Key Points to Remember When Writing your Reading Responses
- Provide a thesis statement for your RR in the first sentence or two.
- Weave short relevant quotations into your sentences to support your thesis.
- Provide enough context from the novel so readers understand.
- Provide the page number after the quotation. Example: ". . . reading" (49).
- Word choice is important.
- Avoid "you" and eliminate phrases such as "I think," or "I believe," and "What I got out of this was."
- Spell correctly and check your grammar.
- Avoid cliches or overused sayings as you write your responses.
A tip to make your writing sound more energetic: minimize the use of the verb "to be" in the forms of "is," "was," or "are." This will force you to use more active verbs. For example, instead of saying, "Charlotte is a spider who weaves incredible webs," say "Charlotte the spider weaves incredible webs." Instead of saying "Taran is a curious and impatient young man. That is why he had to learn his lessons the hard way," you could say "Taran’s curiosity and impatience cause him to learn many lessons the hard way."
