Directions and Scoring Criteria for Short Thematic Papers
Think about STPs as ways to develop your current thinking about the readings. It's OK to ask questions, to wonder, to critique, to try out new ideas. To write an STP, you will need to think deeply about some aspect(s) of the readings. Often the part that takes the longest is coming up with a theme and figuring out what you want to say about it. But doing this thinking and processing will make the information "stick" in ways that will help you recall it and, more importantly, use it in your own work. It doesn't matter if I agree with your position, as long as you support it sufficiently, but I will "talk back" in my comments.
After reading, talking, and thinking about the readings in a set (see below), jot down some of the ideas you think are most important. Select one on which you want to take a position, and that can be used to relate several readings with your own experiences as a researcher and/or practitioner. For example, you might choose the theme "what can teachers do to shape students' explanations for their successes and failures?" based on the readings and your emerging theories of motivation. As you write, develop your theme while using
- ideas from the readings critically to support or challenge your own position (at least one reading from each day in the set, multiple readings from one or more days.
- your own prior knowledge of motivation experiences (your own, learners you know or have known) to illustrate and support your position.
- in STP#2 & #3 only, a connection back to something you read earlier in the course.
When you finish, give your paper a title that reflects your theme. (HINT: If you have a hard time coming up with a title, it may mean you don't have a clear theme.)
I will use these papers to assess your understanding of the readings and ideas and your ability to use them as you think about research and practice. However, STPs are not the traditional "summarize what I read" paper you may be used to. Instead of summarizing, you will take a position on the theme or big idea and compare it to the positions of the authors you read, as you interpret them. Some authors may support your position or have theories that are consistent with your view while others challenge it – challenge them back! Using the readings critically means that you don't automatically accept the author's position, but instead examine the evidence presented and the assumptions made about learners and other motivated persons.
Scoring Rubrics for STPs
I will use the following checklists to assess your papers -- you can use them yourself to make sure you have fulfilled the assignment.
Checklist for Short Thematic Paper #1 (3-4 pages double-spaced, 1" margins, 12pt)
____ Theme clearly identified, title reflects theme
____ Readings are used critically to support or challenge the position taken
(no summaries)
____ No major misunderstandings of readings
____ At least one reading from each day, multiple readings from at least one day.
____ No more than 4 pages.
Checklist for Short Thematic Paper #2 & #3 (3-4 pages double-spaced)
____ Theme clearly identified, title reflects theme
____ Readings are used critically to support or challenge the position taken (no summaries)
____ No major misunderstandings of readings
____ At least one reading from each day, multiple readings from at least one day.
____ Makes a connection to at least one reading from an earlier group of readings.
____ No more than 4 pages.
|