English 1301 with Nikki Slack!

This semester you are asked to present selected texts on the syllabus to your classmates in a critical and thoughtful way.  Your goal is to make your peers think about texts in a way that furthers understanding of the texts.  You could do this by asking thought provoking questions about the texts, providing background information on the authors, giving historical context for the texts, and much more.  It’s up to you!

There is no required structure for your presentation; you could lead a class discussion, do a PowerPoint presentation, do an interpretive dance— anything that will works for you and ultimately actively engages your classmates.

Just as I will not pick the format for you, I will not select the text either.  You are limited to discussing texts assigned for class on the day of your presentation, but may choose one, a couple, or all to present on.

It is quite likely that you will be presenting on the same day as another person.  It’s up to you to determine how much or how little you will coordinate with your classmate.  You could do an entire presentation alongside him or her for the whole 30 minutes allotted, or opt to present on your own for 15 minutes each.

I do not require you to turn in any hard copies of your presentation or handouts, but you certainly are welcome to do so.  Your grade will be based on the actual presentation.  This is the rubric I will use to determine your grade:

 -Does the presenter seem well-prepared? (10 pts)

-Is the presenter thoroughly familiar with the text(s)? (10 pts)

-Does the presenter get the entire class involved or is the presentation one-sided? (15 pts)

-Is the presentation focused on the selected text(s) or does it wander off topic? (10 pts)

-Does the presentation raise thoughtful and interesting points about the text(s) or does it merely restate the plot? (15 pts)

-Does the presenter use time-management successfully, neither ending up far too short on time or going over too long? (10 pts)

-Does the presenter speak clearly at a volume that is easily understood by even people in the back of the room? (5 pts)