley Community College

Reading Questions

Many of the reading assignments for LIT 2011 include the requirement that you submit questions about the texts that you have read. This page explains the "reading questions" assignments.

Guidelines for Reading Questions

1. Your questions should demonstrate your understanding of the reading assignments (the "texts").
2. Ask questions that are likely to lead to good discussions and to a better understanding of the texts.
3. Avoid questions that deal just with facts of the texts.
4. A good starting point for formulating strong questions is to focus on something in the text that you find interesting or confusing.
5. It's probably a good sign if you find that your question is not easy to answer or if you can think of more than one answer that seems valid.
6. Each question may be expressed in just a sentence or two.
7. Do not answer your questions in writing. Just write down the questions, but come to class prepared to discuss possible answers to your questions.
8. You may copy questions from a source (such as a Web page or study guide), but please include the title of the source and, if the source is a Web page, include the URL (or Web address). Put words that you have copied in quotation marks to avoid plagiarism.

Submitting Your Reading Questions

1. The questions must be submitted at the beginning of the class period on the day when they are due.
2. Questions will be collected at the beginning of the class period, and no questions will be accepted after that time.
3. Please do not try to write your questions in class.
4. Your questions can be hand written or word processed.
5. In class, we will read aloud some of the questions and discuss possible answers, so be prepared to share your thoughts.

Grading Criteria for Reading Questions

Each reading question assignment will be evaluated and graded according to

• how well the question demonstrates a good understanding of the assigned text,
• how well the question leads to in-class discussions that help us better understand the text, and
• how well the question involves interpretation and not just factual information.

An Easy Way to Earn High Grades

The reading questions provide the easiest way to earn high grades in the course. If you have your question ready to submit at the beginning of the class period when it is due, and if your question demonstrates that you have read and thought about the assigned text, then you most likely will earn an "A" or a "B" on the assignment, and the reading questions will make up the majority of your "Participation" grade (20% of the course grade). However, if you are absent on the day that a reading question is due, or if you are in class but do not have a question ready to submit, a "0" will be recorded for the assignment, and "0"s lower grades significantly. Two "A"s and one "0" on three reading question assignments, for instance, average out to a low "D." The due dates for reading questions will be given on the LIT 2011-01 home page.