Assignment FAQ

What do you look for in grading?

            I look first for ideas. I want you to have and express an idea about the reading, film, etc. Don’t tell me what happened in the reading or film. Have an idea about it. Explain why about something in the reading or film. Watch this video. The Newsroom: What About John Carter.
            Next I look for how you present those ideas. These are issues of organization, grammar, and spelling. While they are secondary, they are important, so don’t overlook them.


Write about an idea that answers one in-depth question (thesis), such as:

• Why did Red tell the Wolf about Grandma?
• What kind of relationship did the Wolf have with Red?
• What is the Wolf (or Red, or Grandma) a metaphor for?
• What do the people that wrote the myth value and believe in?

Paragraph topic sentences point back at thesis and focus the paragraph.

• “The Wolf uses deception like a sexual predator.”

Support answers with evidence from the myth (paraphrase or quote).

• The wolf fooled Grandma by “counterfeiting [Red Hood’s] voice.”

Proofread your work to remove technical errors and tighten writing. 

What’s the assignment for the next class?

            All reading assignments and essay due dates are listed in the syllabus calendar. Responses are listed in the course Twitter feed found on the blog. Just scroll down to see the Twitter feed.

Where do I find the Response # or Assignment letter?

            The Response # and Assignment letter are listed at the top of the response preceding the subject. For example: 6. The Big Sleep 1-5 or A. Cosmic Myths Essay.

Where do I find Assignments?

            Assignments can be found in the course documents folder for your class. A link is listed on the tab for each course, and there is also a link found at the top of the blog in the far right sidebar.

Where do I find Responses?

            Responses are made available through a Twitter Feed, which is published by the blog. Whenever a new response is made available, it will show up in the Feed box on the blog. Scroll down until you see it. You can also have these Tweets texted to your phone via Twitter (see below)

Do I need a Twitter account?

            No. A Twitter account is not necessary. Simply scroll down on the blog to see the Twitter feed where you can click on the link to get responses. The most recent response is at the top.
            However, tweets can be texted to your phone by signing up for a Twitter account. Follow the steps found on here: Tweets via text message.

Do I need a Google Drive account?

            Technically, no, but sometimes Google Drive gets finicky and asks you to login to see course documents and the like. However, you already have a Google Drive account as a student at Maricopa Colleges. Login to you school provided Gmail, then you will also be logged into Google Drive and can access the documents without hassle from a login page.