HOW TO WRITE A RESPONSE
1) Go prepared to the event. If you can find out information about the reader or speaker or film beforehand, that will help you hear what's delivered in a wider context. But mainly what we mean by "prepared" is that you arrive early and take along a piece of paper to jot notes. Google is a good source for general information about people. If you're seeing a film, prepare by reading what critics have said about it (a good source of reviews is the Movie Review Query Engine).
2) What's wanted is your reaction to the TOTAL EVENT. Was there an introduction? Who delivered it? Was it useful to you? What kind of persona did the main speaker project? Did s/he establish a helpful context for you to understand the subject? If appropriate, you might mention how other audience members responded to the event. If a film or play, how did the rest of the audience besides you seem to react?
3) Describe the pieces read or the lecture. Fiction? Non-fiction? Poetry? Title(s)? Was it a piece of a longer work or self-contained? If a film, give a concise plot summary (do NOT let plot summary take over your whole response!). Did you feel you understood it? Did it remind you of something you've read or heard or seen before? What was the plot or the situation or the argument or the conclusion? TAKE NOTE OF DETAILS, including specific lines, so you can use them to illustrate your points.
4) THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: Description should lead to ANALYSIS or at least COMMENTARY. What did you think of the event? Don't rest satisfied with "I liked it" or "I hated it." Respond thoughtfully to the event. If you can tie the event to any of the works we're reading in class, that's good (but don't force it if the connections aren't there).
5) Give your piece a title--something other than "Response." Proofread and spell-check before handing in.
6) Responses are due within a week of the event. They should be 500-600 words long.
7) A response should not be just a series of answers to the questions above. It should be a fully-shaped mini-essay with its own organization. Be creative. Do something interesting with these little assignments.
EXAMPLE OF A RESPONSE TO A POETRY READING
ANOTHER PLAY RESPONSE (Jitney)
RESPONDING TO A DOCUMENTARY FILM (negatively)