September 12, 2024

ENGL 2122 Feedback: First Forum Posts

Some great insights and discussion in your posts on the Romantics. Let me remind you that while some of your posts obliquely address the poetry, like in a threads on technology and women’s education, be sure that you always specifically address the literature. It’s fine to then muse about the implications of the thematic elements in the works—this is one of the reasons we read literature after all—but be sure your posts and replies are directly addressing the texts. If your grade is lower than expected, a lack of textual analysis is likely the main reason.

Example 1: No in-text citation.

Example 2: In-text citation.

Likewise, some of your posts addressed texts that were not assigned. This is fine; however, the main focus of your posts should be on those we are reading for class. You are of course welcome to extend your reading to other poems by writers who intrigue you—and I hope you do. However, if you do, be sure you support what you have to say with evidence from those texts. Also, be sure your facts are accurate; e.g., Coleridge's poem is called “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” not “The Rime of the Old Sailor.”

Try also to vary your responses. I notice that, for example, some of you with pick a poem or a theme and all your posts will address it, making them all very similar. You are expected to have a wider breadth of knowledge, and you will need it for your exams. Vary your posts.

Posting a source is only one-half of citation. You must indicate within the text what information you have gleaned from the source. See the image, for example: while it includes a URL (also not really a citation), it does not indicate what information was taken from the source in the text; see Example 1. Was the whole post just a paraphrase of the source? This information must be included. An easy way to accomplish this would be to include a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentences from which information was taken from the source, like in the Example 2. (See also Digital Citation.)

Additionally, sources should not be from reference web sites, like Wikipedia or Britannica; sites like Spark Notes and the like are also dubious and should be avoided.

Consider these other points:

1. You should have posted one question and four responses about the assigned reading on Romanticism. If your grade is lower than expected, you likely did not post enough. Don’t worry about it too much; you’ll have plenty of time to make it up in subsequent units.
2. Pay attention to your curiosity scores for your posts. This score is updated as you write. In general, I use these as a guide for letter grades for your contributions, so you really do have the opportunity to score as high as you want. If you don’t like the score, edit and revise.
3. Any posts that seem to be AI-derived are unacceptable. I gave warnings this time, but the consequences for this academic dishonesty will only increase as the semester goes on, potentially earning perpetrators failing grades and further institutional penalties.

Spend some time and effort on these posts, as they are a major part of your grade and you have several weeks to write them. The more interesting posts will always be specific and not try to cover everything. Remember: since we do not meet face-to-face, you do not have the luxury of in-class lectures. This background material is in written form on my web site and through linked materials, like textual explications and other resources. In addition, it’s up to you to find further quality sources to help in your understanding of these texts. Unfortunately, online classes often require more and consistent work than do face-to-face ones, but you knew that already, right?

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.

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