ENGLISH 104 C

THE RESPONSE PAPER

Throughout this semester, you will write three short papers in response to topics given at the
first class and made available on Moodle. Response papers must be submitted at the
beginning of the class in which they are due. Each response paper is two pages in length, plus
the Works Cited page.

But what is a response paper? How does it differ from an essay, for example? How should it
be structured? What should it be about?

This handout will help to answer some of these questions. NOTE: These ideas apply to
response papers IN THIS CLASS ONLY. If you are required to write response papers in
History, Sociology, Philosophy, or other disciplines, be sure to check with the professor to
clarify expectations.

A RESPONSE PAPER IS NOT:

1. A cut-and-paste collection of ideas you’ve found by Googling the title of the text

2. A retelling of the plot of a story

3. A personal reaction to the text (“This poem reminded me of the time I went fishing with
my grandfather when I was eight years old”)

4. A biography of the author

5. A rambling and unfocused general discussion of life, the universe, and everything

6. A single page

A RESPONSE PAPER IS:

1. A focused and intelligent response to the reading. What did you notice about it? How is it
structured? What words has the writer chosen, and what effect do those words create?
What point of view does it adopt and why? How does the title relate to the text? Does the
text make assumptions about the reader’s understanding of allusions to history,
mythology, or other texts? Is the text similar to or unlike other texts you may be familiar
with? What themes emerge?
2. An original perception of the text. Think about the contrasts and tensions within the text,
and how these tensions are resolved or left unresolved. Consider its ambiguities and gaps.
 3. An exploration of ideas. Your response paper need not account for everything in the text,
nor will its argument be as fully developed as in an essay. Make an effort to find an idea
that interests you about this text and explain why your idea is significant.

WRITING THE RESPONSE PAPER:

1. Read the text! Don’t skim it or waste your time looking for a summary of the text
online. Actually read the text yourself.
2. Observe the text. Note such things as its style, themes, structure, and tensions. Look for
patterns of recurring images or word use. Note quotations or examples to support your
observations.
3. Think about your observations. Come up with a theory about what’s happening in this
text. Don’t worry about whether your theory is right or wrong; instead, consider whether
it can be supported by evidence and close reading.
4. Think about the meaning of your observations. Can your theory be applied to the text
as a whole to help the reader understand it more fully? Why does your theory matter?
5. Write your response. State your observations about the text, then show how these
observations support the theory you are proposing. Then see if you can push your ideas
further to show their significance. Use direct quotations and indirect references.
6. Revise your response. Nobody gets it right the first time. Revise your response for logic,
word choice, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
7. Check the rubric on Moodle. Have you included all of the elements required by the
rubric? Is your paper two pages in length? Is it in Times New Roman 12-pt font? Have
you included a separate Works Cited page? Have you followed the posted guidelines for
written work? Are you submitting it at the beginning of class on the due date?
8. Proofread and submit your response.