For each reading, answer the following questions:
What is the key point (or one of the key points)?
What do I like? Why?
What do I dislike? Why?
What do I not understand?
Each entry should be a quarter to a half page, single-spaced. Reading logs should be submitted to “assignments” on Smartsite.
What are some things to like or dislike about the readings?
1. Evaluate an author’s ideas. Do his or her ideas, concepts, theories, arguments, claims or typologies make logical sense? Does the author contradict himself or herself? What are some possible competing ideas or explanations? Has the author attempted to test his or her ideas and are those tests convincing (this might not apply for review articles)? How well do the author’s ideas generalize to other areas of social life?
2. Is there something that you would add to the author’s ideas, concepts, theories, arguments, claims or typologies?
3. Do the authors ideas support, oppose, complement or add another dimension to other readings? Are the author’s ideas more or less useful than other readings for thinking about a particular issue?
4. Do the author’s ideas help you to think about social life or social research in new ways?
5. Consider the practical or political implications of the author’s ideas. Do those implications seem desirable or feasible? Why or why not?
You will be graded mainly for the strength of your ideas. But you will also be graded for your ability to convey those ideas clearly and logically.
