Response Paper Guidelines for COMM 360

This writing assignment was created with a few objectives in mind:

• To make you a better writer and thinker. To write clearly, succinctly, and convincingly is one of the most important skills you will gain from your college education.
• To give you a chance to structure your thinking about certain topics which you may not be familiar with.
• To give me a chance to get to know you better, or rather for me to know a different facet of yourself.

The format of your paper should be as follows

• “Questioning” means wanting to discover and know what we do not know about human affairs and universal principles, which is the motivating force that reveals what we are ignorant of when we try to accomplish anything.
• Questioning is one of the traditional Buddhist self-cultivation practices, and I am applying the principle of the practice to your assignment.
• At the beginning of the assignment, you are asked to raise and explore comprehensive question(s) about the assigned materials in the context of media and society.
• Your question(s) shows the degree of your understanding of the assignment, and repetitive questioning practice allows you to build up your critical thinking skills. In this sense, your question becomes the thesis of the paper.
• Your grade will depend on the quality of the question(s) and your discussion. The rubric consists of three elements: Thesis (10 points), Argument (10 points), and Mechanics (10 points).
• All assignments must be typed, double-spaced (Times New Roman) and submitted on time. Check for spelling and grammar. Response papers should be no less than 400 words.
• If you fail to follow these guidelines, you will lose points on your assignments, even if they are otherwise perfect.