Logs

Reader's Log Assessment Criteria

Grade Contract and Self-Assessment Criteria

To begin assessing your performance on your logs, first re-read the Reader's Log Assignment so that the objectives and requirements are fresh in your mind. Then review each of your logs in view of the below criteria. Obviously not every log will reach the same level of performance for all the criteria; hence, your final assessment must take into consideration your strengths and weaknesses on each log and then arrive at some holistic determination of a grade for your work all semester.

Contract Terms for Reader's Log and Self-Assessment Criteria

"A" CONTRACT [This is the superior category, reserved for the most distinguished work]

1. Submission of every 2 page, typed log by the due date;

2. thorough analysis of the thesis and supporting ideas for each essay;

3. specific application of theory to a particular literary or cultural text, using specific examples from both the literary and theoretical texts;

4. successful analysis of the grounding assumptions concerning literary meaning and interpretation, the role of the reader, the contexts in which a text is to be read (if any), and the function of literary criticism;

5. clear and concise statement of your reaction to the theoretical approach discussed in the reading, including its usefulness and limitations as a mode of literary criticism.

"B" CONTRACT [This is the excellent category, reserved for solid, but not superior, work]

1. Submission of every 2 page, typed log, by the due date;

2. some analysis of the thesis and supporting ideas for each essay, though the discussion of the thesis and main ideas may miss the mark a bit;

3. some attempt to apply the theory to a particular literary or cultural text, though the explanation may lack specificity and complexity;

4. some analysis of the assumptions concerning literary meaning and interpretation, the role of the reader, the contexts in which a text is to be read (if any), and the function of literary criticism;

5. some statement of your reaction to the theoretical approach discussed in the reading, including its usefulness and limitations as a mode of literary criticism.

"C" CONTRACT [This is the category of adequate but not exceptional work. This is getting into the "hot air" category of response, the kind that seems as though the writer either didn't spend enough time reading the text or read it with little comprehension]

1. Either one missing log or one or two late logs;

2. analysis of the thesis and supporting ideas needs work; analysis strays from the text;

3. application of the theory to a literary or cultural text is not specific enough to be clear;

4. analysis of the assumptions grounding the text is deficient in that it is not specific enough about the assumptions concerning literary meaning and interpretation, the role of the reader, the contexts in which a text is to be read (if any), and the function of literary criticism;

5. the statement of the reactions to the theoretical approach discussed in the readings suggests a misunderstanding of the usefulness and limitations of the mode of literary criticism under consideration.

"D" CONTRACT [This is the category of marginally acceptable graduate work. It’s getting into the “dog ate my book and I only read half of it" category of reading, thinking, and writing.]

1. 2 Missing or several late logs;

2. analysis of thesis and supporting ideas of the readings is sketchy and needs development; logs indicate a persistent inability to "get at" the thesis and main ideas of texts; analysis sounds as though the writer either didn’t read or doesn’t understand the readings;

3. application of the theory to a literary or cultural text is sometimes missing or is so vague and lacking in specific explanation that it makes little sense;

4. analysis of the assumptions grounding the text is not at all clear;

5. the statement of reactions to the theoretical approach discussed in the readings suggests either little comprehension or partial reading of the texts.

F" CONTRACT

1. More than 3 missing logs or chronic late logs;

2. in general, analysis misses the central points and sounds as though the writer did not read the texts;

3. little or no application of theory to a literary or cultural text;

4. analysis of the assumptions grounding the text is missing;

5. the statement of reactions to the theoretical approach suggests no comprehension or failure to read the texts.