Guidelines for Response Essays

• This is not a paper. You may be informal, if you wish, but this does not mean you can sacrifice grammar or structure. Write about your reactions and feelings about the piece. These are a good reference for when you are brainstorming for paper topics.

• The essays should be approximately 1 page in length (a little less or more is fine - if you want to write more, go ahead, but writing more doesn’t necessarily make your response better).

• Do not just describe the piece – try to analyze it. Discuss its formal features and its content. What is the effect of these features? See "Basic Questions" from A Short Guide to Writing About Art in the Reader.

• Don’t dismiss the work. If it is “boring,” think about why it is boring. What might the function of boredom be in the piece? (This goes for other judgments as well – pretty, violent, disgusting, etc.)

• Try to make an argument.

• Post your response no later than 8pm the day before the video is assigned. You may respond to the postings by your classmates. Do not copy them. Engage in a dialogue with the other essays.