Reading Response Essays
Ten short reading response essays (one page max!) constitute 30% of your grade. This assignment requires you to summarize the main argument of one or more of the readings assigned for that module. Critical engagement of the texts’ arguments—by putting them into conversation with other assigned readings or by raising questions about how the argument’s logic does or does not work—are a welcome addition to the summary, but not a requirement. Response essays are due during the session that the readings are discussed.
For examples of student essays, see the table in the Reading Response Essays section.
Midterm Paper
A 4–5 page midterm essay, due during Session 9, constitutes 20% of your grade. This assignment asks you to place two or more of the assigned texts in conversation, reading them against each other to discover their similarities, disagreements and limitations: how are the social worlds described in these texts differently structured, and how have the authors differently analyzed these differently structured worlds?
Student Examples
“The Kula and Twitter: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Two Social Networks” (PDF)
“Making Politics Personal” (PDF)
Final Paper
A final 5–7 page essay, due on the last day of class, constitutes 30% of your grade. This assignment asks you to use two or more of the assigned texts to analyze some phenomena in the real world. Please see the instructor by session 22 to discuss the real-world phenomena you are planning to analyze.
Student Examples
“#MeToo as a Counterpublic” (PDF)
“(In)effectiveness of Donating Money to MIT” (PDF)
“U.S. Food Aid: Political or Not?” (PDF)
Note: All examples appear courtesy of MIT students and are anonymous by request.
