ON READING JOURNALS

Reading Journal: Due on May 27^th & July 1^st, by 5pm

Write a 500 word reading journal (typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, and 1” margins all around; refer to CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE for formatting; focusing on assigned reading for the previous month (assignment for May to review readings till Week 6; July 1^st to review readings until Week 10). Don’t be overly concerned with grammar (although spell-check will be helpful!), but do put a lot of thinking into your reading journals since they will be key to fruitful discussions in class and even your final paper.

Please submit the Journal to the lecturer’s email address maran@lit.nagoya-u.ac.jp with the subject “READING JOURNAL I/II”. I’d send out confirmation email once your assignment is received. Late submission is not accepted unless emergency happens.

You should engage with at least TWO reading(s) as listed in our syllabus—one of which MUST be the required readings. You are expected to review, evaluate and even critique certain theoretical concepts (such as keywords proposed by scholars) and/or arguments (much detailed explanations); you should be able to present your own interpretation and viewpoints. (further relevant analysis of film shots/scenes/aesthetics/styles etc. will be welcomed but not a must).

TIPS on Reading Journal:

1. academic writing style (please consult with your tutor and do self-GOOGLING): being objective, use the right jargon, hedging etc.; 

2. theoretical focus on one or several closely related concepts; NOT a review of everything read in the previous month (you don’t have to link up them ALL together for reading journal);

3. digging into that concept (“attraction” or “montage”), and you need to do literature review (paraphrasing what the scholars have said) and further critique these ideas/concepts by linking up to the assigned articles. Self-study is necessary, and further references are welcomed as long as you could already handle the current readings well.