This document provides an assignment sheet for an English 201 British Literature I reading response assignment. Students must write a two-page paper responding to and analyzing one of the literary works discussed in class from the most recent historical period covered. The response should pose and answer a question about the work, include a thesis statement and evidence from the text to support the thesis. Papers must follow specific formatting guidelines, cite only the assigned work, and avoid plagiarism, which will result in failure of the course. The assignment aims to have students engage in close analysis of texts and clearly communicate their ideas and interpretations.

1. English 201 – British Literature I
Reading Response Assignment Sheet
Overview: A reading response is a two-page paper, in which, in
a more or less organized way, the writer attempts to
explain his or her personal reaction to some aspect of a work of
literature. Ideally, it should pose a single question,
and attempt to answer it, but it may also explicate a text or give
a comprehensive reading of a work or part of a
work. You will only consult/quote from the specific work you
select – no outside sources under any circumstance.
You should assume that your audience is a public one, of well -
educated and thoughtful readers, with an interest in a
somewhat formal, serious conversation about literature. You
may assume that your reader has read the material, but
has not extensively studied it.
The writer should be specific, including close readings of texts
and always using specific and appropriately chosen
quotations to support and extend your ideas.

2. Begin by examining questions that the work leaves you with.
For instance, why did the author use this method or
style of writing? What is left out? What sort of patterns are
apparent in the work? What is the meaning of a specific
character, scene, or image? What ideas are embodied in the
work? Who does the writer seem to like, and who does
he seem to dislike? The question may begin anywhere, but
should be pursued, no matter how inconsequential they
may seem at first.
Always state a thesis and always support it with evidence from
the text. For these assignments, you should underline
your thesis statement. You will select one work from what we
have read together as a class for that particular period
of literature (the first is medieval, the second Renaissance, and
the final Restoration/18th-Century). Your response
should focus only on this one work and it must correspond to
the most recent historical period we have examined.
Do not write on a work that was not assigned as class reading or
you will be given a zero.
Clarity/Organization/Structure: Is the paper clear in asserting
your thoughts? Is it organized in a logical, easy to
follow manner? Does the paper have a solid structure to it?

3. These are questions you should ask yourself at every
step of the writing process. A good response is one that is clear,
logical and organized, even if it has the occasional
misspelled word or misplaced comma. Writing is about bringing
forth ideas.
Language: Does the paper have good syntax and sentence
usage? Is the wording clear? Is the voice of the narrator
consistent throughout? Is the vocabulary of the writer redundant
or varied? Again, these are questions you should
consider during the writing process, especially during the
proofreading stage.
Grammar/Mechanics/Spelling: Your response is expected to be
free from grammatical, mechanical, and spelling
errors. Students are encouraged to re-read their responses in
order to correct any overlooked error.
Format: Students are to use the standard MLA heading. Papers
are to be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font
with 1.0 margins with a title that reflects the subject matter.
Double space your papers and be certain to underline
your thesis statement. Use black ink and include a ‘Works
Cited’ page. Page numbers in the upper-right hand corner
are expected. All responses are to be written in third person; no

4. first person use of “I” is allowed. Do not use
contractions. You are only to cite/reference the work that you
are analyzing; no outside criticism under any
circumstance (this will result in a grade of 0 if you do so). The
final draft should be two full pages; no more, no less.
Any paper that goes under or over will be subjected to point
deduction. Refer to current MLA format rules (8th
edition) when in doubt; as students in a 200-level English
course, you are expected to be familiar with all MLA
procedures and will be held accountable for all errors on each
response that you turn in. Students must submit their
papers as .docx files – any papers submitted in other formats
will not be accepted.
Plagiarism: If you intentionally plagiarize any aspect of this
response, you will be removed from the class and
assigned the grade of ‘F’ for the semester. Additionally, you
will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for
additional academic sanctions. I despise cheaters and will show
no mercy if you are caught plagiarizing.
Grading: Each reading response is worth a total of 50 points.
There will be a total of three reading responses
throughout the semester.

5. APA Style below