October 18, 2023
Week 2 Feedback on Orwell & Essay 1
Some strong posts on Orwell. Well done. We had a few post nothing this week, which scores you a zero. One of these will not hurt you too much, but you want to make sure you’re meeting your deadlines. Pay attention to the schedule and due dates. Remember Tuesdays as they are your due day this semester. You must keep up with these Packback posts.
If you scored lower than 70, you did not post your minimum of three times (1 question and 2 responses). If you scored a 70, you passed for doing the minimum, but your posts need more work. Pay attention to the “curiosity score”; this is often a strong indicator of the quality of your post. More often than not, I use these numbers in my evaluation. This feature is the primary reason for using Packback: aim for the grade you want in your posts. Pay attention to the real-time feedback (see the image) Packback gives as you write. If your grade is lower than you’d like, let Packback help you.
Finally, I want to encourage you to be creative in your posts. Yes, sticking with convention readings may be safer, but try something unusual or weird. Discuss aspects of the texts that no one else is—even if you’re wrong, original and creative interpretations at least get everyone else to think more critically about the texts. If you're having difficulty trying to come up with something to write, try a reader-response. Here, you find something about the text that relates to your life and experience. Not only is this approach a bit more accessible, it allows you to write about your favorite subject: yourself.
Essays
As for your essays: each of you will receive individual feedback on your first essay—hopefully by the weekend. I will grade these in the order received.
I had six class members not turn in an essay. Please reach out to me if you are one of these. You cannot pass the course unless you submit all essays, so it’s imperative we take care of this as soon as possible.
