Reading Log
Complete after each reading you finish.
First Review Due: 3 Oct. at class time
Second Review Due: 3 Dec. at class time
There’s a long, proud tradition of keeping a log of the things you read. While it may seem counterintuitive because a log generates more information, keeping your reading and thoughts organized can actually be an antidote to information overload because it gives us a chance to pause and reflect. This will also help you stay on track with the reading and be prepared for class.
Each day that some reading is due, you’ll create a log entry for that reading. The entry might be for an entire reading or just a segment of something longer. Your log should be kept in a spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel is fine), and it should have the following columns:
| Title | Author | Publication Year | Publisher/Publication | Chapter/Page Numbers | Summary | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The title of the book or article | The author’s name | Year of publication, if available | Name of the publisher (e.g. Penguin Books) or the publication (e.g. The New York Times) | The chapters or pages you read for that day, if applicable | A three-to-four sentence summarizing the plot and/or themes of what you read | Two-to-three sentences with your personal assessment of the reading |
You’ll turn in the spreadsheet log on Sakai once at midterm and once at the end of the semester (see the deadlines above). If you’re using an online spreadsheet program like Google Sheets, you’ll need to download the spreadsheet file in order to send it on Sakai (do NOT send me a link to an online file). Your log will be graded on completeness and the clarity of your written summaries and assessments.