Exam Grading

When evaluating an exam, I am always looking for a strong grasp of both the themes of the course and of individual texts. I really want to see your interpretation of the texts; I am looking for analysis (vs. summary) and for detailed evidence to back up your assertions.

A: Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the texts discussed; includes in-depth, detailed analysis of these texts; offers a clear and well-argued answer to the exam question; includes an introduction and conclusion that make connections (comparisons and contrasts) across texts, and are not mere restatements of my question.

B: Demonstrates a good grasp of the texts and the issues discussed in class; gives a clear answer to the exam question. Uses examples from individual texts to back up own ideas.

C: Displays a basic understanding of the texts but lacks detail or depth. May be more summary than analysis. May lack a clear, definitive answer to the exam question.

D-F: Essay lacks a clear understanding of the texts and the issues of the course. May distort elements of the texts, suggesting inattention or incomplete reading. Weak or incoherent response to the exam question.

Upcoming Midterm

As I mentioned in class, the midterm exam on Monday is open book, but no notes. You may bring your readings (if you jotted the occasional note to yourself in your books, don't worry about it).

The exam will be an essay exam, and will ask you to use several authors to answer a question.

Here are a few tips about how to approach the midterm exam.

When reviewing the texts:

T hink about connections across texts; identify overlapping themes, significant contrasts.

Try to identify the most important passages in each text, ones that are good examples of the author’s style or convey an important idea in the work. These would be good passages to quote from and analyze.

Consider themes and characters from the perspective of the author—what is the author’s message, and what choices does he or she make to communicate this message to the audience?

When writing your essay:

Don’t summarize plots; instead focus on answering the question by presenting your own ideas about the text using passages and/or specific examples to illustrate your answer.

Quote but quote selectively. Don’t include long passages if you aren’t really offering your own analysis of those passages. And never quote as a way of recapping plot.

Don’t rephrase my question in your intro; instead use your introduction to give a sense of how you plan on answering the question.

As a rule of thumb, you should plan on writing at least a couple of bluebook pages per text (and more would probably be better). If you end up with only 4-5 pages, this is a sign that you haven’t answered the question as well as you could and that you need to say more.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions before Monday.

Blogs for the week of Oct. 8

Since we have Columbus day off and the reading is light for the week, you can skip the blog post that would be due Sunday evening. Instead, we'll post later in the week in response to Ethnic Notions, the film that we'll be watching Weds. Enjoy the break.

P.S. If you already did a post early, as I see a few of you did on Weds., don't worry--I'll count that for next week.