ENG 101: Composition I

Prairie State College

Prof. Lee-Schott

15 points each

Reading Response Guidelines, Schedule, and Sample

Guidelines:

The major objectives in Composition I are:

Developing the ability to write clear, correct, effective, expository (meaningful and

challenging) and argumentative papers;

Utilizing critical reading skills;

Participating in collaborative peer work;

Appreciating library resources.

In the course, you must compose reading responses for reading assignments listed in the

schedule below. For your response, you must provide a 250-word (one paragraph) response to

what you have read. The purpose of this assignment is to provide evidence of your careful

reading and analysis of texts. For your response, you can assert:

What interests you or what moves you about the text.

OR

What message or lesson you have gained from the text.

In your response, you must integrate and discuss portions of the texts in two or more

“source sandwiches.” A source sandwich has four basic parts:

1. An argument/assertion sentence, in which you assert a supporting idea that links your

direct quote to the topic sentence for your paragraph;

2. Introduction (smooth integration) of your quote;

3. Your chosen direct quotation (meaning that you quote the text verbatim);

4. Analysis or explanation, in which you discuss why this quote supports your assertion.

Submission Guidelines:

Your work must be presented in Times New Roman, size 12 pt, with 1” margins on all sides.

You must use MLA style (7th

edition) for your heading and page numbers, and parenthetical

(in-text) citations. A works cited page is not required for this assignment.

Your responses must be completed in Word or Works and submitted through the dropbox

link located in Desire2Learn (D2L).

Responses submitted in this course will also be submitted to Turnitin.com through D2L.

Plagiarism on this assignment can result in a failing grade for this assignment; two or more

instances of plagiarism in this course can result a failing grade in this course.

You may submit these assignments up to one week late. However, please be advised that late

submissions will be subject to an 11 percent grade deduction penalty.

Reading Response Submission Schedule

Deadlines: Texts:

September 27 Miler, “Chapter 2: Consumerism”

September 27 Spurlock, “Do You Want Lies With That?”

October 4 Kummer, “Open for Business: Eating Out as Group Therapy in Post-

Katrina New Orleans”

October 6 Odell, “The Deadly Little Secret: Candy Cigarettes”

October 18 Miller, “Chapter 3: Body Image”

October 18 Hornbacher, “Childhood”

October 20 Martin, “How to Address Obesity in a Fat-Phobic Society”

October 25 Miller, “Chapter 4: Ethics”

November 1 Snyder, “Whence the Beef?: The Gruesome Trip From Pasture to Platter”

November 1 Clark, “Meatless Like Me: I May Be Vegetarian, but I Still Love the Smell

of Bacon”

November 3 Shah, “Causes of Hunger Are Related to Poverty”

November 3 Haas, “The Ethics of Eating: Consider the Farmworkers”

Students in English 101-17A must submit reading responses by 10:30 am.

Students in English 101-20 must submit reading responses by 1:30 pm.

Student Sample

Prof. Lee-Schott

English 102

May 20, 2011

Sample Reading Response (267 words)

In “Where Does Polysorbate 60 Come From, Daddy?” Steve Ettlinger draws my attention

to how little I know, as a consumer, about the foods I purchase. For example, when Ettlinger’s

daughter asks him to explain an ingredient on a Twinkie food label, he reveals, “glancing back

down at it, I realized it was totally incomprehensible and most terms only barely pronounced”

(17). As a parent, I can empathize with the frustration of not understanding what my child and I

are eating; it seems as if he feels vulnerable in his efforts to protect his child. After conducting

some research, Ettlinger eventually learns the history of the Twinkie, including the dubious food

technology for which “the result today is a cake known for its secret recipe and long shelf life”

(18). Essentially, the Twinkie is loaded with a lengthy list of preservatives that most consumers

know nothing about. Finally, Ettlinge leads readers to consider the perils of consuming processed

foods, such as Twinkies. As he learns and discloses more about their contents, he remarks,

“sometimes it became difficult to relate the massive industrial and technical activities involved to

making the ingredients for a simple baked good” (20). Ultimately, I learned from Ettlinger many

of our most favorite food treats are heavily processed. As delicious as processed food might be,

the impact of our health might not be worth the risk of enjoying those foods. My lesson from this

essay is that consumers should take responsibility for learning more about what we choose to eat,

and consumers should take care to make better choices once they become informed consumers.

Sample 1