Reading Response

Purpose 🎯 

By completing a Reading Response you engage with content, that forms a core part of your required learning for this unit. Through this task you will also refine your critical thinking skills, by evaluating this content using analytical thinking and judgement, and your written communication skills, by succinctly representing your understanding of this material. 

Task Description ✏️ 

Select one of the topics provided and respond to the following questions:
  • What are the author’s main ideas and arguments?
  • What are the strengths in the author’s arguments and evidence?
  • What are the limitations in the author’s arguments and evidence?
  • What are the assumptions made by the author that you would challenge?

Topics 🔎 


  • Write the topics here

Additional Information 📚 

To help you complete this task successfully, the following resources are provided:
  • Marking Rubric — refer to this to understand how you will be assessed
  • Checklist: How to write a Reading Response — use this to help you complete the task
  • Example: Reading Response — review this to see a completed example of the task
  • List any additional resources and how students should use them here

Checklist: How to write a Reading Response ✅ 

Copy and paste this checklist into your Notes. Check off each step as you complete it.

Step 1: Task Understanding
  • Read the Instructions and Checklist carefully 
  • Read your Marking Rubric carefully

Step 2: Select Topic 
  • Select a topic from the options above
  • Copy + paste your topic and questions into Cadmus 

Step 3: Topic Research
  • Read the Library Search Tips guide
  • Identify a set of potentially useful resources (including the listed resources)
  • Survey, skim, and scan to find the relevant articles, and parts of articles

Step 4: Critical Reading
  • As you read the resource, jot down notes using this framework (adapted from Marshall and Rowland (2006)):
  • The author’s purpose: why has the author written the material? Are these purposes explicitly stated? Are these implicitly stated?
  • The author’s approach: what are the author’s underlying assumptions? Are these explicitly stated? Is there any proof of bias? 
  • Content: what is the author’s thesis? How do they develop the thesis? What evidence, examples, or explanations are used?
  • TIP: as you read, make reference notes of any sources

Step 3: Submit Draft 
  • Submit your critical reading notes (as a draft) before the tutorial

Step 4: Tutorial Discussion Â