ENGL
496: Focus Questions
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Each
set of focus questions will include a
separate focus question for each assigned essay or chapter, written according
to the below format. These questions will be typed. The focus questions provide you the
opportunity to articulate your thinking about the assigned readings before you
come to class so that we have a solid foundation for our conversations. They
help you explore your own perceptions of the readings and interpret them for
yourselves. As in the image to the left,
the readings may be teasing and complex (is it a pipe or not? Or in what way
may it look exactly like a pipe but not BE a pipe?) The questions will allow you to unpack the
readings and formulate your own thinking about them in a careful, deliberate
way before class. Your questions will
enhance our conversations about the texts we will be reading and insure that
everyone is prepared to make substantive contributions to our dialogue in
class. Another important purpose of the focus questions is to indicate to me
whether you are reading and comprehending all the assigned texts; keep in
mind that your questions should demonstrate to me that you have read all the
assigned texts carefully and thoughtfully. The more of the assigned texts
you bring into your questions, the better. Consult the syllabus for the due
dates and assigned readings for each set of focus questions. I do not
accept late focus questions; however, if you are unable to attend class,
you may still get credit for your questions if you submit the set of questions
on the next class (and no later).
For each assigned essays or chapter, you will prepare a two-part focus
question; if we have 3 assigned essays on a given week, then you will prepare 3
separate focus questions, one for each assigned reading.
In the first part of your focus question, you should nail
down in no more than a couple of sentences the thesis idea and purpose of
the essay. What’s the main point the
author is making, and what seems to be the purpose of the piece? The second
part of your focus question should be one substantive, analytic
question about one of the central issues you think the text raises. If you find that you’d rather make a claim or
a statement about the reading—giving your own thesis idea about it, that’s fine
too. Your focus questions should quote directly from the assigned readings
and offer analytic questions or claims about the readings.
Remember that your questions about the essays and the literary texts need to
demonstrate that you have read all the assigned reading and have thought about
it analytically. Your questions must be typed. On the top right hand corner
of the first page of each set of questions, type your name and the number of
the set. Consult syllabus for numbers.
Format for assigned essays: For convenience, you can format your focus question for each essay as follows, using just one page for questions on all the essays assigned on a given day:
1. Author of essay, “Title of Essay”:
Thesis idea and purpose:
Focus Question:
2. Author, “Title of Essay”:
Thesis idea and purpose:
Focus Question:
3. Etc. as above for each assigned essay on every class day
Assessment: The focus questions
will constitute 20% of the final grade. I will assess them according to how specifically
they address the readings, how fully they do so, and how analytically
they do so. In other words, I will ask myself whether the questions deal
specifically with the texts, attempting to nail down the central idea; whether
they reflect that you read all of the assigned texts; and whether you have
attempted some kind of analysis that goes beyond mere summary. You need not concern
yourself with a single "right analysis," nor need you worry about a
"wrong analysis." Any analytic insight that focuses on more than mere
summary or surface detail is acceptable. Each set of focus questions will be
graded on a scale from 1-5, with 5 representing the highest level of
achievement. I will average missing questions in as zero. No late questions accepted.
Baker's Home Page| 496 Description | 496 Syllabus | 496 Requirements | Course Descriptions and Syllabi